Why is it that the media always gets it wrong when it comes to railroading? Host Yul Kwon uttered flatly, that politicians put pressure on railroads to terminate in Chicago. What!!!!!! This of course ignores all of the geographic and historical reasons that Chicago became a rail hub. The man needs to read Nature's Metropolis by William Cronon.

He dwelled on the fact that freight cars get humped at the "Double Hump," BRC's Clearing Yard, ignoring intermodal, and bypass lines like the EJ&E.

Probably the worst though, was the stated idea that freight congestion is holding back passenger service. This statement completely ignores the fact that the NERC is almost free of freight traffic. The real reason that there is not more passenger service, of course is funding.

If PBS is getting the railroad part wrong, why should I trust any of the other content?

Pdxrailtransit