No, actually they complemented each other, Buffalo was a major transshiping point where they switched from RR to Boat, or Boat to RR. Then Ike built the Interstates, and St Lawrence Seaway. Although I still think switching to diesel hurt the RR's more than anything else (a major portion of their revenue being hauling coal for the RR's).
The other major hit for US industry was us paying to rebuild Japan's and Germany's industrial plants while letting our own fall apart after WWII. Moving jobs offshore also helped as not only did we reduce our own industrial base we also lowered the number of Americans who could afford to buy stuff.
The American way, take something that works perfectly well and tinker with it until it does not work anymore. Then say, "Yhe hell with it", and walk away.
(Yawn!)
graywolf http://www.graywolfphoto.com "Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof" -----------------------------------
Alan P. Hayes wrote:
And you're right they always did say that the railroads killed the lake shipping. I think Buffaslo must have been already dying when i got there 35 years ago.
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