There's an attempt to make headlines here and as usual, the media overlooks an important fact. Certainly PSR has reduced train starts and crew frustration is very real, but the permanent loss of utility steam coal tonnage has much to do with vast number of stored locomotives seen across the nation. UP's weekly average coal loadings have fallen from 43K CLs/Week a decade ago to 15K CLs/Week, down 65%.
What? Fact? Media and facts are like oil and water.... We cannot overlook the reality that these so-called "reporters" know almost nothing of either past or present day railroading. (The same is true of our general North American public.) And they rarely make any attempt to inform themselves before creating their "stories". Or probably better described in too many instances as being no more useful than fairy tales.
I completely agree. Some years ago we suffered an Amtrak crash in our area and the reporting was the worst, most inaccurate mess you've ever seen. I kindly e-mailed two of our local networks with facts in hope they'd clarify their stories, but neither ever responded nor changed a thing.
The sad state of affairs in the 'journalist' crowd................ Stored loco's everywhere, mostly due to the down turn in traffic. Some due to tightening EPA regs also. And a changing market. It seems like the 1970's all over again.
