Association of American Railroads "Railroad Regulation: An Absurd Game" Slide Transparencies
and Sound Recording, 1976- 1980
Collection Number: 5188 AV
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
Association of American Railroads "Railroad Regulation: An Absurd Game" Slide Transparencies
and Sound Recording, 1976- 1980
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5188 AV
Abstract:
This collection consists of a slide presentation and an accompanying sound recording
produced by the Association of American Railroads titled: "Railroad Regulation: An
Absurd Game."
Creator:
Association of American Railroads (AAR)
Quanitities:
0.44 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English
The Association of American Railroads is an industry trade group representing the
major railroads of North America. It was founded in 1934 after the American Railway
Association merged with other industry trade groups in order to better represent and
lobby for the interests of its member organizations.
Inclusive date range: 1976-1980
Bulk date: circa 1977-1979
This collection consists of an audio cassette and eighty 35mm color slides. They
are designed to be presented together, with the audio from the cassette tape providing
explanation and narration for the slides, which the presenter advances at the prompting
of the cassette tape. They were produced to support the deregulation of the railroad
industry with the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976, often
called the "4R Act," and the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, during the tenure of the Association
of American Railroads' president William H. Dempsey (1977-1991) .
The slides depict a hypothetical board game, somewhat reminiscent of Monopoly, in
which a locomotive, a semi-truck, and a container ship travel around the board. However,
the three forms of shipping and transport are subject to different regulations from
the Interstate Commerce Commission [ICC] and as such have different success rates,
profit margins, and impact on the American economy. In addition to visually representing
the ways in which railroad regulation was strangling the railroad industry, the slides
also emphasize the other side effects, such as increased pollution created by more
trucks driving on the highways, the loss of jobs, and the impact on the broader manufacturing
sector as the railroad industry continued to flounder.
In addition to the slides depicting the imaginary game, there are five slides that
have photographs of actual rail operations including a photograph of an Erie Lackawanna
locomotive, Santa Fe rolling stock, Santa Fe Rail Yards, and Canadian National Railway
rolling stock. Additionally, there is one photograph of a semi-truck driving over
a bridge.
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference
archivist for access to these materials.
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and
Procedures for Document Use.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
Association of American Railroads "Railroad Regulation: An Absurd Game" Slide Transparencies
and Sound Recording #5188 AV. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and
Archives, Cornell University Library.
Names:
Dempsey, William H. (President, AAR)
Association of American Railroads
Subjects:
Railroads -- United States -- Freight -- Rates.
Railroads and state -- United States.
United States. Staggers Rail Act of 1980.
Railroad law -- United States.
United States. Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976.
Railroads -- Deregulation -- United States.
CONTAINER LIST
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | 1 |
Slides (20)
|
1976-1980 |
Scope and Contents
Circa 1977-1979
|
|||
Box 1 | 2 |
Slides (20)
|
1976-1980 |
Scope and Contents
Circa 1977-1979
|
|||
Box 1 | 3 |
Slides (20)
|
1976-1980 |
Scope and Contents
Circa 1977-1979
|
|||
Box 1 | 4 |
slides (20)
|
1976-1980 |
Scope and Contents
Circa 1977-1979
|
|||
Box 2 |
Railroad Regulation: an absurd game / Association of American Railroads
|
1976-1980 | |
Scope and Contents
Circa 1977-1979
|