Road ~ vs. ~ Rail?

KCS

Member
I'm stumped. There are two thing's I can think of right now but a few that don't make sense. One happen's to be couplers. Why is there a hole straight through the knuckle and what are those four hole's on the side for? Another thing, if it's trains vs. trucks then why do trucks haul truck side frame's, wheel's, coupler's, rail and other thing's while the railroad use's trucks for MOW and even hauls them? There's a catch 22 here that I don't get.
 

railohio

Active Member
KCS said:
Another thing, if it's trains vs. trucks then why do trucks haul truck side frame's, wheel's, coupler's, rail and other thing's while the railroad use's trucks for MOW and even hauls them? There's a catch 22 here that I don't get.

Because it's the most efficient way to do things. Why do railroads contract out maintenence and derailment services when they used to keep thousands of men and "big-hooks" around for such activity? It's more efficient. Why did railroads retire steam engines when they were some of the largest domestic consumers of the very coal they hauled? You guessed it, it's more efficient. Railroads exist to provide transportation and make money. If they can save money and thusly pockey more why shouldn't they?
 
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