GM killed transit! PCC streetcars...
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,782
Likes: 15
From: Lower Mainland B.C.
GM killed transit! PCC streetcars...
I was watching the TV show "Things that Move", they were talking about the PCC street cars, of which Toronto Canada amassed the biggest fleet of in the world.
This streetcar was designed by a committee of 28 U.S. states in the middle of the Depression. Together they designed the most sophisticated system ever conceived.
"Probably the only good thing ever designed by committee", the host of the show.
They mentioned that this was the BEST streetcar ever built. It was well established in over 100 cities when along comes a group of companies in the 1950's. In this group was GM, Firestone, and Mack truck. They decided that the public needed to buy more cars as that was the "better" way to get around.
Together they set out to buy up ALL the PCC lines in thos 100+ cities. They did buy them up and started ripping out all the rails in the city streets and succeeded.
The government of the time filed an anti-trust suit against them and won, forcing each of the companies to pay............$1 each.
It astounds me that something like that actually happened........
On your morning commute through rush-hour traffic remember to say something bad about GM.........and Firestone.........and Mack..........
This streetcar was designed by a committee of 28 U.S. states in the middle of the Depression. Together they designed the most sophisticated system ever conceived.
"Probably the only good thing ever designed by committee", the host of the show.
They mentioned that this was the BEST streetcar ever built. It was well established in over 100 cities when along comes a group of companies in the 1950's. In this group was GM, Firestone, and Mack truck. They decided that the public needed to buy more cars as that was the "better" way to get around.
Together they set out to buy up ALL the PCC lines in thos 100+ cities. They did buy them up and started ripping out all the rails in the city streets and succeeded.
The government of the time filed an anti-trust suit against them and won, forcing each of the companies to pay............$1 each.
It astounds me that something like that actually happened........
On your morning commute through rush-hour traffic remember to say something bad about GM.........and Firestone.........and Mack..........
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2005
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yea, that is what always gets e about america, i can get almost to any city, town, village in europe just fine by bus or train, but yet in america, in my town, i can't even get to the airport unless it is an expensive taxi ride, or heck, can't even go to the grocery store without driving, not that they would ever dare put sidewalks where i live.
i wish they would have designed america differently so it wasn't so dependant on having a car to get around anywhere.
i wish they would have designed america differently so it wasn't so dependant on having a car to get around anywhere.
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,466
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Just go do a google search of "GM Firestone transit" and get item after item claiming one way or the other on the subject.
Right or wrong, many people don't like high density living. Thus, the suburbs, and use of car and bus vs. rail trolley for transportation. One side says this was engineered by GM, Firestone and Standard Oil, the other says this is the way it was going and they just served the market.
So, you want to live in a high rise and work 30 floors down? Or walk 8 blocks to work? Or subway? NYC baby!!!
Right or wrong, many people don't like high density living. Thus, the suburbs, and use of car and bus vs. rail trolley for transportation. One side says this was engineered by GM, Firestone and Standard Oil, the other says this is the way it was going and they just served the market.
So, you want to live in a high rise and work 30 floors down? Or walk 8 blocks to work? Or subway? NYC baby!!!
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,110
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i lived in london, UK for 2 years, and i lived in an apartment building townhouse while their, and to me its more packed in my town of 30k here in the USA than it was there.
but in london, i walked to work and i could walk to the grocery store, i had a car, but hardly ever drove it while there, i couldn't even think of how to get around in america without a car.
and i stayed for awhile in sweden, and even in their rural towns and villages they have a bus route that runs through, i would hope on it and cruise to town to buy alcohol.
i just like to have options, they raise pries of fuel and cars, but then they don't offer any other way to get to work. like where i live, most people commute 30-40 miles to a bigger city to work, why don't they install a train here to take them? no, instead they payed millions of dollars to expand the freeway from 2 lanes to 4 lanes.
but in london, i walked to work and i could walk to the grocery store, i had a car, but hardly ever drove it while there, i couldn't even think of how to get around in america without a car.
and i stayed for awhile in sweden, and even in their rural towns and villages they have a bus route that runs through, i would hope on it and cruise to town to buy alcohol.
i just like to have options, they raise pries of fuel and cars, but then they don't offer any other way to get to work. like where i live, most people commute 30-40 miles to a bigger city to work, why don't they install a train here to take them? no, instead they payed millions of dollars to expand the freeway from 2 lanes to 4 lanes.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,628
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From: Calgary, Canada
I lived In calgary for 12 years without a vehicle. The transit/train system is fairly good, although, I haven't used the system for a few years and I hear it is becoming more congested. Lots of expansion and added capability coming though, to accomodate the extra 35,000 people that migrate here every year. I lived downtown all of that time, so everything was within walking or biking distance.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
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From: Long Island USA
Originally Posted by bf250
yea, that is what always gets e about america, i can get almost to any city, town, village in europe just fine by bus or train, but yet in america, in my town, i can't even get to the airport unless it is an expensive taxi ride, or heck, can't even go to the grocery store without driving, not that they would ever dare put sidewalks where i live.
i wish they would have designed america differently so it wasn't so dependant on having a car to get around anywhere.
i wish they would have designed america differently so it wasn't so dependant on having a car to get around anywhere.
Tax gasoline out the wazoo, create public transit systems, and the people flock to them.
It's designed that way.
Here in the US, god-forbid, the gov't would actually FORCE people to do the "right" thing.
Capitalism at it's finest. If GM or whatever other companies didn't buy up the rails, they'd have lobbied the politicians to do it for them.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Atlanta GA
On the flip side of the coin, new cars and trucks drive the economy. Who else would pay for all those TV ads so you could watch high quality shows such as ... well ... Mail Call!
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