American railways. Railways in the USA History of the creation of railways in America

The trains in the United States enjoys a small percentage of the population, many trains and railways in the US are not in the best condition. Why did it happen? Because politicians decided that stupidity all this were trains to ride. Machines and aircraft then for what?

By the way, about aircraft. I'm going to fly in the summer in the summer, and my direct flight Houston-Moscow was canceled. I am now, what is called, in the "active search" of sites with good offers (so that the price it was up to $ 1,300 there, back and fly more than a day at least). While I found the site Flights Aviapoisk.kz with good prices, and a couple more. Where do you buy tickets? Help, kind people who can! Can be money 😀

Well, now let's go back to trains.

Amtrak is engaged in rail transportation in the USA, which transports about 30 million passengers per year (from the bottom 11 million on the Washington Boston line). There is also a secondary company Alaska Railroad, which operates only in Alaska.

The Washington Boston line walks the speed train "Asela Express", which can accelerate up to 240 km / h, but its average speed is about 110 km / h (because on the railway section, three different segments with different voltages). It is 50 km / h less than our Russian Sapsan. Railways in the United States for the past decades were financed very poorly.

Why are the railways in the US are unpopular?

The volume of passenger transportation is usually measured in passenger-kilometers. For comparison: in Europe, more than 1,000 kilometers per year are performed by passengers in Europe, and in the USA - only 80!

Here is the map of the US railway tracks:

Railways in the United States almost 3 times longer than Russian, but 80% of them from 1960 are not used.

The reasons:

1. Outside the most populated cities, the population density is low, which makes transportation unprofitable;
2. Trains are forced to linger, because they depend on cargo transported by the same compositions, and the delay passengers do not like;
3. Travel by airplanes in the United States are also available and convenient, airlines are afraid of competition with high-speed trains and lower their prices, people are moving by airplanes 20 times more often than trains;
4. Travel by train is more expensive and slower driving by car.

US Railway Stations

Mostly the stations here are small and unsightly, because They were built after the 1940s (when no one was affected by the development of the railway transportation). Those that were built before the 1940s were either already demolished or converted or abandoned. Here, for example, abandoned railway station in Dettle:

Or in Buffalo:

But the functioning station in the capital of the United States - Washington:

Types of wagons in the USA

In the US trains, as well as Russian trains, there are sediment and coupling cars. There are no secondary cars here. Unlike Russian trains, sedentary passengers can not walk on the jewel. I think it is a plus.

Sitting wagons are comfortable, each passenger has its own socket. All seats are located along the move. Trains are filled with almost 100% passengers.

A coupe for two people (without its own toilet and soul) is almost 3 times more expensive than ordinary seating cars. The same coupe on four (two adults + two children) - 3 times more expensive coupe for two.

Couple more expensive there is own shower, toilet and sink, as well as air conditioning. The price includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some trains are free WiFi (at low speed) and the ability to sit in Quiet Car (a quiet car, where it is appropriate to behave.

Landing in the train

American cars do not have numbers. The conductor decides which place to plant the passenger, and either writes the room number on the ticket, or gives the passenger to the tag with its number. The conductor is usually one on two cars. Yes, and the driver here often works without helpers. People are waiting for their turn on landing, right as in the USSR. 🙂

After landing over the passenger, the tag is attached with three letters, which denote its end station. For example, for Houston is HOS, for New York - NYP, for Los Angeles - LAX. The place here is impossible to spontaneously change.

Train schedule

Because Trains are very small, even between some cities million paintings can walk only twice a day. And there are directions where the trains go only 3 times a week. However, on the "high-speed" track of Washington-Boston trains often go (almost every hour).

How much do the train tickets cost?

• New York - Washington (distance 365 km, 3 hours 30 minutes in the way) - from $ 49.;
• Washington - Boston (Distance 703 km, 7 hours 45 minutes on the way) - from 79 $;
• San Diego - Los Angeles (188 km distance, 3 hours rounds) - from $ 37.;
• San Francisco - Los Angeles (615 km distance, 4 hours 30 minutes) - from 59 $;
• Houston - El Paso (Distance 1190 km, 19 hours 30 minutes on the way) - from 82 $.

If you are a tourist, then you can buy unlimited travel at 15, 30 or 45 days.

Prices for travel:

15 days - $ 459 (adult), $ 229.5 (children from 2 to 12 years);
For 30 days: $ 689 (adult), $ 344.5 (children);
45 days: $ 899 (adult), $ 449.5 (children).

It is also possible to save with Amtrak SmartFares (discounts up to 30%) every week from Tuesday to Friday.

California Pass (ability to travel 7 days in a period of 21 days). Pass limited 4 trips to one end. Travel at any time of the day is used as a whole day from these seven. Price - $ 159 for adults, $ 79.5 for children (from 2 to 12 years).

Railways in the USA. Development prospects

In August 2016, Amtrak's US Department of Transport was allocated $ 2.45 billion. This money will build new stations, modernize trains and railway tracks, more than 20 high-speed trains will be empty (speeds up to 306 km / h), mainly in the northeast corridor (New York - Trenton).

May our trains are the most trains in the world!

With you was Oksana Bryant, before the meeting on the air!

Wow, almost verse turned out. Probably, I have a talent! 🙂

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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.

US Railways The United States Railways - an extensive railway network, which includes about seven transcontinental highways crossing the country from East to West and connecting the largest urban agglomerations of Atlantic (New York, Philadelphia, Boston) and Pacific (Seattle, Portland, San Francisco , Los Angeles) coasts; 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) of the United States, developing a 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. US Railways yesterday and today An entertaining past of the US Railways If you mention the US Railways, the picture of the Wild West, the romance of travel and super-modern trains is necessarily pops up. However, the railway is not only an important component of the American cinema, but also a serious part of the transport links to this huge country. The beginning is always difficult, which is why, despite the development of land transport, the simple people did not rush to use the services of trains. Although the development and construction, which began with the light hand of John Stevens in 1815, do not stop and before that day, the Americans have a locomotive in the early 19th century caused some concerns and, simply, religious superstitions. The conclusion of the railway charter and the creation of the two first steam locomotives talked about the irreversible process of introducing the railway into the life of ordinary Americans. After a visual experiment, which proved that the locomotive in 16 hours overcomes the distance for which the steamer takes three days, the fate of the railway was solved. From this point on, the US railways only increased their length. In 1846, the Pennsylvanian Railway was launched, and almost twenty years later, a rapid rise in the popularity of this type of transport began. Railway communications networks Civil War showed that the future behind this type of transport, and gave him a considerable authority. Transportation of weapons, people, food brought military actions to a new level. By this time, the US railways in length accounted for about 254,000 miles and their growth was steadily continued. Deltsi Incurious yes, Posnorovians began to buy strategically important lands to buy strategically important lands for which the branches of the railways were laid. In the hands of such companies accumulated huge funds. People who investigated money in the US rail transport many times increased their condition. In 1869, the US transcontinental railways was born, more precisely, the first of them, which connected the coast of the Pacific Ocean with Central and Western America. The success of the enterprise caused the emergence of three more transcontinental lines in 1882 - 1883 and 1893. Over time, railways in America began to lose their popularity. On the one hand, due to the transfer of this infrastructure in the hands of the state after the First World War, on the other, due to technical progress, actively gaining momentum. What happens today with US rail transport progress spawned the railway, he gradually displays it into oblivion. At the beginning of the twentieth century, almost all transportation in America was carried out by this way. The powerful infrastructure tied a vast country into a single whole, influenced not only to the economy, but also on demography and ethnography. However, this did not save the industry from decline. Today, train tickets in America differ little from air tickets for the price. Now the US railway transport is chosen by romance and people who have nowhere to rush. Travel in the train is convenient if you want to get the maximum number of impressions. Railway companies have launched a number of steam locomotives as excursion exhibits. National carriers such as Amtrak, National Rail Pass, West Rail Pass and others offer tourist railway trips, business high-speed transport and other services. A special railway map has been published, which covers the transport network of the whole country. However, the "golden age" of the US railway is never to return. Railway communication is extremely small in the US . A relatively small number of passengers elect a train as a means of movement, since tariffs often correspond to the cost of air tickets. In addition, given the considerable territory of the United States, moving by train can take a lot of time. The State Rail Company Amtrak has been a subsidiary company for many years, and the development of railway communication is observed only in the transport of goods. At the same time, a number of areas can be convenient and interesting for tourist: "Northern Corridor" between the cities of Washington - Philadelphia - New York - Boston, "California Corridor" from San Diego to San Francisco through Los Angeles and the longest line from Atlantic coast to Pacific on the route New York - Washington - Memphis - Dallas - Albuquerque - Phoenix - Los Angeles. Travel in the train is extreme roads. For example, the cheapest ticket from New York to Washington (less than 500 km) will cost $ 70. Travel from New York to Chicago will cost $ 120-150. Moreover, we are talking about seating places in a common car. Travel in the coupe will cost 1.5-2 times more. Tickets are sold on the company's website with a credit card, and directly at the box office. Since August 2005, the purchase of railway tickets to the United States has become possible in Russia. The CGTT Voyages Agency has been a distributor of tickets. It opened the sale of tickets to a number of directions of the Northeast Corridor of the United States, including routes between Washington, New York, Boston, Philadelphia and some other cities. At the same time, the price of prices in Russia below, rather than in place. In addition, you can purchase travel tickets - both nationwide and regional. Travel tickets for tourists AMTRAK offers unlimited travel tickets for railway on the railway 15 and 30 days. These tickets can purchase any tourist who is not a US resident. A ticket can be reserved through the official website of the company and is obtained at any US railway office on the presentation of a passport. You can purchase a ticket for both regional and covering the whole country: National Rail Pass (across the country without restrictions) cost for an adult $ 999. North East Rail Pass (Northeast United States) Cost for an adult $ 300 includes the east coast of the United States and the city of Washington, New York, Boston, Buffalo (Niagara Falls). West Rail Pass (West USA) cost for an adult $ 329 / $ 359 (15 days, 30 days). East Rail Pass (East USA) Cost for an adult $ 329 / $ 369 (15 days, 30 days). During the "High Season", the cost of travel tickets increases by 25-30%. Children up to 15 years pay 50% of the cost. Basic tariff includes traveling in a seating car. For an additional fee you can travel in the coupe. More information on the official website of Amtrak Railways in America have no such distribution, as in Europe. Even Russia has a significantly more rich passenger network than the United States. True, it was not always. Any thirty-five years ago, all of America was covered with a thick network of passenger lines. And in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Great Lakes and the Eastern Coast of the train, they were again almost as often as in Europe. The sixties and seventies became the time of the rapid flourishing of passenger aviation. Americans switched to a faster transport type. Speed \u200b\u200bis a serious advantage for huge distances of North America. In addition, the well-being of the US population has increased significantly, and many have acquired personal cars. The number of railway passengers has fallen sharply. At that time, the US railways were operated by many private passenger companies, most of which served one or two routes. The crisis led to the collapse of a significant part of the companies and closing the lines. The US government is saved by the industry. It united the majority of the remaining lines under the post of State AMTRAK. Amtrak began to work in 1971, having an unenviable inheritance. The route network has decreased several times, the number of flights on the remaining lines has fallen as much as much. The company kept on multi-million state-owned subsidies, passing the remaining private lines. Now they are left quite a bit. USA: Railways (part 1) Network reduction and flights managed to stop. Over the past thirty years, they remained almost at the same level. And in the coming years there is a significant rise of railway transport in America. Now it is more or less convenient to move with the help of the railway only in three districts. First, it is the area of \u200b\u200bthe Great Lakes, where Chicago is the main node. Secondly, the so-called northeast corridor (Boston - New York - Philadelphia - Washington - Richmond). Third, California. In addition, relatively intensive movement (three - five flights per day) have some areas along the Canadian border (Buffalo - Albany in the East and Seattle - Portland in the West), as well as Florida and a couple of areas of the Eastern coast. Otherwise, the situation is like the wildest West of the last century. Huge spaces do not have passenger lines in general, and where they are, one - two trains per day. The East of the country is connected to the West of four branches, in three of which the train goes once a day, and one to two days. Phoenix and Las Vegas do not have trains at all, in Houston and Cincinnati they appear every other day, and in Dallas, Denver, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City - once a day. In general, if you are not on the east coast and not among the great lakes, the train will only suit you in those few cases when the route and the time of the sole composition coincide with your plans. Approximately the same situation in Alaska, where there is its own railway company. According to the only branch of Supard - Anchorage - Fairbanks walk one or two trains per day. Arctic winter routes become weekly, and then trains turn into route taxis - to stop you need to vote on the platform. More recently, October 1, there they broke the record, organizing a train from 32 cars. Four of these thirty-two were luggage, and five - restaurant wagons. USA: Railways (part 1) similar approach and in the rest of the United States. Far trains have been turned into hotels with salons and restaurants. In general, there is an American style in everything. Most wagons are huge two-story mahuines, leaving the feeling of disadvantaged power. This feeling is still enhanced by unpacked iron corps of wagons. The same impression is created by locomotives, most of all serving on typical American automotive tractors. European style is present only in modern east coast trains. There gradually introduce high-speed trains according to Europe and Japan. At relatively small distances of the Atlantic coast, these compositions successfully compete with airlines. Trains are especially convenient in cases where you need to go immediately, and you can not buy a cheap ticket. One of the priority directions of the development of railways in America is the integration of them with airlines, which in American expanses by definition are essential transport. Here Americans also inspires the example of Europe, where most of the largest airports have their own railway stations. So far, there are almost no such in America, but in the near future, passengers of a number of airports will be able to sit right in the airport in both suburban and long-distance trains. All this, together with the introduction of new high-speed lines, will attract a lot of new customers in the near future on the Railways of America. In the USA, where almost every family has a personal car, and incomes allow to use air transport, railway transport can not be first, nevertheless, it has its own traffic percentage. If in Russia the railway is a highly developed industry in the cargo and passenger segment, then in the United States on railway transport transport predominantly cargo. Our road is only upgraded under the standards of a market economy, new trains appear, satellite monitoring is being introduced, demonopolization occurs, all this has long been in the US, including a high level of competition. A little bit down in history to understand at what stage in the development stage of the US railway is today. Another three years ago, the United States had a rather branched network of passenger traffic, however, the rapid motorization and the popularization of passenger aviation over time pushed the railway transport in passenger transportation on the third plan. At that time, many private companies worked on the market, which, due to the crisis, went bankrupt and closed the lines. Most of these companies served only 2-3 lines. The US government was saved by the industry, which created Amtrak from the most profitable lines. She began working in 1971 and successfully exists until now. To date, America is characterized by uneven coverage of the passenger railway network. It is most developed on the east coast, the capital of the US railway is Chicago. It is quite comfortable to move along the Boston corridor - New York - Philadelphia - Washington - Richmond, along the border with Canada, as well as in Florida. From the States of another part of America, it is possible to allocate California. And, for example, in Las Vegas and the city of Passenger trains, there are no passenger trains at all, there are also many places where they go every other day. In general, to cross America by train - the case is quite problematic, although there are a total of four branches between the West and East. Priority is given to cargo trains, as they are highly profitable. Passenger cars in American trains two-story, which fully fits into a typical American style. Although in those regions where the railway network is developed (New York, Chicago), follow global trends and put modern high-speed trains on the type "Arrow" on the line. In the US, two types of trains: nearminds, which go preferably during the daytime and consist mainly of seating wagons (coach), and long-distance follows. In two-storey cars, the first floor is always places for baggage and disabled, the second is a platform with comfortable chairs, as in an airplane. There are cars with bedrooms of different levels of comfort. Passenger transportation in the United States is not as popular as moving on a personal vehicle or plane, but they have their client and continue to exist. Trunk diesel locomotives With hydraulic transmission: ML4000CC diesel locomotive ML4000CC diesel locomotive Firm "Krauss-Maffei" built a batch of main cargo diesel locomotives with a capacity of 4000 hp With hydraulic frames for US railways. Two 16-cylinder V-shaped diesel engines of the MAYBACH type MD-870 with a capacity of 2000 hp are installed on the diesel locomotive Each, with a diameter of cylinders of 185 mm and a piston stroke 200 mm. Digal locomotives: D443 and D343 diesel locomotives D443 and D343 D443 and D343 diesel locomotives FIAT firms, respectively, 2000 and 1500 hp With electrical transmission are designed for not electrified areas of ITALY railways. The diesel locomotives are equipped with standard nodes and parts (trolleys, traction engines, gears, compressors, filters, refrigerator elements, cabbage cabins and their equipment, etc.). The fundamental difference between the diesel locomotives of these series lies in the fact that the locomotives D443 are equipped with low-definite diesel engines of 2000 hp with a maximum number of revolutions of 1000 per minute, and D343 - high-speed diesel engines with a capacity of 1500 hp at 1500 rpm. Dedication: GP40 diesel locomotive GP40 diesel locomotive GP40 diesel locomotive - 4 axial diesel electric locomotive produced by General Electric division in the interval between November 1965 and December 1971. The 16-cylinder diesel installed on the locomotive develops the power of 3000 horsepower. Dedication: GP30 diesel locomotive diesel locomotive GP30 GP30 diesel locomotive With the electrical transmission of direct current with a capacity of 2250 hp was made by GeTeral Motorors from July 1961 to November 1963. During this time, 948 units were built. A two-stroke diesel engine type 567d3 is installed on the 567D3 power supply of 2250 hp. At 835 rpm with a straight-flow blowing and cooled air cooled. Diesel has a turbocharger, which is driven by small turns directly from the crankshaft through gear gear, and on large turns - from the gas turbine operating on the exhaust gases. Detal locomotives: SD45 diesel locomotive SD45 diesel locomotive With the electrical transmission of alternating direct current, General Motors was produced in the period from December 1965 to December 1971. During this period, 1260 units were produced. 12-cylinder diesel 645e3 with a capacity of 3600 hp was installed on the diesel locomotive On the diesel locomotives of this and some other series, a diesel engine of type 645 is applied. Like a type 567 diesel engine, diesel 645 is indicated in accordance with the working volume of the cylinder. Dedication: GP28 diesel locomotive GP28 locomotive Locomotive GP28 is a 4-axis GENERAL ELECTRIC locomotive, equipped with a 16-cylinder diesel engine 567D1 with a capacity of 1800 horsepower (1.3 MW), and produced from March 1964 to November 1965. The Locomotive GP28 is the basic not the turbocharged version of the GP35 locomotive. Dedication: diesel locomotive G12 diesel locomotive G12 Food truck G12. Power on thrust 1310 hp With electrical transmission of DC. A 12-cylinder two-stroke diesel 567c with a capacity of 1425 hp was installed on the diesel locomotive The launch of the diesel engine is made from the main generator. Detal locomotives: GT16 diesel locomotive diesel locomotive GT16 GT16 diesel locomotive Power on the craving 2400 hp With electrical transmission of direct current is built for delivery to Australia. The 16-cylinder diesel model 576E3 with a capacity of 2600 hp is installed on the diesel locomotive With turbocharging and cooled air cooled. According to the design and the main dimensions of the Diesel 576E3, analogous to the model of 576C models, developing the capacity of 1950 hp Detal locomotives: cargo diesel locomotive DD40X CENTENNIAL cargo diesel locomotive DD40X CENTENNIAL MAIN CONDUCTION DD40X CENTENNIAL POWER 6600 hp Electric transmission of alternating and direct current is designed for freight traffic. DD40X built General Motors, La Grange division for operation on Pacific Union railways. The United States Ontial Device initially predetermined the absence of uniform economic entities in the country, whose owner is itself. US railways were built and developed under the jurisdiction of individual states. The construction of railways in the USA began in 1827, that is, 10 years earlier than in Russia. Today, the length of the American railways is more than 220 thousand km against 87 thousand km of the length of the row railways of Russia. The width of the US railway track is 1435 mm, which corresponds to the width of the track of European railways. In Russia, the width of the rut is 1520 mm. The number of US railway personnel is about 180 thousand workers against 1200 thousand people working on Russian railways. The last ratio makes it possible to think about the efficiency of the use of labor resources in the domestic railway industry. At the same time, the share of railway transport in the cargo turnover of both countries is approximately equal and in recent years in the range of 40-45%. Railways in the USA - private. The railway market has about 600 companies, but more than 60% of all freight traffic are mastering 8 largest companies. Railway companies have the right to independently set tariffs depending on the demand for various types of transportation and competition from other types of transport. The process of determining the level of railway tariffs is subject to supervision and antimonopoly regulation by the federal authority - the Timing Council, which until 1996 was called as a Commission on Interference. The results of the Council's activities are the regular decrease in the level of tariffs and the establishment of fair tariffs for seven transcontinental routes crossing the territory of the United States. The question of the privatization of railways for the United States is not relevant. The relevant issue is the effective functioning and coordination of railway systems belonging to various owners. In the US railway management system, the principle of the inexpediency of dividing a single railway on the company for transportation and infrastructure management is laid. Reducing costs and improving the service of shippers and consignees on US railways are caused primarily by road with road transport. In the US, a fleet management program for private railways was developed. It was popular since the 80s of the twentieth century, when the leading carriers of North America organized the relevant units in their structures and staffed by personnel of specialists in the field of operation of railways, marketing and information technologies. The main goal was to reduce empty run and fee for the use of wagons, as well as improving the efficiency of wagons. Regulation and management of private operators Park has gained the greatest relevance in organizing and implementing international freight transport: transit between Eastern and Western coasts, between Canada and Mexico. Private railway companies in the United States, in which shareholders make fundamental decisions, special attention is paid to the procedure for managing transport infrastructure. Currently, the average annual investment in infrastructure here is about $ 5 billion - 19% of the total operating costs of the first class large railways, vs. $ 6.2 billion - 24% of the cost of the rolling stock with a total investment equal to 27 billion US dollars. The share of infrastructure costs has recently increased from 14% 30 years ago to 17% 20 years ago and, as indicated above, up to 19% at present, which indicates a significant progression achieved due to the understanding of the need to continuously increase the capacity of railways and For the development of steadily growing volumes of traffic. An obvious desire to ensure the proper state of travel economy and public places is confirmed by the steady increase in investment in the industry. Indeed, out of total capital investments in $ 5 billion 77% accounted for infrastructure against 23% of investments in the rolling stock. It follows from all this that, to maintain and increase investment in infrastructure, investors should be interested in their investments and understand the importance and importance of this infrastructure to ensure further increase in transportation volumes

I wrote that in Florida, a speed line design specially for this locomotive. It will be called "Brightline" (bright line) and it will be the first high-speed private railway in the latest history of the United States. The construction of the line goes to his woman. Reconstruct paths, build stations.
And at the Siemens plant in Sacramento collected the first composition of two diesel locomotives and four cars. Wagons are collected in the same place where the diesel locomotive, in Sacramento. Now the first composition of five is distilled from California to Florida, to the future place of work.

The design of wagons and coloring should be called bright and memorable. As someone said in the comments to this photo on the "Rail Picker", well, finally, the design went "from the form to the function", and not vice versa.

Although four cars are on two rather powerful diesel locomotives - this seems to me some waste. Some kind of pure American redundancy in the spirit of the "Silver Century", when three and four motor sections could be attached to the train.

The high-speed line "Brightline" will connect the cities of Miami and Orlando, passing through Orlando International Airport. The length of the line will be 390 kilometers. New trains are planned to run at an hour interval. The planned average speed will be about 130 kilometers per hour. That is, approximately the same as on the only one in the US high-speed rail "Northeast Corridor". People have already nicknamed these trains to the Japanese manner of the "train-bullet".

And it is not clear to me why the speed road did not make electrified. After all, they could order for her and electric locomotives, which make in the same place at the Symens plant in Sacramento.
By the way, the company "Siemens" has been seduced by American partners in some hours, exposing the Sacramento head carriage car in the railway museum of the Sapsan. And before he stood on the square in front of the local California Capitol. Germans as they say:
- Here it is, the railway future of California and all the connected states. Only find money to build the road, and we will do the wagons for you.

American railways have a rich history and played a very important role in the development of the state. Currently, this transport in the country does not use such great popularity as aviation and automotive species. Many trains are rather exhibits. They travel except for romance and people who are afraid to fly by plane. Yes, and the price of the ticket here is usually not very different from the cost of the flight.

Brief comparison with Russian railways

Railway Russia and USA is different. If the total length of the domestic highway is 87 thousand kilometers, then Americans have 220 thousand kilometers. The width of the rut in Russia is 1520 mm, and in the USA - 1435 mm, as in Europe. In our country in the industry are employed 1.2 million workers, while American highways serve only 180 thousand people. Only the same share of the industry cargo turnover, which in both countries is 40%.

Number

History of US Railways Began in 1815. Their development looked very promising due to the fact that at that time there were no developed cheap and rapid land transport. Then Railway company of New Jersey was founded by Colonel John Stevens. Initially, industrial branches began to be created for the transport of goods for small distances, for example, to export minerals from mines. Pennsylvanian railway, which began work in 1846, became the first company in the industry. After eight years later, its first route was officially put into operation, which connected Philadelphia and Harrisberg.

First locomotives

If the construction of the cloth of large problems did not arise, then the main problem with which collided first US RailwaysThe provision of thrust. In 1826, John Stevenson mentioned above designed and built his own steam locomotive. To test your brainchild, engineer has built his own circular track in New Jersey. Testing machines were successful. Three years later, Lastario Alain, being the main engineer of a large shipping company, proposed to use simple English steam locomotive. After successful testing, it began to be used on a branch between Carbonweil \u200b\u200band Honedale in Pennsylvania. In 1830, on the project of American Peter Cooper, the first locomotive was built in New York, intended for passenger traffic. Over time, he has proven himself as a very reliable car.

In the fifties of the nineteenth century, the so-called underground or underground railway. IN USA This was called representatives of one secret society. It was engaged in promoting the runaway slaves of African origin from the southern states to the north. In this case, the organization has not been associated with transport and transportation. Members of the organization simply used railway terminology that became popular in all American society.

Start of rapid development

It was after the emergence of the first diesel locomotives began to actively develop railways in the USA. In the 19th century The new has already made serious competition to shipping companies. A special impetus to his development was given a few experiments, which proved that the locomotive is able to overcome the distance of about three or four times faster than the steamer.

In 1830 there was a landmark event for American railway transport. Then between the cities of Ohio and Baltimore in Maryland was launched and began to run on an ongoing basis the first passenger train. Initially, the public was extremely negatively related to the steam locomotives, calling them with devilish machines, but over time, most citizens became more clear that the future was lied by this transport.

If as of 1840 uS Railroad length was 2755 miles, then twenty years later, this indicator stepped over 30 thousand miles. The development of agriculture has also contributed to the construction of new routes. Since farmers worked on the market, they needed transport capable of raising quickly and in large volumes to take harvest.

Construction of a transcontinental railway

In 1861, civil war broke out between the North and South. Despite this, a year after it began, President Abraham Lincoln decided to which it was supposed to be built. It was assumed that the length of the highway would be almost three thousand kilometers. Contractors were at once two companies: Central Pacific (laid the cloth from the West to the East) and Union Pacific Railroad (led construction from East to West). In the center of the route assumed the so-called meeting point. Each of the companies sought the first to finish his site and win this kind of competition, so the work did not always be conducted according to plan. Many officials were assigned the funds allocated for the construction. If there were settlements on the path of the railway, their residents were offered meager sums for land plots. Moreover, for bribes from mayors of some cities (they have been profitable to highlight), companies have repeatedly changed routes.

About 10 thousand workers from China and 4 thousand of Ireland were attracted to the construction. This was done to reduce the cost of work, because Americans did not agree to work for the proposed amount (at best, 1.5 dollars a day). Due to difficult working conditions, many builders died.

As a result, UNION PACIFIC RAILROD managed to lay 1749 kilometers of the canvas, and their opponents - 1,100 kilometers. This further had a beneficial effect on the further development of the "winners", which today became one of the most powerful railway enterprises in the country. When the workers of two contractors met in 1869, a golden nail was scored in the sleeve, symbolizing two oceans.

The effect of the construction of a transcontinental railway

Many skeptics argue that then became the useless and meaningless idea of \u200b\u200bthe president. However, she subsequently played a very significant role for the state, creating a real revolution in the economy of the country and the migration of its inhabitants. In a short period of time, a huge number of Americans wishing to develop agriculture moved to fertile Western lands.

At the end of the nineteenth century, several more branches have appeared connecting two ocean directly. They were better thought out, and during the construction there are fewer disorders. First railway in the USA, laid from the East to is considered to be a dark spot of American history. This is not surprising, because the feat of two companies cannot eclipse the number of dead workers and left without a nod of families.

Development of railways after civil war

Civil war showed how important and efficient is railway transport in the transport of people, food and weapons. It is not surprising that in the future it became priority. The companies operating in the industry before the start of construction work provided subsidies. In particular, the government allocated from 16 to 48 thousand dollars for each mile of the canvas. In addition, the territory of 10 miles in both directions from the way went to the ownership of companies. We can call the fact that, since 1870, 242 thousand square miles of land were distributed over 10 years.

In the period from 1865 to 1916 was carried out in a grand scale. The total length of the paths during this time rose from 35 to 254 thousand miles. Moreover, at the beginning of the twentieth century, both passenger and freight transportation in the country were almost fully carried out by rail.

Lowering railways

During World War I, the railway sphere has passed under the control of the American government. Since that time, the industry gradually began to lose their advanced positions. In 1920, railways were returned to private property. However, at this time their condition deteriorated significantly. In the complex with the development of technical progress and other types of transport, this began to lead to a gradual decrease in the role of the industry for the state economy.

But also to magnify the importance that the industry played is not needed. First, a transport network was created, taking the entire domestic market of the state into a single whole. Secondly, the construction of the canvas contributed to a strong rise in such industries as transport engineering and metallurgy, due to high demand for rails, wagons and locomotives. Whatever it was, if until 1920, the development of railways was called the "golden epoch", then it is safe to say that since this time she ended at least.

Today's condition

Currently, few people travel in the US by rail. This is primarily due to the good development of aviation messages. Yes, and the cost of train tickets and the aircraft often is approximately the same. In this regard, it is not surprising that a large proportion of income of this industry is associated with freight traffic. US railway network It has a length of more than 220 thousand kilometers. They serve all sectors of the country's economy. Rail transportation accounts for about 40% of national cargo turnover.

Companies

All American railway companies are privately owned. In total, they are almost 600. At the same time, the share of the 7 largest of them accounts for more than half of the volume of cargo turnover in the industry. The states are guaranteed the right to independent decision-making regarding tariffs for transportation. At the same time, this process is controlled by the federal body, which is called the Table of Terrestrial Transport. The privatization of American railways is irrelevant. Companies are interested in efficient operation and coordination of absolutely all systems. This is due to high competition with road transport. The fundamental decisions regarding the activities of railway companies take their shareholders. Recently, the total income of these companies averages about 54 billion dollars a year.

Freight transportation

US Railways They can boast a rather developed and effective freight system. Experts believe that the key to its successful work is primarily associated with relative freedom from state regulation.

As already noted above, about 40% of freight traffic in the country provide railway workers. This value is growing over the past fifteen years. At the same time, in this indicator inferior to its main competitor - road transport. In the conditions of the struggle for the client, the company in every way focus on potential customers on their economic and environmental benefits. According to their leaders, in the near future, this will still improve the current indicators.

Classification of trucks

Carriers that serve, according to the classification system currently operating in the country, are divided into the following classes: first-class companies, regional companies, linear local operators and S & T carriers.

There are only seven operators to railway companies. They account for about 67% of cargo turnover, and the average annual income of each exceeds the mark of $ 350 million. Transportation is usually carried out for long distances. Statistical data suggests that 9 out of 10 American railway workers work in these firms.

Regional companies have an average annual income of at least 40 million dollars. They usually carry out transportation to a distance from 350 to 650 miles (within several states). According to the latest data, 33 such enterprises operate in the country, and the number of personnel of each of them varies within 500 employees.

Local operators perform transportation to a distance of up to 350 miles and annually receive income to 40 million dollars. The state has 323 firms of this class, which are usually transported by cargo by the territory of one state.

S & T companies are not so much shipping, how many are engaged in transshipment and sorting. In addition, they specialize in delivery within a certain area on request of a carrier. According to the latest data, in the country there are 196 such companies earning several tens of millions of dollars each year.

Passenger Transportation

Railway passenger transport does not use very popular in the United States. The fact is that distances between cities are usually very large, and not every person is able to sit in the chair, despite its comfort. It is much faster to travel by plane, the price of a ticket for which is not so much higher than the cost of a trip by train.

In the United States, two types of near-hymagnetary and long-distance followed (night) are distinguished. In the first of them, sedentary cars are used. They run solely during the day. In the second type, there is both sleeping and seats while passengers are located on the top tier, and the lower is designed to transport baggage. Night trains serve mainly the western part of the country.

In addition, suburban transportation is also provided for the service of passengers. Trains that provide them belong to local operators who independently form the tariff system.

Completion

US Railways At one time played a revolutionary role in the country's economy. Their appearance contributed to a number of positive changes, as well as the development of many industries and agriculture. The evolution of American railway transport before the beginning of the First World War even entered the story as the "golden age" of railways. Anyway, the development of technical progress in the complex with the presence of alternative modes of transport led to a gradual decrease in the role of the industry.