KevinM Wrote:
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> Hank,
>
> I think that what doomed the Maine narrow gauge
> lines was the advent of good roads and heavy
> trucks. If you look at the size of a 2 ft. box
> car or flat car, it's smaller than a highway
> truck. The cargo that these lines carried
> included things like lumber and farm products.
> Once highway trucks could be relied on, the
> freight could not only be transported more
> cheaply, but also in a more timely manner. Same
> thing with people.
>
Oh, I agree. Same thing doomed all minor branch line services in the US[1]. I just wonder if reaching to tidewater (for SR&RL) and additional area to gather traffic from (for WW&F) might have delayed things until after the War.
hank
[1] minor branch lines are what 3' gauge lines essentially were in the US system by 1900 or so, even most of the Colorado ones.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/2019 08:05AM by hank.