Association of American Railroads "Railroad Regulation: An Absurd Game" Slide Transparencies and Sound Recording
Collection Number: 5188 AV
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
This collection was processed with the help of generous funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).Title:
Association of American Railroads
"Railroad Regulation: An Absurd Game" Slide Transparencies and Sound Recording,
1976- 1980
Collection Number:
5188 AV
Creator:
Association of American Railroads
(AAR)
Quantity:
0.4 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Audiovisual materials.
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and
Archives, Cornell University Library
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."
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.
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.
Form and Genre Terms:
Audiovisual materials
Access Restrictions:
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a
reference archivist for access to these materials.
Restrictions on Use:
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet
and Procedures for Document Use.
Cite As:
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.
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Container
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Description
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Date
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| Box 1 | Item 1 | 1976-1980 | |
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Circa 1977-1979
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| Box 1 | Item 2 | 1976-1980 | |
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Circa 1977-1979
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|||
| Box 1 | Item 3 | 1976-1980 | |
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Circa 1977-1979
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| Box 1 | Item 4 | 1976-1980 | |
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Circa 1977-1979
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| Box 2 | 1976-1980 | ||
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Circa 1977-1979
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