Posted 5/13/2024 23:03 (#10739152 - in reply to #10739006) Subject: RE: GM, Bolt EUV and Tesla EVs
Townsend, Montana
Ed Boysun - 5/13/2024 20:30
I think you are mixed up a little bit on the Milwaukee Line. The "Little Joe" engines were basically paid for by the feds and practically given to the Milwaukee after the state department cancelled the deal to supply the engines to Josef Stalin. I knew folks that worked for the Milwaukee and they told me that the line was abandoned because the overhead conductors were worn out and copper was too expensive to replace them. And the whole line was not converted to diesel/electric. Huge parts of it had the rails torn out and it sits abandoned today.
That's the way I understand it. They got the brand new electric locos for basically scrap price. Used them for awhile and then abandoned them because it didn't pencil to rebuild/replace them. Diesel electric made more financial sense.
It seems to me that the automobile industry is seeing the EXACT same thing take place. It all works as long as the government subsidizes it.
The entire Milwaukee through MT and ID was switched to diesel electrics at least 10 years before they closed down. I would have to do some digging for exact dates.