Re:A Parable
by JoeAltmaier on Wednesday January 30, 2013 @12:58PM
(#5140739)
Not sure. Essentially a new class of 'car' was created, twice as long and roughly twice as expensive. If the cost of dealing with the larger cars was non-zero, then maybe it was break-even. Its premature-optimization at its finest I think.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
Yes, but there is half the number of cars in each train, so the doublings cancel out. That said, the overhead of larger cars could still be a significant factor.
Assuming the original cost-cutters decision was correct, it isn't twice as expensive.
Absent from the story is any mention of cost-benefit analysis. I'd agree with the unnamed director's decision to eliminate every other toilet if there was evidence that, in the long run, it actually did cost the railroad less.