I don't know of any books dedicated to the issue of LCL and small communities per se however Hilton does touch on the subject in "American Narrow Gauge Railroads" and some of his other works. There have also been some write-ups in the various model and fan magazines. A column by Ed Ellis (if I recall correctly) in Trains several years back comes to mind. He drew a parrallel between the demise of the steam locomotive and the decline of loose car railroading to smaller communties based on the decreasing need for service stops.

There are certainly a numer of academic writings, to wit Mr. Gaffney's thesis, and your easiest source would probably be to look on Lexis-Nexis Academic for the published papers.

> Anybody happen to know if any railroad books
> have ever covered this part of a railroad's
> service to its community? I have used a term
> that a shortline was "a smalltown's
> best friend" back in the days when less
> than carload freight was a part of the rail
> transportation picture. But I don't think
> I've seen much history documented on it...
> Have any shortline books ever covered this
> aspect?


ptrmgtsvc@juno.com

> Baby chickens or other fowl ...stop by your
> closest Tractor Supply store in the spring
> and you will see several different kinds for
> sale.

Guess my suburban upbringing is showing :-) .....Thanks to you and PK for the clarification. My next guess was going to be those little marshmallow chicks (Peeps) that show up around Easter.

I have no idea where the closest Tractor Supply store is to the Philadelphia suburbs.......

Believe it or not, the thought that they were baby chicks did pass through my mind, but it must have gotten sidetracked somewhere.

hoffmannwj@nswccd.navy.mil

Think about it. Almost everything that came into or left a town or city before 1920 came by train or horse and waggon. It wasn't the lack of shipments out (at least in the farm states) but lack of shipments into the towns that killed the branch lines. For better or worse the trucks took over (and don't bad mouth them I drive one) and it would be a different world without them. No McDonalds, no Walmart, much less fresh produce and or course without trucks there wouldn't be auto's, you would ride your horse to volunteer at your local RR museum.
M.Nix

2rivers@upstel.net

> Guess my suburban upbringing is showing :-)
> I have no idea where the closest Tractor
> Supply store is to the Philadelphia
> suburbs.......

That would be up here in Quakertown, PA. Come on up and take a look. They also have a great selection of tools and hardware.

JimE

Jim's train pages
jrevans@accuREMOVEsort.com

It is important to remember that there were a few towns like Spruce, WV that were only accessable by foot, horse, or rail. There were no roads. It is safe to say nearly everything had to come in and go out by train.

I remember seeing a photo of a new Phillips TV being unloaded from an EBT combine. I think it was taken at Saltillo in the early fifties.

John

jhbohon@yahoo.com

> Think about it. Almost everything that came
> into or left a town or city before 1920 came
> by train or horse and waggon. It wasn't the
> lack of shipments out (at least in the farm
> states) but lack of shipments into the towns
> that killed the branch lines. For better or
> worse the trucks took over (and don't bad
> mouth them I drive one) and it would be a
> different world without them. No McDonalds,
> no Walmart, much less fresh produce and or
> course without trucks there wouldn't be
> auto's, you would ride your horse to
> volunteer at your local RR museum.
> M.Nix

No Walmart? Wonderful thought!! No McDodo's? Another great idea!! I pre-date both of these blots on the landscape and would be happy if both disappeared tomorrow morning. Am not sure what you mean by "without trucks there wouldn't be autos." In any event, both trucks and autos have their places, but their roles have been expanded to the point where they cause more trouble than they are worth. I believe we had reached a decent equilibrium point among the various transport modes around 1940, and have been going the wrong way ever since. Even small towns such as the one where I live have lost their civility due to being overrun by cars and trucks. "Change" and "progress" aren't necessarily the same.

justighe@bright.net