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A comment on Company built its own rail terminal in NYC to avoid relying on trucks. Parent comment

Re:Company built its own rail terminal in NYC to avoid relyi... by 6stringmerc on Thursday May 01, 2025 @06:50AM (#43856000)
Electric rail is a relatively new invention. The infrastructure and conditions for traditional methods - steam - were serious trouble from an upkeep standard headed on my time working in rail. It wasn’t some halcyon method otherwise it would’ve easily been immune to “progress” as you put it because of financial and emotional investments. Clearly that didn’t happen.
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Re:Company built its own rail terminal in NYC to avoid relyi... by bluGill on Thursday May 01, 2025 @08:13AM (#43856643)
The trolly lines removed were mostly electric. Steam trains did come first but everyone was into electric trains in the 1930s.

for freight there were different considerations and electric didn't have the needed power.

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Re:Company built its own rail terminal in NYC to avoid relyi... by fuzzzerd on Thursday May 01, 2025 @10:59AM (#43858537)
Ironic that the diesel that replaced steam and pure electric is actually diesel electric.
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Re:Company built its own rail terminal in NYC to avoid relyi... by bluGill on Thursday May 01, 2025 @11:12AM (#43858753)
Not really. The problem with electric (in 1930) is the low voltage (relatively low - still 600-1000 volts!) couldn't handle the needed watts for diesel.

Steam was more fuel efficient than diesel when it was replaced. But a diesel engine could start in less than a few hours, and needed one less person on the crew so it was cheaper overall.

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