Conrail

The U. S. Congress legislated Conrail into existence on April 1, 1976. The goal of that legislation was to replace six failed railroads with one viable railroad to service the freight transportation needs of the Northeastern United States. This book is my firsthand account of the challenges faced by “everyday” employees during those early, critical, years of Conrail’s existence. I worked for Conrail between 1976 and 1984 in the operating department under the leadership of Dick Hasselman, Vice-President of Operations and Don Swanson, Vice-President of Transportation. During my eight years at Conrail, I was assigned various positions at Selkirk NY, New Haven CT, Detroit, MI, Harrisburg, PA and Indianapolis, IN. For those who like to dig into the “gritty” details of Conrail’s management structure, its train and yard operations, and its physical plant, I have done my best to accurately report those details for each location I was assigned to. But my main goal in writing this book is to provide anecdotal stories about the challenges faced by the men and women of all ranks throughout Conrail. I am hoping these stories are both informative and entertaining for those who have wondered about the trials and tribulations of the people on the front line who helped transform six bankrupt railroads into a top-notch Class I railroad.