Naperville train disaster and U.S. train speeds

[Blutorse4792]

In 1946, a bad accident at Naperville, Illinois (in which an 85mph CB&Q train rear-ended a stopped CB&Q train) led the U.S. government to cap passenger train speeds at 79mph, unless the equipment had cab signals installed (which they had to pay for themselves). This effectively led to a two-decade hiatus of any innovation in train speed, until the U.S. government began researching high-speed rail in 1965 (by which point, American passenger rail was essentially in its death throes). Prior to this, speeds of 90-100mph were common on passenger trains in the midwest, and remained so, in some cases, until Amtrak assumed their services in 1971.

While the passenger train was more-or-less doomed with the rise of the automobile, if the Naperville accident hadn't happened, and the speeds had never been limited by federal law, how would high-speed rail have developed differently in the United States? Do you think we would've seen any more innovation during those 20 years, as the railroads tried desperately to compete with highways and early air travel?

 

[JCitron]

Interesting thoughts and questions.

I doubt this would have made any difference because by then the automobile and the Interstate highway system, which was funded by the railroads, along with the freely funded airline industry, had made big inroads on the railroad business including passengers.

I'd say the only real high speed railroad success story is the Northeast Corridor, but this came along too little and too late to have the impact we'd want.

John

 

[cascaderailroad]

I was wondering at what speeds these freight trains are traveling today on the CSX Trenton NJ - Baltimore MD mainline through Chester PA ... they look like they are doing 80 mph !

 

[JCitron]

I was wondering at what speeds these freight trains are traveling today on the CSX Trenton NJ - Baltimore MD mainline through Chester PA ... they look like they are doing 80 mph !

That's probably about right. Maybe 50-60 in other places.

We're lucky if we see 40 mph on the MBTA-owned commuter district and 20-30 mph outside that on the rest of Pan Am Railways. The old Fitchburg RR line to North Adams was once a 60 mph and fast freight line.

John

 

[MeowRailroad]

Yesterday or a few days ago, I saw a septa train with Out of service boards and it was going faster than usual, 2 silverliner 4's, I hope it wasn't going to a scrap train! I posted this here because it was a fast train.