The 20th Century Railroad Club of Chicago appears to have disbanded and it’s website is down. Sad end of an era.
They had some good and well organized fan trips.
With a dated name like theirs, in some ways it is not surprising that a demise has occurred. Society as a whole has radically changed so nothing really should surprise us.
This forum is associated with the railroad industry. While I keep hearing railroads are the most efficient and economical, railroads invariably will face a “time value of money” problem as rail transit times get longer and longer and longer, and autonomous trucks start threatening the industry.
Other companies that are associated with railroading, like TRAINS Magazine, are having a harder and harder time making ends meet, especially as circulation keeps declining. Some of that decline may have been self-inflicted, but the fact is ALL companies face the reality of economics and the laws of repeated history.
Then there is the hate mongering groups! All they are bent on is destroy, destroy, destroy! Whether the 20th Century Railroad Club was victim of them is unclear, but all of us need to be on guard against hate groups.
This certainly was a thought-proving thread. It is a shame more didn’t have something to comment on and to contribute.
Alas, such is the fate of many such organizations.
Part of the problem is a lack of recruitment. Part of the problem is lack of relevance - the youngsters don’t care about the topic of the organization.
Oftimes, the original core of the group dies off with no type of succession (ie, new members) in place.
It’s a shame that it happens, but it’s a common tale, as they say.
The key, for existing organizations, is to bring in younger members. And to welcome those members. All too often, the older members resent the new members and end up driving them away.
I have to scratch my head over this comment. In what way will this threaten the railroad industry? Autonomous operation of a truck does not fundamentally change physics or the economics of a freight train.
Additionally, I believe with targeted infrastructure investments that are happening now, our rail freight network will become more efficient in the next 10 years. I don’t know by how much but I have to say just looking at the WisDOT investments in Wisconsin to support the expanded Amtrak service. Operational efficiency on CPKC between Chicago and Twin Cities is improving fairly significantly.
People slam Amtrak a lot in these forums, including myself but there are positive spillovers from Amtrak operations to CPKC operations at least. Once they eventually finish the CREATE projects around Chicago…freight trains will benefit. I never thought I would see the former Milwaukee Road main in South Milwaukee quad tracked (even for a short distance) but it is going to happen.
tree68:
You commented with great insight and understanding!
From the word go (i.e., when I was a young lad) I was fascinated by trains. Unfortunately, other things fascinate kids today, i.e., video games and the like.
One thing that inspired train interest in the past was the great numbers employed by railroads. Now, hardly anyone is employed by railroads! So, the upcoming generation is growing up neutral to railroading.
Perhaps the end of railroading is in sight! Autonomous trucks could end railroading once and for all. I can hardly wait till someone markets an autonomous management! Can you imagine, tree68, the relatively new high rise Union Pacific Center in Omaha being totally empty and a computer in just one room running all the autonomous trains?
Perhaps THAT is the solution to rail clubs chronically losing memberships. With nobody employed, surely there will develop a large clan that likes to see autonomous trains go by! Oh, that’s right, there will be no trains! Just autonomous trucks. A new phrase will be coined: autonomous truckfans!
CMStPnP:
Just picture it: A 100 mile long train. Such would run only once a week!
Where is all this going to end up at? Wouldn’t ultimately time value of money conscious shippers start shipping by autonomous trucks instead of the 100 mile weekly autonomous trains?
Trains will always be needed to haul bulk commodities, if nothing else. Trucks just can’t compete.
So your saying a 100 mile train is a possibility on our current rail network? Just curious because that is what it reads like what your saying.
I’m still waiting on him to explain or show examples of the super-special photo techniques that only he knows.
Replies:
Backshop:
Trains will always be needed, you said. When I was a kid in Southern California many, many years ago, a highlight was seeing the sugar beet train come through. The Southern Pacific SD7’s and SD9’s was scattered in the train, in three or four places!
Today, the sugar beet trains are no more! I pass sugar beet trucks often on the highways.
CMStPmP:
It was said illustratively to make people think. Such also tends to bring out people’s true colors so everyone can see what they really are!
Backshop:
You must have missed it. It was right there on page 2 of the Camera thread.
To All:
Shall we get back to the 20th Century railroad club?
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You’ve made us all think, but not in the manner that you think.
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I’ve always laughed at posters who take a thread off-topic, and then admonish others to get back on-topic.
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Would you care to expand on your comment about “hate mongering groups” and how they could have anything to do with a railfan group?
What did the 20th centrury railfan club actually do?
There’s plenty of young railfans. They’re all over facebook, twitter (err…x), discord, even bluesky. Also plenty of travel blogs on youtube/instagram/etc. Jsut becuase an old group dies out doesn’t mean the hobby is dead. Stuff changes with the times.
why is it unfortunate? A lot of people like trains and video games.
Cue the “old man yells at clouds” image.
Backshop:
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So, what meaningful and constructive way did you and your group think?
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Laughter is the best medicine, Readers Digest says. From laughter, you likely will live a long time. These forums really must have health benefits, don’t they?
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Why elaborate? Surely you are not naïve. Some people revel in causing trouble and love chaos. Others want to be helpful and seek peace. Which type are you, Backshop?
zugmann:
What kind of question is that? Are you delighted that tens of thousands of railroaders have lost their jobs in the last 50 years?
And it is becoming harder and harder to find upbuilding associates to share our railroading interest. One time on a popular railfan (public) pedestrian bridge in Wyoming, some cute gal approached me and asked a question. I was so surprised and mystified by the question, I said “What?” She perceived I was not the drug dealer or whatever she was looking for and continued across the bridge.
Does all the above explain the use of the word unfortunate?
Reader’s Digest isn’t doing so hot these days either…
Anyone enjoying this thread may also be interested in a railfan Facebook group called “A Railroad Club Where Everyone Acts Like Boomers”. It currently has around 4,200 members and is far from the largest foamer group. And while this make come as quite the shock to croteaudd, Facebook is getting old and is far from the latest greatest thing these days.
Yep, the interest in trains is still out there and so are the people. They’ve just moved on to different platforms.
It may also interest the OP to know that the 20th Century Railroad Club’s Facebook page still exists and was last updated only two days ago. Not quite dead yet.
That you know of. Ag products can move in containers now too.
20th Century Railroad Club has done quite a bit over the years. I first heard of them when they presented “Rail City Special” on Sunday evenings on an FM station in Evanston. They also operated a bunch of fantrips.
Thats true but also kind of a memorial more than a functioning page of an operating club. Note lack of fantrips or get togethers listed. They used to meet once a month. I suspect the pandemic led to a lack of funds and interest just drifted away.
In the context of railroads losing business, you stated the above. In that case, what was the reason for the S.P. losing the sugar beat traffic?
It sounds like you are saying the the beet traffic went to trucks. If so, why was trucking preferred over rail?
Service and/or price.
The flexibility of trucks is also a factor. Rail traffic is bound by where the rails go. Not so much truck traffic.
As I recall, many of the dedicated beet cars are/were aging out. The shippers may not have wanted to go to the expense of building new cars, and we all know the railroads aren’t buying many cars these days.