Re: New head of SPUR and rail... all types
Author: E9A
Date: 03-22-2019 - 11:39
synonymouse Wrote:
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> "SB: Right, so you just mean a high-capacity rail
> network should have been built, but not
> necessarily to BART specs. When I was once asked
> the same question, I said I’d have changed the
> decision to make BART non-standard gauge, so now
> we could be talking about extending BART on
> disused and lightly used freight lines."
>
> Appears to be another politically correct
> lightweight to me but this remark does reveal some
> insight into why the SP demanded Bechtel gauge.
> Still the real reason was the possibility of an
> entirely different vision of Bay rapid transit,
> namely RER-stadtbahn. I would have done what the
> SP was really afraid of - European style wholesale
> nationalization. Take over the SP in the early
> sixties, build another bridge for rail parallel to
> the Bay Bridge, electrify and downgrade freight
> and upgrade passenger.
>
> Picture the USRA and Conrail somewhat as models.
Which goes pretty far in explaining why you are not
in charge and never will be.