You’re not misunderstanding. In fact I’ll go further and say it might be worth reopening the idea of building some lines that never came to be as intended.
Probably far worse. But I also know to pick my battles wisely. Rebuilding Raton with warts is not a sensible idea in nearly any conceivable world of the future. In the few cases it is, rebuilding the line ‘around’ Raton and Glorieta would be a preferable use of OPM on the necessary Keynesian scale. Same for the B&O via Cincinnati west of where the Chicago line takes off. You can only polish that so far, and the opportunity value of routings only slightly further north are immensely better.
In my opinion, a great deal of it is circumstantial, and a great deal of it is associated with opportunity use of available capital. Had through lines via St. Louis been pushed extensively in the years around the turn of the 20th Century, or if the massive ruination of railroad combinations in 1892 and 1907 not occurred as they did, I expect a very considerable traffic through St. Louis (in preference to Chicago) would have developed; that might have been dramatic had a couple of the improvements in east and northeast ROW amenable to fast merchandise just as to ‘faster passenger trains’ been made… and the enhanced services correctly marketed, and need for them developed on the ‘client side’ – etc.
Now that we are in an age of enormous capital cost, wretched engineering execution, and endless “grassroots challenges” to effe
I am not aware of any dirt being moved on the Howard Street Tunnel project as of yet. I believe all the political entities have signed off, however, I have not heard of the awarding of any contracts for the work.
As an aside, the B&O had control of the Chicago & Alton route from St.Louis to Chicago up until 1942 when it was sold to the GM&O.
Yes ! I rode Amtrak’s Texas Eagle over this line several times in the mid to late 1980s. The B&O’s classic color position lights were still there and functioning!
In some spots, though the track was very, very rough especially at 70MPH+
Being from WV I have followed the abandonment of many lines. The PRR across the northern panhandle is gone like their line from Wellsburg to Wheeling. The B&O from Grafton to Charleston has been given to short lines with the southern part either abandoned or delirect. the Parkersburg to Clarksburg saw its last passenger train disappeared when Harley Staggers departed Washington. This train was called the Staggers Express and went from DC to Parkersburg. As mentioned if the original ROW was an easement it reverted to the adjacent land owner. Rail banking is a great idea but think of the bucket of worms to get the hikers and bikers off. I cannot think of one place where the banked ROW was unbanked. Elon Musk recently said that management needs to spend less time in the board room and more time on the factory floor. He does this and improved the bottom line after meeting with the blue collars. It was mentioned to run trains from Clarksburg to New Martinsville then south to Huntington. The line from Clarksburg to New Martinsville was laid out by a snake. Talk about very slow trains. I keep thinking to what Fred Farley (I think) said. If we were building the CP-UP today with all the current EPA reports and studies required we would still be waiting on the golden spike ceremony.
Connecticut revived the Old Saybrook - Hartford railbanked line for on-line feight-service I’ve been told. Ex NYNH&H - PC - Conrail, now one of the regionals, possibly Prov. & Worcester, need to check.
I’m thinking that the State may have revived a short part of the northern end of this line but like you I, too, need to check.
The revival and rebuilding of the Old Saybrook - Middleton portion has been an on-again, off-again project for quite a number of years. Not sure where the plan stands now. I think this was the old New Haven “Valley Line”
The current Valley Railroad only uses the southernmost few miles of the old line. They rehabbed and run from Old Saybrook north about ten miles if it’s even that far. There have been plans for many, many year to rehab the line from the end of the Valley Railroad operation to Middletown but as far as I know this has never happened. If it ever does happen they will have the advantage that the rails are still there in spite of the fact that most of the ties rotted away many years ago.
I am sure my parents and I rode part of this route when we took B&O to DC from St. Louis. I do remember names like Parkersburg, Clarksburg and of course, Harpers Ferry, remember the sun sparkling on the water as we crossed the bridge, then we went into Maryland as friend I had been talking to got off at Sulphur Springs. Very scenic ride and I think the train was called the Diplomat. I know they had a hostess aboard dressed like airlines used and she was also a nurse. Only other RR I have rode with these ladies was the original CZ on tour from CA, the Zephyrettes. IL RR Museum has a collection of Q cars and engine and last year we were there for a big weekend event with the Nebraska Zephyr running. A lady came around in blue uniform and I said a Zephyrette, I was the only one who knew what she was, her and conductor asked me a lot of questions. She had got the uniform from a former Zephyrette and would be telling her that she met someone who rode with them. I found out they also walked dogs for passengers at longer stops, I knew they made dinner reservations and took care of passengers’ needs. First class riding on B&O even on Dad’s pass. This was our first overnight longer trip