.

[3rdrail]

This recession isn't just here, it's worldwide. Toyota has announced an annual loss for the first time since 1941. Fortunately, Japan is no longer in the position to end domestic industrial corporate losses by starting a war...

What might the PRC do though??

[wm3798]

And it's a good thing Japan did start that war... That's what ended the Great Depression more than anything else!

So in addition to "thinning the herd", wars also spur the economy!  Quick, someone find a nutty dictator that needs toppling!

Lee

[Ryan87]

Quick, someone find a nutty dictator that needs toppling!

Lol We tried that... 

[MrKLUKE]

.

[3rdrail]

I, too, am tired of hearing the mantra about Japanese cars. As Traffic Manager of a company that gave Conrail well over 100 cars monthly, I complained about not being able to contract my sales rep.  Philadelphia tried to send her down to call on me, but her TOYOTA broke down. Or that's what she told HQ.

I purchased a Chevrolet Malibu in 1999, before I retired, and a Chrysler Town & Country in 2004, the first has hit 50K miles and the second 40K miles, without any major problems. The worst problem with the Chevy was a dead battery cell and the worst with the Chrysler an out of synch windshield wiper, both fixed by dealers without charge. I don't think US companies build junk anymore and haven't for years..

[Dave V]

This video reminded me of how vexing PC can be.

On the one hand, its dilapidated infrastructure, ugly paint schemes, assortment of mismatched and antiquated equipment, and occasional glimmer of modern efficiency never quite realized, make it an incredible modeling opportunity.

On the other hand, those very same qualities make it downright depressing.  To think of the once mighty Pennsy and New York Central reduced to that horrible mess...  almost brings tears to one's eyes.

Thanks for sharing!

[asciibaron]

And it's a good thing Japan did start that war... That's what ended the Great Depression more than anything else!

Japan started what war?

The US was still deeply depressed after the end of the fighting in 1945.  real economic recovery didn't take place until after the GI's came home from Europe in 1946 and the Pacific in 1947.  The real turning point was that the mechanisms of war production were still in place and could be used for consumer production and it allow rapid economic expansion which correlated with the influx of Government money from GI Bill educations.

I studied US history in college, I wanted to be a history professor... was just looking at several graduate programs.  I still want to teach.

-Steve

[asciibaron]

To think of the once mighty Pennsy and New York Central reduced to that horrible mess...  almost brings tears to one's eyes.

when were they mighty?  Without WWII production traffic increases and troop movements, the PRR would have gone bankrupt.  They kept afloat way too long.  PC should have happened in early 1952.

-Steve

[DKS]

To think of the once mighty Pennsy and New York Central reduced to that horrible mess...  almost brings tears to one's eyes.

when were they mighty?  Without WWII production traffic increases and troop movements, the PRR would have gone bankrupt.  They kept afloat way too long.  PC should have happened in early 1952.

[F]ounded in 1846... [t]he PRR was the largest railroad by traffic and revenue in the U.S. throughout the Twentieth Century and was at one time the largest publicly traded corporation in the world. At its peak, it controlled about 10,000 miles of rail line. During its history, the PRR merged with or had an interest in at least 800 other rail lines and companies. The PRR corporation still holds the record for the longest continuous dividend history: it paid out annual dividends to shareholders for more than 100 years in a row. The budget for the PRR was larger than that of the U.S. government and they employed approximately 250,000 workers.

I think, given these facts, the Pennsylvania Railroad deserves the appelation of "mighty." Opinions will vary, of course, but I think you stand in a minority with your view.

[Wlal13again]

I think the UAW is a bit of the reason why the big 3 are in trouble and Honda. Toyota etc are not, JMO..

[wm3798]

And it's a good thing Japan did start that war... That's what ended the Great Depression more than anything else!

Japan started what war?

I believe it was Japan that bombed our naval base at Pearl Harbor.  It was in all the papers...  You must have slept through that lecture...

It could also be argued that the US consumer economy remained slow throughout the war because production, and much of civilian life was focused on the war effort.  (That would be the war that the Japanese started, at least in terms of U.S. involvement). But someone, my guess is American workers, were in those new factories building ships, planes and tanks, and all the nasty projectiles that emanated from them...  And despite the patriotic fervor of the time, I'm pretty sure those workers did not volunteer for these projects.  A huge amount of money was injected into the economy as a result of war production, but due to war-time austerity measures, not much of it ended up in circulation.  A lot went into war bonds, which in turn built more manufacturing capacity to support the boys overseas.

Had the war not been started by those same Japanese, then the industrial capacity that drove the post war economy wouldn't have been quite as big as it was, then would it?
 
As it turns out, I've studied a bit of history myself... mostly by reading more than what the professor asked for in the syllabus...
I may not have the degree, but I gots street cred, homey.

Lee

[asciibaron]

I think, given these facts, the Pennsylvania Railroad deserves the appelation of "mighty." Opinions will vary, of course, but I think you stand in a minority with your view.

my point was the date of the mightiness, not to question that the PRR was mighty, but that the fall from mighty came long before the transition era.

-Steve

[asciibaron]

I believe it was Japan that bombed our naval base at Pearl Harbor.  It was in all the papers...  You must have slept through that lecture...

oh, you meant the myth of how the US was brought into the war, go back and brush up on your history - Pearl Harbor was not the first attack on the US by the Japanese or the Germans.  it was a convenient example that could be shown the the US public, a public which was divided on going to war.  the origins of WWII started back in the 1870's - the pot boiled over and the bullets started to fly, several times.

history is not isolated events that kids need to memorize.  there would be no 4 July party if there was no French and Indian war.

-Steve

[asciibaron]

A lot went into war bonds, which in turn built more manufacturing capacity to support the boys overseas.

the government had to plea and beg to get citizens to buy into war bonds.  the country was very divided on the correct course of action and the massive losses the first year of conflict really didn't help matters - had the offensive on 6 June 1944 not been a success, the US would have pulled out of the war.

read this:

http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=138

and you might be interested in this;

http://www.amazon.com/Depression-1929-1939-Revised-Enlarged-Twentieth/dp/0520055926/ref=pd_sim_b_6

-Steve

[wm3798]

I've never been much for conspiracy theories, but I'll take a look at your suggested readings.  Thanks.
Similarly, and to get more or less back to the topic at hand, folks have to dig a lot deeper than "The Wreck of the Penn Central" to really understand the whole story...

Lee