MAINLINE U.S.A.

[Music] oh la [Music] the [Music] this is the American scene a vast Panorama of changing patterns fashioned by the skill and toil of planting and harvesting the strength and power that dug riches out of the Earth the faith and courage that built huge Mills and factories the vision and initiative that built our railroads setting the tempo the strong throbbing Rhythm that is the pulse of a mighty nation today forged out of a Heritage of work and struggle America is the living symbol of the miracle of modern production behind that Miracle is a story a distinguished and continuing chapter in the annals of American progress and prosperity the story of the American [Music] railroad here was our country only a little more than 150 years to go vast in territory rich in natural resources a land where opportunity waited only for men to come and grasp it but in all its Myriad forms opportunity lay fallow lacking was the one basic vitalizing Factor adequate Transportation economic progress has always been geared to the development of efficient Transportation what good vast territories If people could not reach them what value fertile farmlands if crops could not be delivered to important markets how could industry take root and expand without Dependable lowcost means of transporting raw materials to factories and finished products to Consumer markets in its first 50 years as an independent nation America had no adequate answers to these questions and its vast potential in agricult ulture Commerce and industry was still in the future and then a little more than a century and a quarter ago came the impetus the railroad providing the spark to light the torch of development and progress here at last was the dynamic force needed to transform a young and sprawling country into a great and powerful Nation the history of America and the history of trans ation by rail became integral Parts one of the other each drawing strength and stature from the other railroads meant people people meant Farm settlement and then great cities and [Music] industries time and distance once the barriers to economic progress were conquered by the flanged wheel on the steel rail binding the country into one strong rich unshatter unit the vital function of railroads is to move anything anywhere anytime to Mills markets and ports swiftly and safely at low cost giving the nation's products meaning and value for both producer and consumer railroads are the common denominator of American industry agriculture mining manufacturer each in its own right a great and vital industry but each dependent on another basic industry transportation by rail the food we eat the clothes we wear the fuel we burn the cars we drive all depend at some stage of their production upon railroad service golden grains from The Plains of the north and west on every grocery shelf on every table fruits and vegetables from the Pacific coast and the far south delivered by railroads to arrive at destinations fresh as the day they were picked Cole from Pennsylvania from Kentucky from the Virginia Illinois and a score of other states transported to thousands of factories and millions of homes all over the land Copper from the mines of Montana Arizona and Utah iron from the mines of Alabama and the great ranges at the head of Lake Superior lumber from the Northwest and the Deep [Music] South meat from The Plains of the West cotton from Dixie oil from the midc continent and the West Coast the products of thousands of Mills and factories moving in the mainstream of American life and Industry moving at low cost moving by railroad Keystone in the design of American Business and prosperity but America is more than wheat and coal and Iron and Steel America is people a dynamic people always on the Move forever reaching out for new things to do new places to go new things to see every day of every season of the year every night of every day people planning packing arriving and departing enjoying the conveniences and Comforts of the most modern design in streamline trains accommodations which have been planned and provided to ensure the greatest in travel pleasure for a traveling America all set to The Familiar clicking of Wheels music set to the rhythmic tempo of America on the [Music] moon to accommodate the nation's Travelers the American railroads are constantly at work building finer faster more modern trains the last word in streamline comfort and spaciousness today's passengers travel in cars which have been designed built and decorated to provide travel Comfort combining service and dependability with safety speed and economy today's trains are faster trains smoother riding trains more comfortable trains these the nation's railroads offer to the traveling public for visits to families for business trips for Holiday trips to the nation's great and widespread vacation land [Music] transporting people and products and doing it with unparalleled economy and fuel materials and Manpower is the chief job of the railroads of America but the rail industry's importance to the National econom e omy extends far beyond this primary function as a buyer of goods and services from other [Music] Industries with a shopping list that touches practically every conceivable phase of American Commercial activity the railroad industry is one of the country's best customers railroads spend two billion dollar a year for the products of American industry railroad needs range from toothpicks to cross ties from paper clips to Steel rails from sheets and pillowcases to powerful locomotives railroads buy large quantities of coal fuel oil for an endless variety of railroad uses and lumber for building and maintenance purposes railroads buy Iron and Steel to be converted into tracks and bridges cars and local oting and countless other facilities and Equipment railroads use in serving the nation railroads buy the Myriad products of the nation's farms for the millions of meals served in their dining carts they use everything in such quantities as to stagger the imagination and their purchases translated in terms of dollars and cents helped to enrich every facet of the nation's economy [Music] an essential factor in this expanding economy railroads are constantly seeking and finding better means to improve the flow of Commerce to move passengers and goods with more safety speed comfort and economy an example of the forward progress of America's railroads is welded rails conventional 39- ft lengths are welded together to form continuous rails eliminating joints to provide a smoother ride and greater economies in [Music] maintenance and beneath the rail giving it firmer longer lasting support is improved Road bed mechanical tools are taking the burden from the shoulders of the track gang Saving Time energy and cost doing more work better machines remove ties and machines place them in one operation machines line the track machines Drive the spikes machines spread Bast evenly in proper quantity tie tampers poke at the balance hammering support to firm the foundation for ties and track machines with mechanical hands scooping Ballance for cleaning and reuse all products of research in modern railroading to expedite the handling of goods Freight yards have become marvels of science an electronic Revolution is sweeping the classification yard transforming it into an almost automatic operation bringing greater efficiency in the dispatch of cars and Brea in push button yards electronics and electricity radio and radar teletype and television work together in a vast web of communications and control to facilitate the flow of freight cars are shoved to the top of an elevation or hump here the cars are uncoupled one or two at a time to Coast downhill by gravity but always under control of an operator in the yard Tower at his fingertips is the nerve center of this Modern Marvel an electronic machine which at once weighs the rolling car measures its speed calculates how far it must roll before it couples up to a new train and then applies the right pressure against the car wheels to ensure that it will roll into the proper place at the safe coupling speed another example of technology in transportation of Science in railroading the use of electronics extends beyond the limits of the classification yard this is centralized traffic control for directing and regulating the movements of trains over long stretches of track controlled by a single operator sometimes 100 or more miles away on a central control panel flashing lights indicate the position of trains on the road the operator flips a lever and along the line signals are set and switches thrown a train moves onto a siding to await the passing of another [Music] train then out onto the main track again and on its way thus one track is made to do almost the work of two reducing costly delays and maintenance of we another outstanding example of progress in modern railroading is Protective Service provided by the railroads for the handling of perishables keeping such things as fruits and vegetables fresh and fit to eat 2 and 3,000 m in [Music] transit today perishable freight trains operate on schedules and at speeds once considered Possible only for passenger traffic trains of refrigerator cars are reic sometimes several times on Route by modern methods which minimize operational stops [Music] and again the parishables are on their way to arrive at destinations fresh as the day they were picked here is an example of progress in the handling of freight piggyback a fast moving development that is helping to relieve congestion on inter city highways moving truck trailers on Railroad Flat cars between terminals providing door-to-door service for shippers and receivers not located on Railroad [Music] trackage these are but a few of the developments by which America's railroads keep Pace with progress constantly giving better performance and improved service at less cost so that you can have the things you need when you need them on time in good condition and without delay the railroads of America were created by the investment of more than 30 billions of dollars almost all of it the invested Savings of American people the money of millions of individuals put into the stocks and bonds of the nation's railroad either directly or through the Investments of Savings Banks insurance companies and other institutions which are the trustees of American Savings these savings have been utilized to acquire the cars and engin to build shops and stations to provide the railway the tracks Bridges and signals The Yards terminals docks and all the other Essentials of railroad operations among the agencies performing general transportation services the railroads are unique in that they provide all their own facilities not only the vehicles in which they move the nation's Commerce but also the roadways over which this Commerce moves ra roads not only build and maintain these ways at their own expense they also pay taxes on them as well as on their cars locomotives and other facilities most of the so-called taxes paid by other forms of commercial transportation are spent on the roadways and other facilities provided and maintained for their use but railroad taxes are not used to furnish roadways and stations for railroad use they go to help support the Armed Forces the public health and safety the general Services of the government even to help build and maintain the highways the waterways the Airways and the airports used by competitive forms of commercial [Music] [Applause] transportation so there you have the American railroad created by the individual efforts the pooled and invested Savings of the American people with justifiable pride in accomplishments of the past accomplishments in peace no less than in war the American railroads face forward to the future they are ever at work on the job of self-improvement in Research Laboratories on tracks in shops in yards and terminals from all the testing and trying and practical working experience come better things better tracks better cars and locomotives better service Freight and passengers provided only that the railroads have the opportunity to earn the money necessary to make these better things come true the American people their industry their prosperity their very existence as a nation depend in large measure on the effective Services made possible by the flanged wheel on the steel rail there is nothing in existence or in sight which can replace the railroad in performing The Essential transportation services upon which the the very Life Of The Nation depends with Abiding Faith in the fundamentals of democracy the railroads will continue to serve the nation and its people along the proven Pathway to continued progress and ever greater prosperity [Music]