Show Tra Trains Ils Must l a Modernize l of The Seaboard Coast Line recently requested permission 9 to eliminate passenger trains running between Jacks Jacksonville Florida and Washington DC D.C. The line said operations had 7 proved unprofitable especially especial especial- ly since mail contracts had been terminated THE ACTION of is not I new it is in fact a continuation continuation continuation contin contin- of a trend all over the country in recent years The Great Depression stopped stopped stop stop- ped pod innovation and financial outlay for better trains in the thirties and the war added another five or six years to the halt At the end of the war the railroads their equipment badly run down from war-time war emergency use tried to compete with the same service in a changed world OTHER TRANSPORTATION fields saw rapid progress New automobiles better roads new buses the airline all increased i competition Had the railroad had billions to invest in new new- type trains they could have kept abreast of the times Had they offered trains averaging a hundred miles an hour with movies good restaurants telephones telephones telephones tele tele- phones and other comforts they could have retained enough passenger business to stay ali alive ve They didn't modernize and finally even trucks could do better carrying the mail this need not have been true So today the railroads are taking passenger trains out of ice With the country's highways highways high high- f ways becoming congested we will soon need passenger trains again and desperately |