PC: What if

["Bill Cameron" <Bill_Cameron@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The "what if" concept is very interesting.  
The reasons the PC failed are well-documented, and how she could have survived
definitely is open to much debate.  
Essentially, a very easy option would have been to keep the PC logo and
corporate name when Conrail was formed, since she was the biggest of all who
went into Conrail.  (just like they kept the PC name on the licenses for the
two-way radios)  The government probably wanted a new name for a new image, and
I am sure not everybody concerned (EL, LV and the others...) would not have been
too happy about that though. Was there ever a consideration of this?  Does
anybody know?  They could have kept the name though, and following the brilliant
path of Conrail in getting rid of dual routes and shaving and cutting PC would
have lived essentially as Conrail is today...but here comes CSX and NS in 1998. 
We would have probably lost the PC this year anyway.
It is very interesting though that all of us here have such a love for what
essentially was a railroad with so many problems, and so many issues.  Most
railfans and rail historians hate the PC, many modelers laugh at it.  I have
seen others on rail websites say they despise the "worms." But we love it and
here in 1998 have a daily discussion and debate about it.  That is great and
this is where the PC still lives.  Instead of "what if" maybe we should ask
"why."  I think it would be interesting to hear from other fans as to why they
love the PC.  I know we are definitely an unique group in the railfan community.
 Someone on a previous post mentioned a book on Braniff Airlines -- Braniff fans
and PC fans have a lot in common. -- Even though both were separate modes of
transportation, both companies, as they were in the 1970's, had A LOT in common
in terms of management problems and that "underdog" stigma, but both that
certain appeal. 

BC
Lockport, NY