N&W in 1912--2 items: lifeless; speculation

[NW Mailing List]

Another bit of history between the DT&I and N&W.

The DT&I was initially considered for inclusion in the 1964 N&W-NKP/WAB/P&WV/ACY merger.  Had it been it would have provided the original N&W with connections to the NKP, ACY, and Wabash.  The DT&I crossed over and interchanged with the N&W at Waverly/Glen Jean, OH (between Circleville and Portsmouth).  In Northwestern Ohio the DT&I intersected the NKP at Lima (Malinta) and Leipsic. It intersected the Wabash at Liberty Center and Delta and the with the ACY at Columbus Grove. Additionally, both the DT&I and Wabash were in Detroit and the N&W and DT&I were both in Ironton, OH.  In the end the Pennsylvania RR's Sandusky Line between Columbus, OH and Sandusky, OH (a coal outlet on lake Erie) was chosen for the connection between N&W and its expanded system.  The Sandusky Line intersected the Nickel Plate at Bellevue, OH which already had significant NKP yard and shop facilities.  Both the original NKP Buffalo-Chicago mainline and the NKP former W&LE mainline between Toledo and Pittsburgh/Dunbar, PA (via the P&WV) went through Bellevue. Much of the coal loaded at Sandusky by the Pennsy had come via N&W interchange in Columbus so in a sense the line had been an extension of the N&W all along. Also, another NKP line (formerly the Lake Erie and Western) came into Sandusky from the west.  The former Pennsy Sandusky was by far the better of the 2 options for the N&W in 1964 and today.  


In reference to your comment about Henry Ford. From the DT&I Historical Society Web site:

http://cg-tower.com/dti/history/history.htm 

Henry Ford personally purchased the DT&I in the Summer of 1920. He had always had an interest in railroads and the DT&I provided an outlet for all of the innovations he had envisioned. He began a massive capital improvement program to rehabilitate the physical condition of the railroad. He saw the DT&I as being a large terminal railroad, hauling raw materials and finished product to the Rouge Complex of the Ford Motor Company. The DT&I crossed all of the major east - west railroads, thus Ford could easily access the major cities on the east coast or the west. Ford also had very radical ideas about labor relations and applied them liberally to the DT&I, much to the shock and dismay of the other railroads. Ford developed an organization built on pride, extraordinary efficiency, and profit. The railroad regularly pulled a 25% net profit after several years of Ford ownership, a far cry from the days of the worn trail to bankruptcy court! 

Henry Ford brought many innovations to the DT&I. Perhaps the most ambitious was the electrification project begun in 1923. Though destined to be a failure (one of Ford's few mistakes during DT&I ownership), it provided much information and scientific development for other electrification projects soon to be underway (Pennsylvania Railroads New York to Washington mainline for example). The most successful Ford era project was the Malinta cutoff. This new 55 mile line was constructed from 1925 to 1929. It bypassed the curve and grade laden line via Napoleon and Wauseon, for a superbly engineered line consisting of few curves and light grades in addition to being more direct. It departed from the original mainline at Malinta and Petersburg respectively. Ford also planned a bypass around Springfield, but it was never followed through.  

In the Fall of 1929, Henry Ford sold the railroad to the Pennsylvania Railroads financial subsidiary, Pennroad Corporation. Ford had become disgusted with ICC interference with his operations of the DT&I and was finally compelled to throw in the towel. Pennsylvania Railroad control of the DT&I resulted in many of Fords innovations going by the wayside. Of particular note, the labor relations field became more conservative and inline with standard railroad operating practices. PRR control lasted until the Penn Central bankruptcy of 1970. 

Ed Painter:  Narrows, VA living in Russellville Arkansas for another 12 months and 10 days.


-----Original Message-----
From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2012 4:04 PM
To: NW Mailing List
Subject: Re: N&W in 1912--2 items: lifeless; speculation

Isn't this around the time the Henry Ford took over the DT&I?

Ed

On 2/18/2012 11:30 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:

>

> Re: Who will it be?

> Presumably the paper meant the DETROIT, TOLEDO and IRONTON Railway 

> [not Dayton].

>

> Jim Stapleton [just want Gordon to know we actually read his snippets]

> =================

> On 2/18/2012 10:26 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:

>> Bluefield Daily Telegraph

>> Fri., March 29, 1912

>>

>> WHO WILL IT BE?

>> *Probably a Division Superintendent May be Promoted to Succeed George P.

>> Johnson.*

>> Speculation is already rife as to who will succeed George P. Johnson as

>> general superintendent of the Norfolk and Western Railway.

>> Some officials believe that one of the present division superintendents

>> will be promoted to the vacancy while others think that the office will

>> be abolished and but one general superintendent retained for the entire

>> system as in former years.

>> Mr. Johnson's coming appointment as receiver of the Dayton, Toledo and

>> Ironton Railway is regarded as indicative of the road some day passing

>> into the hands of the Norfolk and Western. At any rate it will be used

>> by the Norfolk and Western as an outlet to the lakes at Toledo and will

>> also give a good Chicago connection via the Erie road from Lima. The

>> Norfolk and Western for many years has sought such an outlet for its

>> coal and coke trade.-Portsmouth Times.

>> ------

>> Gordon Hamilton

> ________________________________________


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