05-02-2011, 10:27 AM
Looking back at some of my old posts, this one struck me by surprise. For those of you that know me, you know that I collect railroad timetables, simply because, it's an affordable way to own a piece of railroad history. But reading the first response to my post above, from "a Conrail fan", made me realize...Conrail is now a fallen flag. How quickly time has flown by!
I used to take Conrail timetables for granted. They were easy to find at train shows and really affordable. I'm not going to bore you with, yet another, post on timetable collecting, but, seeing another Class 1 fall by the wayside, makes me realize that those Conrail tt's "aren't so common" anymore.
I used to take that blue and white paint for granted. But what makes it special for me - and what really drives this point home - is the fact that I can say that I worked for Conrail. I used to run trains for a Class 1 that is now gone. All that's left is the history - in a timetable. That makes collecting their material even more special now.
Corny? Maybe, but think, again perhaps, of this:
Where is ATSF, BN, GN, ICG, SP, or even N&W now? These, of course, were the Class 1's of my generation. These roads have all been chewed up and spit out - in one way or another - by other class 1's to either form a larger system or a spattering of shortlines. I always took for granted that these roads would always be around. Boy, was I wrong. I wonder what's next. Will there be a "Super Class 1"? Or will they continue to "spin off" portions of track to form some "Super Shortlines".
I'm not sure what's going to come about in the railroad universe. I do know that the railroads have made a huge comeback over the past decade. In the meantime, I'll keep collecting those little pieces of history. But now, I think I'll pay more attention to the Conrail items.
Conrail, a fallen flag?
I used to take Conrail timetables for granted. They were easy to find at train shows and really affordable. I'm not going to bore you with, yet another, post on timetable collecting, but, seeing another Class 1 fall by the wayside, makes me realize that those Conrail tt's "aren't so common" anymore.
I used to take that blue and white paint for granted. But what makes it special for me - and what really drives this point home - is the fact that I can say that I worked for Conrail. I used to run trains for a Class 1 that is now gone. All that's left is the history - in a timetable. That makes collecting their material even more special now.
Corny? Maybe, but think, again perhaps, of this:
Where is ATSF, BN, GN, ICG, SP, or even N&W now? These, of course, were the Class 1's of my generation. These roads have all been chewed up and spit out - in one way or another - by other class 1's to either form a larger system or a spattering of shortlines. I always took for granted that these roads would always be around. Boy, was I wrong. I wonder what's next. Will there be a "Super Class 1"? Or will they continue to "spin off" portions of track to form some "Super Shortlines".
I'm not sure what's going to come about in the railroad universe. I do know that the railroads have made a huge comeback over the past decade. In the meantime, I'll keep collecting those little pieces of history. But now, I think I'll pay more attention to the Conrail items.
Conrail, a fallen flag?
Doing my best to stay on track and to live each day to it's fullest, trying not to upset people along the way. I have no enemies.....just friends who don't understand my point of view.
Steve
Let's go Devils!
Steve
Let's go Devils!