Trolleys,Cable Cars,and Light Rail....

[catnhatnh]

...may be the wave of the future as we switch from a fossil fuel,personal vehicle mode to one utilizing more public transportation.But I wonder how many here at DU know that GM (general motors) played a large and illegal role in the demise of trolleys which were once the norm for any city with a population of over 20K....So beside bringing you the Cadillac Escalades and poor milage,GM engaged in destroying an infrastructure that could have helped save the country...
www.culturechange.org/issue10/taken-for-a-ride.htm
Edit:added link

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. The Big Three have been in collusion with the oil companies for

decades. No surprise there.

[benburch]

2. AMEN. nt

[dysfunctional press]

3. thanks for that... and FUCK GM...sideways.

i hope kharma gives gm exactly what it deserves...and it looks like that may be just what happens.

kewl with me.

[catnhatnh]

5. I was born in '53....

in southern Connecticut...even the small suburb I had lived in (population of less than 3500) had had a trolley line since we were on the ocean...as a child, I would go to the old right of way and pick up track spikes as souvenirs.Imagine how shocked I was to find out later that this "ancient history" was less than 25 years old when I found these "artifacts"...and that both my mom and dad had ridden those rails to the trolley barn less than 500 ft from my childhood home so they could swim in Long Island Sound!!! When we lost the trolleys, it was a major disaster...but I expect they will be back..

[Coastie for Truth]

4. GM and the environment

1. GM versus Light Rail, Trolleys, and Cable Cars Shortly after WW2 GM began a campaign to pull up the exiting trolley, cable car, and light rail/interurban rail tracks. At one point GM campaigned to replace San Francisco's famed cable cars with diesel buses. A massive civic campaign put an end to that. This is the subject of a display at San Francisco's .

In Pittsburgh PA, the detractors of light rail even argued against upgrading the system because upgrading would make it easier for "undesirables" to commit crimes in upscale neighborhoods (this was 1969).

2. GM versus Hybrids and Electric Vehicles In the 1980's GM began a pattern of "frivolous law suits" against electric vehicle and hybrid electric vehicle innovators. Their first case was GM v. Sumitomo where they tried to tie up the magnet technology. They lost their invalid patent in an interference, Koon v. Croat.

Next they tried a serious of frivolous law suits against the metal hydride battery manufacturers - where instead of keeping NiMH batteries off of the market they were able to obtain entry to the market at a fire sale price.

Their whole attack was one of frivolous law suits with secret settlements, strategic law suits against public policy, and "Swift Boating" those who opposed them.

I have not owned a GM car since those frivolous law suits and concomitant "swift boating."

[catnhatnh]

6. Great Post....

...And you have a train set,right??? Or just hate GM???

[Coastie for Truth]

7. I was "involved" in the GM Electric Vehicle fiasco. NT

[catnhatnh]

8. OH SHIT....

I think I saw your post-something about the GEM, no? A few months back-a fairly decent straight battery electric being wiped off the board by GM? I thought you might have been a rail fan but if I remember correctly you were hoping those commuter cars could be saved.

[Coastie for Truth]

9. We live in a "Light Rail" Transit Village

where "everything" (except the super market) is in the village. We have an ancient Corolla and a Prius - but only put a total of 8000 miles a year on them. The ideal demographics for a pure electric or a "plug in hybrid."

We are "dual income empty nesters" as distinguished from "dual income no kids" - the target market for pure electrics and econo cars and Scion Xb's and auto trannie Mini-Coopers.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

10. Thank you for posting this link about "street cars".

It's too late and I've had a few cocktails tonight, but I do remember my parents talking about the street cars here in Chicago and I also remember riding down "bumpy" streets on the south/southwest side of the city in the 60's and being told the reason the street was "bumpy" was because the street car tracks had been paved over...only to be replaced by the wonderful Chicago Transit Authority.

BTW, both my parents hated the CTA...Totally inconvenient in their minds..