That was a major problem for them, lack of standardization. Mechanics either had to wait for a part from God knows where or cannibalize another loco for it.With 90 plus different diesel and electric locomotive models there's not many other railroads which could compete for sheer variety.
Yes, that's the book.The book is “The Wreck of the Penn Central” by Daughen and Binzen. A thorough and well written book. I’ve read it twice, thirty years apart. IMO, the Pennsy management carried more of the blame, but the times really drove it, with over-regulation etc.
Actually a better book, that goes deeper. The main reason was Bevan's refusal to approve AFEs. He was draining all the revenue out of the company, and reallocating it for diverse investment...(Playing Penny Stocks no less, certainly not a Warren Buffet.)Also a good book on the story of Penn Central and Conrail:
View attachment 186606
Also a good book on the story of Penn Central and Conrail:
View attachment 186606
Actually a better book, that goes deeper. The main reason was Bevan's refusal to approve AFEs. He was draining all the revenue out of the company, and reallocating it for diverse investment...(Playing Penny Stocks no less, certainly not a Warren Buffet.)
I agree completely and I think there have been books written on it.This is so complicated it rates a book...(which i've actually read), and no one can pinpoint a single reason. A lot of it had to do with government regulations which basically forced railroads to operate many lines at a loss, with no ability to close down. Other than that, Pennsy and New York Central were different "cultures" operating on different principles. Managements of both competitors were thaught to dislike eachother, and when arleady bankrupt New Haven was thrown in the mix, the recipe for disaster was complete. How i view it from a railfans perspective? I wasn't born yet when the whole thing took place, 1974, so at the end of its existence. But i would love to witness Penn Central at the trackside. With 90 plus different diesel and electric locomotive models there's not many other railroads which could compete for sheer variety. Standing at the trackside one could expect almost anything when that set of headlights appeared. Black it may have been, but there were many locomotives which wore paint schemes of original owners for some time and even the PC paint scheme had many odds, ends and variety.