john s. gordon

Some Consequences if Oil Prices Stay High

we have known since 1973 (or earlier) that there is nothing more efficient than a steel wheel on a steel rail. nevertheless - thanks to d.d.eisenhower and the trucking industry lobby we use rubber tires. remember the 1920's in los angeles - they had the best interurban light rail system in the country, then these were bought up by union oil, genaral motors & firestone acting in concert, the rails were torn up & sold for scrap (the nipponese needed the iron to make bombs for china) & the system was replaced by stinky diesel buses. in 1967 we had the w&od railway in my neighborhood, a nice little freight carrying commuter railroad, but then the rails were torn up & sold for scrap & the right of way became a powerline r.o.w. so - shortsightedness never ends.
> jack