UP-SP was worse because it actually happened and ruined every potential merger for over 20 years.

I don't know what criteria you're using to arrive at this conclusion, but I would argue that the Penn Central debacle wipes the floor with the ol Shouldn't Paint So Fast.

>>5692
Good point... How the hell was UP-SP approved? I know the trackage rights were as conflicting as SPSF, but still.

>>5693
By failure, I'm talking in the sense of a grand scheme, plan laid out, and then it just goes to pot. Either the merger fails, or the company fails. Penn Central is a good example, but don't they predate SPSF?

>>5694

The first piece of your question asks if SPSF is/was the greatest failure of all, and to that I say no, PC was definitely worse.

>>5697
In defense of PC, from what I understand management was purposely trying to kill the company, and as soon as the govt got involved through Conrail, it began immediately turning around.

A fresh thread? in MY 1chan??

>>5705

In terms of failure, it depends on how you define it. Failed merger or railroad that just went belly-up, because I come to argue that the Milwaukee Road's shenanigans are a pretty big failure. I recommend the book The Nation Pays Again by Thomas Ploss.

>failed SP-SF merger
the pre-merger holding company stripped the SP quite effectively of everything but the railroad operating assets

>>5707
Making them effectively, a railroad!

>>5729
Or more effectively a pre-merger partner for UP.