Which railways are better Russian or American. US Railways: History and Description. Railways in the USA. Development prospects
By unspoken request Friend cedrus2012. I post an article about the American Railways. All about them truth-uterus ...
The US freight rail freight system for many indicators is considered one of the most efficient in the world. The pledge of its successful development, experts call relative freedom from state regulation and affiliation of railway tracks and most of the concomitant infrastructure to private companies. Significantly inferior in terms of income to its main competitors, road carriers, American railway workers, however, actively increasing the cargo turnover and hope that in the near future it will be able to increase their share in the total volume of national freight transportation. The main thing is that they, as before, make it possible to manage their resources independently, determine the tariff policy and build relationships with partners and customers.
The US railway network, the total length of which is 140490 miles (226.000 km), serves almost all sectors of the national economy. Railways account for more than 40% of the total volume of national cargo turnover. According to 2006 data (more recent data, American statistics is currently absent) 561 Railway company operated on the territory of the United States, and their cumulative income was 54 billion dollars.
In accordance with the existing classification in the United States, railway companies are divided into several classes: class I rail companies, regional companies, local linear carriers and so-called S & T operators.
Railway companies of class I include railway freight companies, the annual income of which, according to 2006, was $ 346.8 million and more for each. Such companies in the US seven: BNSF Railway (BNSF); CSX TRANSPORTATION (CSX); Grand Trunk Corporation (in the structure of which includes: operating on the territory of the US company Canadian National (CN), the former Grand Trunk Western (GTW) company, Illinois Central (IC) and Wisconsin Central); Kansas City Southern (KCS), NORFOLK SOUTHERN (NS); Former company Soo Line (Soo), which is currently owned by Canadian Pacific (CP) and Union Pacific (UP). Railways belonging to Class I companies account for only 1% of all American railway tracks, but it is 67% of all freight transportation. They are employed by 90% of the total staff working on railways, and it is they who provide 93% of the total income from the US freight. The length of the railway tracks belonging to the companies of this class can vary from 3200 to 32,000 miles, and in their state operates from 2600 to more than 53,000 people. Class I companies advantageously carry out carriage on distant, highly loaded long-distance routes, often running between different states.
Regional railway companies are companies that carry out linear transportation at least 350 miles and / or have an annual income from $ 40 million (the income of some of these companies may approach the income of class I companies). According to 2006 data in the United States, there were 33 regional railway networks. As a rule, they carry out transportation at distances from 400 to 650 miles within 2-4 states. Most regional railways have personnel from 75 to 500 people, and only few of them have more than 600 employees.
Local linear carriers provide services for the carriage of goods for less than 350 miles and have an annual income less than $ 40 million per year (most of them earn even less than $ 5 million per year). In 2006, in the United States there were 323 railway companies of this class. In most cases, they provide services for the carriage of goods on average up to 75 miles (and about 20% of them are transported by a distance of 15 miles and less) within one state.
S & T Operators (Switching and Terminal) are companies that do not have so much delivery of cargo, how many sorting services and cargo transshipment are provided. They also deliver cargo within a certain area by order of one or more carrier companies. Some S & T companies distribute traffic between local railway companies. In 2006, there were 196 companies like S & T in the United States. Through the largest hundreds of thousands of pastures per year, which brings them tens of millions of dollars annually.
On the territory of the United States, both the largest railway carriers of Canada (Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway) are actively operating, which belongs to including a number of Class I companies. According to 2006 data, 187,000 has been employed in the branch of freight rail transport human. In the period from 1980 to 2007, rail freight companies have invested about $ 420 billion - that is, more than 40 cents from each dollar earned - to expand paths, maintenance and modernization of their equipment. Such large-scale investments allow them to guarantee security, efficiency and high quality of services provided.
Railways - Private Business
The overwhelming majority of railway shipping companies in the United States, including all Class I companies and everything, except one, regional companies are private and enjoy very minor state support. Most of the railway tracks on which American trucks work are being built, is managed, and is serviced by the companies themselves. For comparison, passenger transportation in the United States, as well as passenger and freight transportation in almost all other countries of the world, are actively subsidized by the government. At the same time, the main competitors of American railway companies are automotive carriers and owners of the barges - carry out transportation on highways and waterways that have public status, and at the same time they receive significant subsidies from the government and other roads of roads and water communications.
The debate on the feasibility of state subsidization of transport companies has nearly two-year-old history. The first 60 years of the XIX century the question of state subsidies to the development of the so-called "internal improvements", to which the creation of the national transport system was also the main stumbling block between the adherents of the concept of non-interference of the state in the economy and mercantics. Two key points of the political platform of mercantilists of that pore were: the creation of a central bank and the introduction of prosecutionalistic tariffs. The third key position of this concept was based on the idea that taxpayers should subsidize the construction of roads, canals and railways. The reason for the appearance of such a thesis was the need for money for the implementation of such projects, such as the 10-year-old Central Plan of Albert Galtena (American politician, 1761-1849) on the establishment of channels in the country and funded at the expense of roads. However, the story has shown that the projects that the state subsidized during the first half of the XIX century, for the most part financed by nevertheless from private sources. Moreover, in almost all cases, when the state intervened in the construction of roads, canals and railways, the main result was the growth of corruption and financial failures. It is because of these numerous failures, many states have amended their constitutions in order to prevent funding such projects at the expense of taxpayers money.
By 1861, on the eve of the Civil War, the debate concerning the subsidies of projects on "internal improvements" was ended with the victory of opponents of state subsidies. It was decided that in the state subsidy of private transport there is no need.
Department deregulation
But subsidies subsidies, and control control. In 1887, an interstaste transport law was adopted in the United States, in accordance with which rail transportation of goods became the object of comprehensive economic regulation by the state, and the following 93 years of the Federal Government of the United States represented by the Committee on Interstatial Transport and Trade controlled the entire area of \u200b\u200brailway transportation. As often happens in other countries, such an active care of the state of the economy has led to the fact that by 1970, the US railway freight industry turned out to be on the verge of ruin. Railways were too small to maintain ways and equipment in an acceptable state, tariffs grew, the quality of services decreased, the bankruptcy of railway companies became commonplace. Increasingly began to sound proposals to nationalize the industry. However, an alternative was found to this decisive step.
Salvation for railways has become adopted by Congress in 1980. The Law of Stuggers about railways (Staggers Rail Act of 1980, see the insert). Congress recognized that the existing legislation prevents the development of effective competition within the industry and profit from transportation. The operating system of regulation raised not only the development of the industry, but also its further existence in principle. Therefore, it was decided that railways should be managed by rail companies, and it is they, and not the government, should, guided by the market demands, decide which routes to develop which setting tariffs and what services to offer.
Governmental control remained in minimal form. For example, the Committee on Interstate Transport and Trade (now the United States Land Transport Bureau has retained the authority to establish the amount of maximum tariff rates, as well as to take the necessary measures to maintain conditions for healthy competition in the market and prevent the dominance of a company.
In general, the Law of Stugger allowed railway companies to reinvest hundreds of billions of dollars in its development and thanks to this significantly improve the quality and safety of services; Increase freight turnover and yield while reducing tariffs.
Supporters of the industry regulation argue that in a number of US regions there is a need to specifically provoke competition between carriers and / or limit the powers of railway companies independently introduce tariffs for their services. However, opponents of regulation are confident that competition is developing where it is justified by demand, and the number of railway operators in a particular region must correspond to the intensity of cargo turnover. Supporters of the "market free hand" believe: declare that any market can have two railway companies only because in some markets it may not care what to say that every city can have two baseball teams of the highest league just because it is so accepted in NYC.
Railway companies themselves are sharply opposed to strengthening regulation, since this would lead to a reduction in their income and, accordingly, investments in the development and maintenance of infrastructure. Since the adoption of the Law of Stugger, the US railways have already used a significant part of excessive production facilities, and subject to the further growth of cargo turnover, they will have to focus on the construction of new capacities and replacing the existing equipment.
Since 1980, when state regulation in the field of rail transportation was weakened, the industry's yield increased significantly, but it is still at a fairly low level. According to the profitability, freight rail transportations in the United States are constantly in the lower quartile (that is, in the lower quarter) compared to other branches of the US economy. Even in the most successful for rail carriers 2006 and 2007, the yield of railways was still below average.
Business
American railway carriers work in a highly competitive market. To survive in competition with each other and other types of transport, they must provide high-quality services at competitive prices.
If you consider in tons of cargo, which is transported to mile, the share of railways accounts for 41% of the total volume of US cargo transportation, that is, more than any other type of transport. For the past 15 years, this indicator is consistently growing, before that decades remaining unchanged or even decreased. However, due to the efficiency of rail transportation, their share in total income from long-distance transportation by all types of transport is less than 10%. The yield of railways decades decreases, reflecting the process of enhancing competition.
The main part of the railway turnover of railways is accounted for by coal. Coal in the US is used mainly to generate electricity. And more than 2/3 of this mineral is transported by rail. In 2007, he provided 44% of the total tonnage and 21% of income from American railways.
2006 was especially successful for American railways. Their cargo turnover decreased somewhat in 2007 (mainly due to difficulties in the housing sector and automotive), but a long-term trend indicates a further increase in railway turnover. The US Department recently published a forecast in accordance with which the need for rail transportation by 2035 will increase by 88% compared with the level of 2002. Other experts also predict a significant increase in cargo turnover and talk about the need for relevant development of railways so that they meet the needs growing demand.
Another trend of recent years remains the rapid growth of intermodal transport. Over the past 25 years, the share of intermodal transport in the total cargo turnover increased 4 times. If in 1980, 3 million trailers and containers were employed in intermodal transport, then in 2006 and 2007 there were already more than 12 million today, intermodal transportation provides 22% of the income of rail freight carriers.
As already noted, in the railway industry there is a tendency to reduce the cost of transportation. Thus, in 2007, the movement of tons of cargo by Mile accounted for railway companies on average by 54% cheaper than in 1981 (taking into account inflation). According to experts, this trend will continue in the future, but railways need to earn enough to maintain the equipment in good condition and the entire railway infrastructure.
In the period from 1980 to 2007, railway companies managed to reduce the total number of incidents on railways by 71%, and the number of production injuries by 80%. In general, 2007 became the most secure on the US railways for all the time of statistics. Railways are characterized by the smallest degree of risk of production injuries compared to other types of transport and most other sectors of the economy, including agriculture, construction and production.
In the face of tough competition with automotive and other carriers, railway companies will strongly focus the attention of the public on the environmental and economic benefits of their industry. If we talk about the consumption of fuel, the train is on average three times more economical than motor vehicles, and this indicator is constantly growing. Thus, in 1980, approximately 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of conditional fuel was required to move one ton of cargo at a distance of 235 miles. In 2007, the same volume of fuel was enough for moving tons of cargo by 436 miles.
According to experts of the Association of American Railways, if only 10% of the automotive cargo turnover translate to railway transport, the annual fuel economy will be more than 1 billion gallons (or almost 4 million tons). Also moving tons of cargo by rail instead of automotive reduces the volume of greenhouse gases allocated to the atmosphere at least 2/3. According to the US Environmental Protection Office, when moving a ton of cargo on a mile, an ordinary truck highlights an average of three times more nitrogen oxide and bulk particles than locomotive. In addition, the apologists of railway transport do not get tired of reminding that railways allow you to unload the motorway, since the railway composition delivers a cargo equivalent to the average volume of the body of several hundred trucks.
Loads vs passengers
US cargo and passenger carriers successfully cooperate throughout the country. About 97% of the railway tracks, which carries out the transportation of the National Railway Passenger Corporation AMTRAK, belong to cargo transportation companies. According to the law, freight carriers must provide Amtrak access to their paths on demand, while AMTRAK trains have priority to all other trains. The passenger company pays freight for the use of their paths, however, this fee does not cover all the costs that you have to carry by cargo companies providing their faces of AMTRAK trains.
Moreover, every year hundreds of millions of passenger travel is performed on the passenger railway network, which at least partially captures ways or other infrastructure facilities belonging to cargo companies. The volume of passenger traffic is growing, even ahead of freight transportation, therefore, looking into the future, we can say that the main factor determining the efficiency of railway transport will be the bandwidth of railway tracks, and it is necessary to observe the strict balance of freight and passenger traffic in order to provide a high level of service to passengers without increasing the interests of clients of cargo transportation companies.
Staggers Rail Act of 1980
The law of Stuggers, signed by President Jimmy Carter on October 14, 1980, significantly weakened the system of state regulation in the field of rail transport operating in the United States since the adoption of the inter-estate transport law of 1887
It was not the first attempt to weaken state control in the field of US rail transport. Four years earlier, the US Congress adopted the so-called "Four R" law - a law on stimulating the railway industry and regulatory reform (Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform ACT), which the basic principles of reforming the regulatory system of the US railway industry were established. The Law "Four R" assumed to provide greater freedom to rail carriers in the pricing process, as well as weaken the mechanisms of collective procedures for setting tariffs and state control over the market of new companies.
However, despite the consolidation of provisions in the legislation, their influence on the activities of the Interstatial Transport and Trade Committee, the first time was practically not felt. At the same time, more and more railway companies began to maintain a new regulatory system and eventually the second round of legislative activity was initiated, the result of which was the adoption of the Law on the Railways of Stuggers in 1980.
In accordance with the new law:
railway companies could independently establish rates for their services, provided that the Committee on Interstate Transport and Trade does not consider that they impede effective competition in the railway freight market;
The Committee on Interstate Transport and Trade has lost the right to intervene in the process of concluding contracts between shippers and cargo transporters, except in cases where the conditions that prevent the carrier of its basic services could be obtained (such conclusions were submitted by the Committee extremely rarely, if at all ever occurred);
government's powers were significantly limited to the process of checking the services of railway carriers in order to protect the rights of shippers;
universal growth of tariffs in the industry was stopped;
measures were taken to prevent collective agreements for tariffs to establish tariffs, including the possibilities of railway carriers participate in the definition of tariffs for the transportation, in which they did not take direct participation, including when it was about other types of transport.
The law of Stuggers did not abolish the regulation of the industry completely. The government was left to the authority to set the maximum tariff sizes and take the necessary measures to prevent the dominance of a company in the market. In accordance with the law, the Committee could also request access to its equipment and paths for another company.
Thanks to this document, the railways literally survived the second birth. According to the department of freight transportation department of the US Department of Transportation, as a result of the law of Stuggers, the prices of railway carriers, as well as the costs of railway companies, have been shrunk for 10 years. In addition, it was possible to stop large-scale bankruptcy of railway companies.
The law of Stuggers was one of the three most significant laws adopted within two years in the field of reforming the transport regulation system. Two other laws were a law on the abolition of the State Regulation of Airlines (Airline Deregulation ACT) of 1978 and the Act of Car Transport (Motor Carrier ACT) of 1980. These documents led to a change in the existing century before the system of comprehensive state regulation of the transport industry.
The law of Stuggers received its name by the name of Congressman Harley Stuggers - Chairman of the Committee on Intershots and Foreign Trade. It was the first, but not the last, the case when the name of the initiator of the draft law was officially enshrined in the text of the Federal Law and began to be used as its official name.
(When preparing the material, the materials of the Association of American Railways (AAR) were used.
Regardless of whether you are going to around the world or want to make a short tour of the rough terrain, we invite you to take a look at the American trains and go through this ten unforgettable railways of America.
And so, let's go!
Photo: Pinterest.com. The 12-hour route by Train Denali Star, 564 km long and extending from Anchorage to Fairbank in Alaska, covers many main attractions, including a separate area of \u200b\u200bthe Talknaya and a highlight of the route - Denali National Park (Eng. Denali National Park). Traveling along this route will pass through the hurricane gorge (English. Hurricane Gulch), the river gorge is unnecessary, with their own eyes the double-headed Mount Denali and other interesting corners who sweep the stunning landscape of Alaska.
Please note that due to a long time on the way, many passengers do not master the entire route for one trip. Therefore, you can ride along the popular Anchorage route in Denali, and / or break the trip into several stages with overnight stay in Denali or Talkno.
(Mount Hood Railroad)
Photo: Nikolas / RealFoodtraveler.com Mount Hood Railway in Oregon is located 10 km east of Portland and extends 35.5 km from the Hood River to Pardel. She offers its tourists a trip to both sides through Odell - the most popular company route, as well as special "lunch trips." During the holiday season, you can reserve a trip to the Polar Express (English. Polar Express), during which on the way to the North Pole you look at Santa Claus. During the travel of tourists indulge in various delicacies and offer luxurious pajamas.
Among other things, Mount Hood Railroad arranges various theatrical performances, such as favorite in Europe.
Grand Canyon Railway)
Photo: Travelzoo.com. One of the most impressive sights of the United States is also a house for one of the most famous trains. He starts his way in Williams (Arizona), which ends at the Grand Canyon National Park. The route, with a length of 105 km you will overcome for about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The historical train made the first trip in 1901 and since then rolled thousands of tourists through the famous Colorado Plateau in Northern Arizona.
At the height of the season, the train goes twice a day - at 9:30 and 10:30. Within the remaining year 9:30 in the morning - your only chance to travel through this route.
(Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway)
Photo: floridastock / shutterstock.com Since its opening in 1882, the Durango railway and Silverton railway continues to dazzling and delight travelers from around the world. The historic train passes 72.5 km between Silverton and Durango (Colorado), along the Animas River, and the baked rails are hanging from the travelers. This is the only way in his own way to see unspoiled Colorado landscapes.
Tourists can choose Skyway Tour, whose ride ends on the charter bus, or Silverton Train Tour is a nine-hour tour of both ends.
Photo: adirondackrr.com Driving along a picturesque route between the city of Tritika and the village of Lake Placid (New York), the train makes extra stops in Tandara and Sranak Lake. Tourists are offered a variety of specialized tours, including beer and wine train (Beer & Wine Train), Rail & Cruise package and even festive attractions. And do not forget about Fall Foliage tours, which offer travelers exciting views on the Audyrondak mountain range.
(Great Smoky Mountains Railroad)
Photo: Nick Breedlove Running through Western North Carolina, this picturesque and historical railroad with a length of 85 km takes its origin in the city of Bryson, and also boasts two tunnels and 25 bridges. Tourists are offered to choose from two excursions - one through the wooded gorge of Nanthala, and the other along the Takashedi River, as well as special thematic excursions. Each of the trips will show a number of exciting views, including mountains, wildlife, wildflowers and a variety of picturesque views.
For the thirsty adventures of tourists, the company offers a special Zip & Rail package, which includes a train trip to both sides, lunch and a tour of 13 cable cars, as well as 8 "Heavenly Bridges" overlooking the large smoky mountains and fountain lake.
Photo: Telegraph.co.uk. If you think that the 101st highway on the west coast is extremely picturesque, you must ride the AMTRAK COAST STARLIGHT route. The coastal route extends from Seattle to Los Angeles, passes through Santa Barbara, the area of \u200b\u200bSan Francisco Bay, Sacramento and Portland. Tourists departing in the 35-hour trip are provided in the front row overlooking the sparkling water, rocks, cliffs, ocean and various cities of the west coast.
In partnership with National Park Service Coast Starlight offers two Trails & Rails programs, each of which makes it possible to travel by train, exploring national historical parks and routes.
Photo: PI.1415926535 / Wikimedia Commons Covering everything, from the city to the country, Ethan Allen Express of Amtrak, traveling between New York and Ratland (Vermont), gives a chance to local residents to avoid traffic jams, urban bustle and enjoy a relaxing holiday. Thanks to five and a half hours, express ride, which daily introduces his tourists from the picturesque valley of the Hudson River, passengers have the opportunity to see the magic paintings from foliage and beautiful mountains throughout the year.
Cape Cod Central Railroad)
Photo: John Kittredge / Capeetrain.com This railway is open for tourists from May to October and extends from the village of Hayannis (Massachusetts) to Cape Coda. From trips to this route there will be an indelible impressions, because it's thematic trains, trains with luxurious dinners, coastal sightseeing trains, Rails & Ales Oktoberfest (Beer Trains), Vines & Views Wine Tasting Train (Train with Different Wine Tasting) and COLONIAL train Lunch Train (train with luxury lunches). For most trips, you will need about two or three hours, thanks to which you will see everything from forests to the beaches.
To give an authentic traditional atmosphere, in some trains, including Cape Cod Dinner Train, require adherence to the special dress code.
The train "Builder of the Empire"
(Empire Builder)
Photo: Amtrakvacations.com This train can be easily called the "great American train", as it covers most of the country following several states, attractions and cities. The route extends from Chicago to Seattle and passes through the plains of northern Dakota, the twin cities Minneapolis and St. Paul and natural landscapes of Gleisher National Park (English Glacier National Park). The trip takes 46 hours and passes through many routes for the first time studied early American pioneers.
Amtrak offers drips by train with SUPERLINER bedroom cars, which will make this long route unusually convenient.
United States Railways - A branched network of railways, which includes about seven transcontinental highways crossing the country from East to West and connecting the largest city agglomerations of Atlantic (New York, Philadelphia, Boston) and Pacific (Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles) coarse; Approximately ten highways of the meridional direction connecting the areas of the south and south-west of the United States with areas adjacent to the Canadian border; About ten highways crossing the territory of the country in the eastern part of it diagonally from the north-east to the southwest.
The operating length of the Network (2002) is a little more than 230 thousand km (including in the property of class I classs. 160 thousand km) and has a steady tendency to reduce. Network 22.6 km / 1000 km2, King width 1435 mm. The number of personnel of all railways is OK. 185 thousand people, including on railways I class - a little over 157 thousand people.
Railway construction in the country began in 1827. From the very beginning, J.-D. Transport was formed in the private sector of the economy. By 1917, the length of the network exceeded 400 thousand km; The number of private companies is approx. 1500, the total number of industry personnel - approx. 1.8 million people. In 1930, the share of railways in the cargo turnover of all types of transport in the country reached 70%. New railway construction is practically not conducted. US rail system is out of the most efficient and high-tech in the world. The redundancy of the network allowed us to optimize its configuration over time, to derive unprofitable lines from operation. The proportion of two-page and multi-lines - approx. 10%. The network dominates the diesel traction. The length of electrified w. d. Just more than 0.5% of operational length, ch. arr. In the suburban zones of major cities and in the northeast corridor (Washington New York-Boston). The industry develops as a whole as a single complex, taking into account the needs of the economy and transport strategy of the country. The activities of the railways are regulated by numerous laws, in particular, labor legislation and legislation on railways have been developed in detail. In the 80-90s. 20 V. Thanks to the adoption of the Law of Stuggers J.-D. Companies have the opportunity to independently establish contractual tariffs depending on the demand for transportation and level of competition from other types of transport, as well as close and sell unprofitable low-thin lines. For the federal authority-counseling on land transport (until 1996, the Commission of Interference Communications) in the field of pricing is stored only antitrust features. Taking into account inflation, rates since 1980 decreased by 57%, labor productivity increased by 2.7 times. Safety conditions on railways significantly improved: the number of traffic accidents per year decreased by 67%, production injuries decreased by 71%. There was a large number of new regional and local J.-D. Companies that are often working at the I-class infrastructure I amphibbon. In 2001, the total length of J.-D. The lines on which regional and local companies transported were 72.4 thousand km.
Development of transport policies, including policies in the field of J.-D. Transportation, the USA Ministry of Transport is engaged in the framework of the structure of which issues J.-D. The following main structural units are engaged in transport:
Federal Railway Administration (FZHA) USA engaged in the development of the sectoral regulatory and legal framework on J.-D. Transport based on federal transport legislation responsible for ensuring safe work on J.-D. Transport, Managing N.-I. and pro-project-design programs and projects, as well as the controlling work of one of the world's largest tests of transport equipment in Pueblo, pcs. Colorado;
Federal Department of Suburban and Urban Transportation, Keeping At the federal level, all types of public urban and suburban passenger traffic;
The Tip for Terrestrial Transport (SNT), which acts as a federal agency that performs other economic regulation against railways, and also solves the issues of unification and economic relations between railways and with other types of transport, reduction of J.-D. networks and new construction, the regulations of the immoded exchange of wagons;
Bureau of the General Security Inspector, which is an independent body, including the activities of FZHA to ensure safe work J.-D. transport.
Almost all J.-D. The US companies (and North America as a whole) are members of the Association of American Railways (AAJZ), which, together with Frya, represents the common interests of railways in state bodies (for example, in the US Congress). The Association acts as a coordinator N.-I. and design programs and controls the work of the Testing Center for Transport Technology in Pueblo.
In the United States (2001), two classifications of railways actually operate: traditionally used - SNT, and relatively recently introduced - AAJJ. According to CNT classification, all railways, maneuver and station companies are divided into 3 grades, depending on the annual income from transportation, corrected with inflation. The feeding centers change periodically. In 2001, they corresponded to the following: I class - from $ 266.7 million (until 1992 - $ 92 million); Class II is $ 21.3 million to $ 266.7 million; III class -Mench $ 21.3 million. Regardless of income to the I class, passenger traffic is classified (AMZD).
The specifics of the ADAZ classification is that all J.-D. Companies not related to I class are classified for two criteria: the profitability and length of the network. Revenues ranging from 40 million to $ 256.4 million and the length of the network at least 563 km allow you to classify the railway as regional. All other railways, as well as maneuver and station companies are classified as local. Amazed corporation in this classification is conditionally attributed to the lowest category.
Of the total number 573 J.-D. Companies only 8 are attributed to the I class, but they are dominated by the market of transportation services J.-D. transport. This concerns their share in the total length of railways and in the total number of industry personnel, participation in total cargo turnover and total income from freight traffic.
Share J.-D. Transport in the total cargo turnover of the US transport system amounted to 41.7% in 2001. His participation in the volume of transportation (from domestic producers) of coal - 67%, grains - 26.4%. In 2001, J.-D. The transport of the United States was carried out a cargo turnover of 2274 billion tons, of which 2193 billion tons accounted for by the class of I class. Over the past 20 years (1981-2001), the cargo turnover has grown in a whole country by more than 68%, and in the eastern regions it has grown only by 20%, and in Western more than 90%. With the average on the network of cargo protection on the freight turnover, gross 23 million T-km / km, the length of the plots with liftingness of up to 5 million TCM / km is 30%, from 5 to 20 million T-km / km - 25%. Along with this, there are lines on which shipproofness is 120-130 million TCM / km.
On the network By about 63% of its length, rails weighing 64.5-68.9 kg to the pontamon m. OK. 95% sleepers laid in the road - impregnated with the creosote of the sleepers of solid wood.
Locomotive park of railways I class I, component of 19,745 diesel locomotives, in the 1990s. updated by 33%; More than 40% of the park consists of the locomotive of the construction until 1980, a restrained policy of replenishing parks is carried out by the larch capacity, aimed at improving operational efficiency, improving the diagnostic systems of the technical condition of locomotives. Railways actively buy powerful diesel locomotives with electrical transmission of alternating current. 14% Park. As a result, the average power of one section over the past 20 years has increased by 41% from 2326 to 3271 liters. from.
At the US railways, approximately 1315 thousand cargo wagons are operated, more than half of them belong to railways, and the rest - shippers and carriages. The average age of the cargo wagon is 20.9 g. In the 1990s. The car park is updated by 25%. It was assumed that in the next 10-12 years, the park will be updated completely. However, in 2001, the demand for freight cars fell to 34,260 units. Compared with 70,000 units. in con. 90s. A decrease in demand for new cars is a consequence of the delayed development of the US economy, expanding the use of heavy loading wagons and increase the efficiency of their operation in the transportation process. Large US railways are also focused on the reduction of car parks. The average load capacity of the freight car is 84.5 tons, the average static load is 58.1 tons. The largest share in the car park is occupied by hoppers (41%) and tanks (18%).
A distinctive feature of the US railways is a record average trains secured by high loading capacity of wagons, a powerful way and a good way. In 2000, the average train weight (net) amounted to 2726 tons, the average train weight (gross) 5553 tons, the average composition of the train 68.5 wagon.
The largest railway systems of the United States are (2001) Unified Railways Union Pacific / Sautern Pacific (operating length 54.2 thousand km) and Burlington Northern / Santa Fe (53.2 thousand km). The process of combining railways is due to the desire to improve their economic situation (due to the reduction of the management apparatus, the closure of parallel and unprofitable lines) and competitiveness in relation to other types of transport.
US rail transport is quite unilaterally focused on freight transportation. A unprofitable, but socially necessary long-distance passenger traffic was manufactured in 1971 on the basis of the Law on Railway Passenger Transport and supported by state financing (subsidies), a specialized corporation AMZ. Corporation The only country in the country carries out distant J.-D. Passenger traffic, exploiting 265 trains per day at the landfill of 36.5 thousand km (approximately 20% of the total length of the I class I class), which connects more than 500 stations. At the same time, April directly owns only the Specialized High Speed \u200b\u200bMaster of the Northeast Corridor (Washington New Iork-Boston) with a length of 1195 km, and otherwise enjoys at the contract basis by technical infrastructures of trucks J.-D. Companies. The amount of long-distance transportation corporation per year is approx. 23.4 million passengers, passenger turnover - approx. 9.0 billion Pass.-km. In addition, the estra is transported approximately 51 million passengers in the suburban message.
Suburban J.-d. Passenger transport in the United States is carried out by 19 companies. The total length of the lines on which suburban trains run is 14 thousand km, including their own lines of these companies, as well as lines leased from AMZE and truck companies. Volume of local and suburban J.-D. Transportation in the country as a whole is 3150 million passengers, passenger turnover of 13.3 billion Pass.-Km.
With con. 1990s. In the United States, the interest in J.-d is supported by state and public organizations. Passenger transportation, which is associated with the overload of roads and exacerbation of environmental problems. In several states it is planned to organize systems of high-speed J.-D. transportation. AMZE Corporation introduced in the northeastern corridor since 2001 regular operation of the new high-speed train "Eisla" with a building speed of 240 km / h. The Corporation offers states the creation of a new system of high-speed regional transport "Eisla Rigoriel" in sponsored by them J.-d. corridors.
On US railways, special attention is paid to the introduction of modern information technologies. Under the auspices of AAJA, an improved system of automatic control of trains movement is gradually being introduced, providing with varying degrees of automation optimal control of trains to those controlled by it, J.-D. polygons. Train movement management is carried out from enlarged road dispatching centers. Based on the use of high-performance computing (in particular, microevm) of devices and data transfer facilities, it became possible, for example, to manage from a single center in Omaha, Nebraska, movement on J.-D. network length of about 60 thousand km. The total introduction of a high-precision radiotechnical system for automatically reading information from the rolling stock developed by the American Corporation AMTEX is carried out. US cargo railways have at their disposal automated road interaction road centers, in operational mode, serving customer requests for the state and promotion of shipments, redirection of goods, etc.
But indeed, they never think right away, but the passenger railway movement in the US is very poorly developed. Okay, there Europe, what a distance there, and in the USA, all the same could be decent possible where to go.
What happened to the passenger railway movement in the USA? The state that calls himself the world superpower and once the real kingdom of lively steel highways, after World War II, actually consciously destroyed the mass transport of people by railways. Grand stations built into the Rail "Golden Era" were ruthlessly demolished, reconstructed and just threw. The legendary and often fantastically looking transcontinental trains, the decades of the former part of Americana, the country's material culture, were simply thrown into the dump of history.
Why did it happen?
It will not be an exaggeration to say that in a considerable degree of US for its current role of the superpower, it is necessary to thank the rail transport. The passenger traffic on the oldest railway of the country Baltimore and Ohio Railroad opened in May 1830, and it was an event that once and forever turned the ideas of Americans about their state and about themselves.
The development of steel highways went avalanche-like. Thanks to them, products of factories, factories and farms began to be promptly delivered to the ocean ports for export, bringing money money and prosperity of industry and agriculture. People quickly forgotten about the Spartan conditions of the diligeans and began to travel with comfort. Railways dramatically reduced distance in a huge country, providing unprecedented mobility of its population, and with her and the path to the very American dream. The rails and arriving seekers of happiness truly conquered the Wild West, they made the states really connected.
Golden age
By 1916, the last peaceful for America, the overall length of the country's railways reached a fantastic 409 thousand kilometers. For comparison: in the same year, the length of all similar highways of the Russian Empire, a little exceeded 70 thousand kilometers. In the USSR - the real railway empire - at the peak of its development, the length of pathways, including accessories, was 220 thousand kilometers, and in China, which launched a grand railway construction, now the network of roads of this kind only exceeded 120 thousand kilometers and until 2050 should increase " Only "twice.
A hundred years ago, the United States, especially their eastern half, were embrites to thick railway web. Of course, she was far from optimality. In the country there were many private operators competing with each other, whose railways often duplicated each other. Moreover, the rail boom gave rise to phenomenal speculations on this soil. On railways earned their millions, current billions, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Ja Pe Morgan and Jay Gould, and, of course, such a way of enrichment could not not attract chains and adventurers of different caliber.
Periodically, the boom turned into a bubble, which burst. Uncontrolled construction for the sake of construction, bankruptcy of banks that issued loans to this, speculation by shares of railway companies became the direct reasons for exchange edachs of 1873 and 1893, however, despite this, the American rail network continued to expand, reaching his peak before the First World War.
Railways actually ensured the transformation of the United States into a powerful industrial power, thanks to them in the agricultural turnover, hundreds of millions of acres of valuable lands in the center of the country were introduced, which, in turn, had reduced food prices and other goods and contributed to the influx in the states of disadvantaged immigrants from the old Sveta. Railways were on advanced progress, were not just a symbol of the country, but also an important stimulus of the development of science and technology, modern methods of doing business were born in their office buildings. Railways made America America.
In major cities throughout the country at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, rail operators built grand stations - the most real palaces, equivalents of European castles, transport churches. For an ordinary citizen, a visit to them became a real event. Once inside these gigantic buildings, a worker and a farmer, a charter of newspapers and bags, an official and clerk, a writer and gangster felt their concerns to this sacrament - the beginning (or end) travel. The future of American railways seemed cloudless, but it was only a mirage. On the horizon already clouded clouds, and each of them had the form of Ford Model T, which came down from the conveyors of Henry Ford.
About 70 years, about 1920, the railways remained almost the only means of long-distance communication in the United States. With the beginning of the release of mass cars, the appearance of buses and the construction of the first highway, the popularity of movement on trains began to gradually fall. The process was slow and at first not too noticeable, especially since in the 1930s, American railway companies began to introduce completely new types of rolling stock and travel format. Streamline entered the fashion - artistic style, the AR-Deco's branch, for which the streamlined silhouettes were characterized, the rapid aerodynamic image associated with something ultra-modern, even fantastic.
Futuristic locomotives decorated with brilliant polished metal and recalculated with the first rockets and resembling the first rockets to replace the Archaic forms. On the roads of the country, the famous trains of California Zephyr, Texas Zephyr, Super Chief, Flying Yankee, Rock Island Rocket, were incurred faster than which the names of which were all the works of themselves, their main advantage is encrypted. Speed \u200b\u200band comfort. In luxurious compositions, in addition to sleeping cars, provided invisible comfort, there were restaurants, lounge seating and even special cars with panoramic glazed, allowed passengers to enjoy the surrounding nature, without interrupting a secular conversation for a cocktail. It was a triumph of industrial design, probably the highest point of development of the country's railways and their own swan song.
End of era
During the Second World War, steel highways received the last impetus to development. Gasoline became a strategic commodity, his vacation was limited, and the people again moved to the train. However, with the end of the war and the beginning of a rapid economic growth in the United States, railways were increasingly leaving the background. Streamline-compounds on inertia for about ten years used certain popularity, especially at long distances, but massive transportations were steadily fell. Already by 1946, in the States, it was in the states by 45% less trains than in 1929, and then the process of passenger outflow was only aggravated. Along with the number of passengers, the incomes of private railway operators were falling and their debts grew, the first bankruptcy began, and the state from the subsidization of rail traffic was eliminated. He had new favorites.
Traditionally in the US, the railway was a private business. His successful development was repeatedly interrupted by crises, but rail magnates, losing one, then another of his colleague, all the time was harvested and continued to earn money on their own. The railway network was perfect, maybe even too much, developed, and the federal government focused its efforts on other infrastructure projects. In 1956, large-scale construction of an interstamist motorway system, the so-called "intersites," begins in the USA, is a project that stretched for 35 years and cost taxpayers in hundreds of billions of dollars. President Eisenhower, who commanded during the Second World Army of Allies in Europe, was very impressed by the Nazi autobahn in Germany, and he caught fire the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a similar network of high-speed motorways in his country. In addition to defense importance, they were supposed to provide simple and increasingly agreed Americans the possibility of a quick, safe and independent travel in the United States.
It was a heavy, but far from the only blow, placed the beginning of the full defeat of the passenger railway movement in America. At the same time he joined his new, reactive, civil aviation era. The federal government subsidized its development and fundamental cheapening of intramerican flights, including through the construction of airports, not only in large, but also in medium and even small towns and settlements. The last moment was very important. After some time it turned out that literally to any town in the entire huge country (or before its closest neighborhood) could be flying.
Born by the "Free Market" and earned billions of dollars private railway companies suddenly collided with his own ruined. Defeated state support, concerned about competition with each other, they could not hold tariffs at competitive with automotive and aviation transportation levels. The conditional farmer in Nebraska, who earned money and wished to rest somewhere in Florida, it turned out simply more convenient and cheaper to reach the place of vacation on its own car in Highweight or to get to the nearest airport and after a few hours, even with transfers, to be At the warm blue sea.
Railway companies were in a hopeless situation - with extensive infrastructure, highways, often dubbed each other, rapidly falling passenger traffic and income and as rapidly growing debts. Faced with a complete indifference from the state, they were forced to start cutting costs: huge palace stations in cities centers in the absence of customers have become a near-blank burden, which began to get rid of. In New York in the 1960s, the monumental station of Pennsylvania Station was ruthlessly demolished, which shocked contemporaries. The famous Grand Central in the same New York will be saved only by a miracle.
Their counterparts in other major cities were waiting for different fate: some (as Union Station Stations in Washington or Los Angeles), still preserved more or less active movement of distant and suburban trains, continued to work as appointment, others (as in Cincinnati or Saint Louis) over time, overpowed to other functions - museum or shopping and entertainment. Giant complexes in Detroit and Buffalo were lucky much less - they just threw them.
Here we discussed in the world
The trains were massively canceled, due to the infrastructure crisis, many of the remaining compositions went from all lack of findings from uncomfortable stations on urban outskirts, routes were closed, and with them thousands of stations. Passengers simply stopped counting on the railway as a reliable tool with which one could get to the destination they needed. The rail transport is no longer associated with progress, something modern, corresponding to the spirit of the space era.
His place was taken by reactive aviation and its own car, which gave the Americans, traditionally to individualists in spirit, the desired sense of independence, and the infrastructure created by the Eisenhower infrastructure, literally licenseable motels and snacks, provided the desired space in order to implement this independence.
The final blow to private passenger railway companies was inflicted in September 1967, when the US postal service refused their services. The payment for postage transport allowed carriers to support many remaining flights on the verge of profitability, and the care of such an important client provoked another wave of mass liquidations of the usual routes.
In 1968, in a desperate attempt to escape the two largest surviving railway companies in the country - Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central - united, but it turned out that they had merged only their own problems. In 1970, bankruptcy was followed, but by this time the US federal government woke. The aviation and car lobby, of course, retained its influence, but even with full consideration of his interests of the Nixon administration, it became clear that the future, and the nearest, threatens the full decay of the country's railway system, which is fraught with unpredictable consequences. In May 1971, with the formation of the Amtrak company, the remains of the passenger railway movement were actually nationalized.
That was the final of the American railway dreams. Over a half decade, the previous 120 years have been created. Of the 409 thousand kilometers of the paths that existed in 1916, only 220 thousand remained now. The US railway network is still the largest in the world, however, 80% of them have a passenger traffic. Amtrak now transports more than 30 million passengers per year - twice as much as in 1972 (its first full year of activity). It would seem that progress is obvious, but one third of this traffic falls on a small, but very lively northeast corridor - a high-speed line between Boston and Washington through New York and Philadelphia. Another 5.6 million people move short distances within California.
On a miracle, surviving long-distance trains accounts for less than half of all AMTRAK passenger traffic: they are very expensive and not too comfortable. Over the past 60 years, American railways passed an amazing way out from the vehicle movement to luxury, is popular enough for tourists.
In the US, looked off from the piece of harden, and again to teach the country to her will be very difficult. The Middle American will never understand a multi-day trip around the country in the coupe, and even more so in a placentar, with a mandatory chicken wrapped in foil, boiled eggs and a bottle of whiskey. The future of local rail transport is only behind the resumption of suburban movement and possible high-speed highways. ACC in California, which should tie San Francisco and a silicon valley with Los Angeles and Anaheim, is already being built, but while its experience shows only one thing: the new China with his thousand kilometers of high-speed roads every year in the US is impossible. Railway romance will be reborn there will be long and very, very expensive.
And what it was for and
Hey! Do you know when the first rail line was laid in America? And who became her discoverer? Today I will tell about the American railways. Do not think that you all know, I will definitely surprise you.
For example, for example, the American railway sphere was built and developed always much faster than transport in continental Europe, which I wrote about. The beginning of its development railways take in the 19th century.
Already at the very beginning of the 19th century, American John Stevens created a railway company, which in time passed into the hands of the Pennsylvanian railway and became part of it. Then, no one else knew about the existence of a practical and land machine at the same time, therefore it was decided to rapidly develop the rail sphere.
After 10 years, in the 19th century, the first rail machines appeared on the steam rod. Their creation was given to builders and engineers with ease. It was much more difficult to construct locomotive. But didn't it be enough, didn't Americans wanted this? Where is the comfort and safe movement promised?
After constantly unsuccessful creation of locomotives, John Stevens decided to take care of his hands and create the first locomotive for a couple and his attempts to create a locomotive for a couple were crowned with success. These events served as a rapid progress of the development of the railways of America.
In 1830, the first railway for general use was opened. Transport was a reliable means of movement and also became a serious competitor to shipping. And still continues. But still the public thought quite differently. The people believed that steam cars were the sons of the devil, and besides the "concussion of the brain", the travelers would not receive anything. However, the benefits of steam vehicles over the steamboats were undoubted. Whatever and again prove it, people arranged the competition between the train and the steamer. The rules of the game were to pass a certain segment as soon as possible. The steamer coped with the task, and came in 3 days, while the steam location in just 16 hours passed 545, 5 kilometers.
To the middle of the 19th century, America's trains did not travel for distant distances. For example, a trip from Philadelphia to Charleston was held on eight rings, that is, passengers should have begun to change the train more than five times during one trip. Similarly, they did with the cargo. Who could withstand this?
For 10 years, the length of railways has increased from 64 kilometers (40 mile) to 4.5 thousand kilometers (2755 miles). And before the beginning of the Civil War, in the 60s of the 19th century, the length increased almost to 50 thousand kilometers. At that time, railway tracks played a special role. After all, they served as a means for transporting weapons and various military equipment (ammunition, food), as well as transportation of servicemen.
However, not only because of hostilities, the road developed. But thanks to the rapid growth in agriculture, the rapid construction of railways occurred. All due to the fact that farmers needed constant export of products.
At the end of the 19th century, metro in New York received special popularity and development. After some time, became popular and trams. And in the easier, they were at all the only way of movement.
From the middle of the 1960s of the 19th century, the "golden age" begins in the field of railways of America. For 50 years, the railway world has expanded to global scale: the length of railways from 50 thousand kilometers increased to 400 thousand.
Today's state of American railway lines
Nowadays, the length of American roads reaches 220 thousand kilometers. It has a width of 1435 mm - this is a European norm. About 180 thousand work on American railways. employees.
Today, US railways do not relate to the most popular and popular types of land transport. The state is unprofitable to improve the sphere of the railway, which is why transportation in America has long been in a state of immobility. Large demand has internal flights, often they come out much cheaper than this, they are considered safer and comfortable than traveling by train. Thus, trains remain for the use of aerophobians and desperate romantics. But, nevertheless there is a huge plus for a tourist, a person who visits the country for the first time, can take advantage of the train with the aim of a more detailed study of the terrain and color of the country.