RE: PC: What if?

["William Gripp (908) 704-4256" <GRIPPW@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

X400-Mts-Identifier: [;6423460902051997/A40899/GENSYS]
Hop-Count: 1


> > I have enjoyed thinking about the what if's.  So I have another.  What if
> > New Haven was placed in trust with the Erie Lackawanna and not with Penn
> > Central?  New Haven was a major interchange partner with EL.  This would
>
>This is a possibilty.  

I disagree.  In 1969 the EL was still solvent but the NH was in DEEP
trouble.  There was no motivation for EL to assume the NH and its
problems.  In fact even in bankruptcy, the EL thought it might be able
to recover and at first seriously considered exclusion from ConRail
and remaining independant.


>NH + CV

Not likely at the time due to CN's tight control over thier "children".


>NH + B&M

If this was going to happen it most likely would have during the
McGuiness era.


>NH + D&H (that would have been *colorful*!)

Where did these connect?


>Any of the above may have sustained a stable New England rail company and
>possibly avoided Guilford.  However merging NH with any existing New
>England railroad would have brought shouts of unfair competiton from the
>remaining roads.  

I've heard there was once a thought of a "New England Central" merging
B&M, MEC, and BAR (and perhaps NH).  That wouldn't leave too many around
to complain.