I am doing a thesis paper (im a freshman in high school, its just an English project so dont worry)
and I am thinking aobut doing it on contreversial railroad issues, i.e WC’s oust of Burkhardt, UP’s takeover of SP/CNW, etc. I also believe there was something involving WC/CNW and lines in Wisconsin?
I will be checking this tomrow during Eglsih class so quick replies would be helpful!
Thanks!
How about a paper on the arguments and politics of a rail related Internet forum? I think you could find lots of good subject matter here! [swg]
Then again, the way some of the members around here act, that might be a better subject for a doctoral dissertation…or twelve! [(-D]
Oh my this sounds familar. I did my senior seminor / thesis paper on the dangers of Train/ Car collisions. I had over 10 pages back to back of information. I also did a presentation in front of half of my school on what could happen if you ignor railroad crossing warning signs and signals, I also showed a video, the students really loved that, they were able to see some “awesome” collisions.
If you want to you could concentrate on the many grade crossing deaths that happen in the USA or you could concentrate it on one given area. You could also do a study on how many people ignor railroad crossings warning signs due to lack of knowledge, impactience, ect…
Good Luck!
If you are looking for controversial issues for a freshman English term paper you might consider topics such as high-speed passenger trains or long distance trains on Amtrak. While there is common agreement on the need to reduce grade crossing accidents, there is no consensus on how to do it. Another issue is the bans on sounding the air horns in the Chicago suburbs.
How about modern day railroading verses NIMBY’s? With DM&E, you’d have a close, current example.
How about the DM&E expansion?
Edit:
Bah, ya beat me to it Murph!
I’m fast![:)]
Max- another good one for you, might be big railroads (CN), buying up smaller railroads(DMIR).
you might add “no whistle” or quiet zones to the above subject - they are certainly controversial
dd
Reductions in crew sizes (again!).
Do you really want only one crewman in the cab?
Is it safe for rail crews or the general public?
Does it elevate the terrorist threat with only one crew man?
Why do the railroads want it and how the unions are fighting it?
Where does your elected officials stand on the issue?
With age comes wisdom. Pick a topic that is relatively easy to research and about which your teacher knows little or nothing. Topics that you are suggesting seem a bit hard to research. Unless you have a railfan for a teacher you probably have the second part ok.
LC
Railroad Graffiti or how the Police have treated railfans after 9/11
Certainly some of your topic ideas are of interest to this SIG, but do you think they’d seem controversial or arouse interest to the average American reader, to whom railroads, unlike, for example, the airlines, hardly register on the consciousness?
If you’re a high school freshman who wants a railroad related topic, I suggest you should pick something that affects the wider public interest, such as the role of railroads in a modern transportation network; how RRs have managed to survive and even prosper competing against trucking; are RR crossings safe enough? etc. (Also they’re much easier to research!)
BTW, if you want to avoid making the wrong impression, you might start by using a spelling and grammar checker.
Or, to be truly controversial, how railfans have treated the police/railroads since 9/11. [;)]
Maybe something a little closer to home, and easier to research? Do average citizens think railfans are nuts for having an interest in something so boring as railroads?[}:)]
Keep in mind that this first and foremost is an English assignment. Your topic is irrelevant. You could write about the cost of Fruit Loops in Argentina and get an “A” if you take care of spelling, grammar, punctuation and clarity of thought. We tend to be pretty casual here on the forum, but that won’t cut it in English class. Having seen many of your previous posts, I’m sure you will do well with just a little care. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Yeah! The last thing you want to see is : C- “You’ll shoot your eye out” [:o)]
I think you need to first consider who it is you will be trying to please with the paper, your fellow classmates, or the teacher.
After that, you should try to pick a subject that will actually interest the teacher, something that could potentially impact their life.
From then on it’s just a matter of presenting a thoroughly researched argument, and the mechanics of the paper itself.
I would suggest the railroad’s ambition to go to one man crews, and tie into it how crew fatigue, already a problem, would be even more of a danger with only one man crews. Write it in such a way that the teacher will feel their own personal safety being compromised, and then state your conclusion in such a way that it sounds like the only reasonable solution.
re corborn’s spelling and grammer:
I was going to reply, but held back as I didn’t want to be critical
and the ones that did respond did so in a gracious manner.
I wish you well & let us know how you make out.
Or better yet, write a synopsis on how railroads have blown it over the years by treating trucking companies as competition [banghead] , when in fact trucks aren’t the least bit of competition for railroads in the modal optimization context. Rather, they represent the largest potential domestic customers of railroads.
I would also suggest that (suprise!) you explore the rational behind US railroads continuing in the vertically integrated “closed access” model of operations, when all other transportation modes in the US (and indeed, most other private railroads
[quote user=“futuremodal”]
Or better yet, write a synopsis on how railroads have blown it over the years by treating trucking companies as competition [banghead] , when in fact trucks aren’t the least bit of competition for railroads in the modal optimization context. Rather, they represent the largest potential domestic customers of railroads.
I would also suggest that (suprise!) you explore the rational behind US railroads continuing in the vertically integrated “closed access” model of operations, when all other transportation modes in the US (and indeed, mo