Heartland Corridor Project

[NW Mailing List]

NW Mailing List wrote:

> Sadly, what is happening to most of the tunnels is a butchering of the 

> portals—they look like a 5 year old with a chisel notched the tops to 

> make a corner rather than make a nice smooth but higher surface.  I 

> wrote to NS about what happened to the Roderfield tunnels and got 

> something back about saving millions and coming in 8 months ahead of 

> schedule—it’s a shame that railroading is a business…I do think 

> they disrespected history when they could have done so much to preserve it.

> 

> Mike Shockley

> 

> N&W Guyandotte Division (in HO Scale)


History has no fiscal value to a cutthroat corporate entity like Norfolk 
Southern, unfortunately.  It's the same reason why NS sees absolutely no 
reason to operate steam locomotives, maintain old offices, or even try 
to understand the logic behind past rules and practices.

Personally, I agree with you, and I would like to see more of the 
railroad's history preserved.  They recently demolished the brick 
Southern Ry. roundhouse in Greensboro, NC, because it was in the way and 
too costly to bother repairing.  They demolished the beautiful 
Reidsville, NC depot several years ago for the same reason.  But what 
difference does that make to NS?  The structures were costing them money 
and making none.

For what it's worth, railroading has always been a business, with 
cost/benefit driving the decisions.  It's just a shame that the 
corporations have lost the notion that public goodwill, beauty as well 
as functionality, and historic preservation are all valuable to the 
society in which they must operate.
-- 
Kenneth Rickman - krickman1 at carolina.rr.com
Salisbury, NC

   CATS ARE CATS ... THE WORLD OVER!
    THESE INTELLIGENT, PEACE-LOVING
  FOUR-FOOTED FRIENDS--WHO ARE WITHOUT
PREJUDICE, WITHOUT HATE, WITHOUT GREED--
     MAY SOMEDAY TEACH US SOMETHING.
            --THE QWILL PEN