Hi everyone!
By checking a map not too far from where I live, I just saw a railroad company I haved never heard of. And this company has a railroad network of only 17km.
I was surprised to learn this. I thought that every railroad company were a lot larger.
Is it common to see such a small railroad network?
Here is the link:
Railroads run the gamut of transcon’s to a piece of paper and everything in between. They all exist for a economic purpose.
Short lines have always been around in railroading, and lots of new ones appeared as the large railroads sold off branches and lines they didn’t require or want anymore (this accelerated to a degree 40+ years ago after Staggers in the US, not sure of Canadian equivalent).
There’s a thread about the ‘East Terminal railway’ I started last month - basically they have brought less than 1/2 mile of track which they plan to use for railcar storage, repair, and unloading.
I’ll defer to the post MC is going to make, possibly in highly colored language, on some aspects of this topic, perhaps even more if we mention the name ‘Riffin’. Some people have discovered the prospect that Being A Railroad™ confers certain supposed rights and privileges that normal business doesn’t enjoy…
T. J. Stiles, in his book Tycoon: the Epic Story of Cornelius Vanderbilt, recounts an anecdote that seems more than apocryphal. The president of some very small railroad called on the Commodore to offer a pass, obviously hoping Mr. Vanderbilt would reciprocate the favor. “Why would I want a pass on your short little railroad? What use is that to me?”, Vanderbilt said as he showed his caller the door. With a combination of wounded pride and chutzpah, the shortline president replied, “Mr. Vanderbilt, the XXX Railroad might not be as long as the New York Central, but it is just as wide!”
Some firms have set up common-carrier terminal railroads for what is primarily a plant switching operation. I have also been aware of the Chicago & Calumet River RR (long abandoned) in my old neighborhood which primarily served Pressed Steel Car Co. and had only about 5 miles of track.
Great squelch! I’d guess even the Commodore got a laugh out of it!
The Guelph Junction Railway runs 24 km from Guelph to a connection with CP at Guelph Junction. It is owned by the City of Guelph. Inspite of its short length it’s an interesting railroad (currently operated by G&W)… with city shunting operations… a yard, diverse freight, and scenic running out of Guelph as the line straddles the Eramosa River on one side and tall limestone cliffs on the other…
The Strasburg Rail Road (well known for it’s steam tourist train aspect, but also a common carrier of freight) is only 4.5 miles long. It happens to be the oldest continuously-operating railroad in the western hemisphere.
As for the East Terminal Railroad mentioned above, it doesn’t seem like less than 1/2 mile of track is anywhere near enough to make car storage a profitable enterprise. I really don’t get what that guy is up to. Maybe it’s just a hobby thing for him. Or maybe the connecting line (NS?) has indicated they would use a repair facility in that neck of the woods, but that seem unlikely.
As for XRR’s question, railroads can be very short!
We have a local shortline, The Ellis & Eastern. It runs on about 5 miles of track through town hauling mostly pink gravel from a quarry, but does have a few industries that it services.
Plot Twist: the shortline president was lying, as he was actually president of the East Broad Top Railroad…
There is much to be said about shortline railroads, as they often (not always, mind you) are more receptive to cultivating and growing new business and improving customer service (as best they can).
As for ETR, well in the video they posted yesterday, Brian and son spent most of it doing their best Jaw Tooth impression as they rainfanned while on a quest for a cheap and cheerful dump bed.
Rochelle used to have a city-owned operation that wasn’t any too long.
Of course, I remember reading in Trains in the '60s when PRR tightened up the gauge on some of the tangents to reduce nosing and hunting, and had the rejoinder “we’re a lot longer, but we’re not as wide”…
There was standard gauge and 3 rail in EBT’s Mount Union yard.