Railroad Mergers and the Language of Unification

by James B. Burns

Overview

Between 1970 and 1997, the nation's railroads engaged in corporate mergers in an effort to stem the decline of the industry's market base, increase low returban on investments, and counter the deterioration of trackage and equipment. The 73 Class I carriers in existence in 1970 have been consolidated into only 10 today. The recent battle over Conrail is only the most recent and highly publicized example of this trend that resulted from the relaxation of federal regulation. Business scholars, economists, railroad buffs, and anyone interested in transportation and federal regulation will find this book an invaluable tool.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781567201666
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/24/1998
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.69(d)
Lexile:	1510L (what's this?)

About the Author

JAMES B. BURNS taught in the History Departments of the University of Maryland, Mississippi State University, Catonsville Community College, and Essex Community College.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Legacy of Merger
The Financial Imbroglio: Impetus for Change
The Federal Initiative: Tale of Consolidation
Private Sector Combinations: Assessing Rationalization
Rise of the Eastern Giants
Mastadons of the West
Railroad Holding Companies: Keys to Diversification
Intermodal Mania
The New Railroads: Toward the 21st Century
Conclusion: A Universal Language
Appendix A: Maps of Railroad Lines
Appendix B: Flow Charts of Railroad Corporate Structures
Selected Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

An independent historian argues that between 1970 and the middle 1990s, corporate combinations were a panacea for many of the financial and operational problems of the major rail carriers in the US, because the successful operation and financial performance of a company depends on the single variable of access. He bases the study on financial dockets of the Interstate Commerce Commission, reports by federal agencies and congressional committees, and trade journal articles. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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