On the Eve of Great Change

 March 31, 1976, was a foggy day full of drizzle.  Spring was slow to come that year and it was a gloomy few days as April approached.  This was to be no normal March-to-April change, though, not for railroading in the northeastern United States of America.  

Fifty years ago, railroaders and their families went to bed knowing that it was hard to tell what was coming in the morning.  Like the foggy sky, the future was unclear and hard to see.  The largest change in the history of railroading in that region was about to become reality for them.  April 1 would be the start of Conrail's operations, bringing federal help and a bold new goal into sharp focus.  

Bob Camp, Detroit, Mort Walton photo

As amateur historians, many of us who love railroading reflect on the past to find some solace in the present.  Change is more constant than may wish it to be, and having an understanding of the past helps us to build a present and future that incorporates the better changes as we can manage it.  But there is no way to tell how it is going to turn out.  There is no crystal ball, really, no guarantee it will work better than it does today.  We have to credit the fallen flags, the companies that tried their best to survive an era that had turned against them.  They were forced to give up.  And when that happens, it feels like maybe we should give up, too.  

But like Conrail, we have to try.  It is an obligation of every person to try.  In order to push our families and our community forward, we must take action.  Gloom and the fog in the future is no reason to sit and wait.  To create a better today and tomorrow, you cannot wait for life to come to you.  Action, accountability, compassion, and perseverance are indispensable for improving our future.

And so, let's be like Conrail was, on Conrail's 50th birthday.  Let's take a chance, even if on a wild idea, to make things better.  Maybe tomorrow we can do it again!  

A Year of Milestones

2026 is shaping up to be a year with a lot of commemorative anniversaries - milestones, if you will, marking progress along a journey.  Like the railroad mileposts today, milestones back in the early days of canals and turnpikes helped travelers keep track of progress, and to know where they were along the route.  The markers also helped them to realize how far they had come, and perhaps how much further they would need to go.  

There is more to unpack on that topic.  Future posts this year will no doubt delve further into those discussions.  Today however I wanted to share a surprise honoring one of the important anniversaries this year:  the 50th anniversary of the creation of Conrail, the prototype railroad for the Onondaga Cutoff.  

The surprise is that one of my articles made the cover of Model Railroader magazine with my piece honoring Conrail's anniversary!

Conrail was created by the US government in 1976 in an effort to save the industry.   Railroads were going bankrupt at an alarming rate and change was needed.  And the changes worked, despite hardships.  The hard work and sacrifices by managers and labor brought the railroad back.  We've discussed it here before, and it remains a compelling story.  50 years later, there is a lot to consider.

Cover shots, meanwhile, are kept as a surprise each month for the lucky photographer whose work is chosen by the editorial staff to grace the cover.  It is fulfillment of a boyhood dream - really a lifelong dream - to have this experience.  And now to have it happen in honor of the birthday of the railroad we model on the OC?  This one is a new high that connects more than one world for me.  I am so grateful for what the OC has become, thanks to a group of railroaders and modelers that have put uncounted hours into planning, operating, and maintaining the railroad.  In a year of milestones, this is a big one for us.  

It's only February, but this sure is an exciting way for momentum to build into 2026.  More milestones to come.  We are honored to start with this one!