My granddad retired from that very same Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad locomotive works in Grove City, Pa. Steve. Many of my friends and their fathers, grand fathers worked for that shop. I too think they would be most impressed with the advancement of modern railroad technology. However I saw my own grandparents saddened at the disappearance of America's regional rail systems.

Seamless rail and concrete ties are a great safety improvement over the past technology. The replacement of creosote soaked wooden ties is much more environmentally friendly too. The modern technology not only is more cost effective but it is necessary for today's higher speeds.

Here are some B&LE sites you may like:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ble/ble.html

http://www.bessemerjunction.com/

http://members3.boardhost.com/Bessemer/

http://users.zoominternet.net/~jamieo/B&LE_Page.html

Without the hard working men and women of the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad the steel mills of Allegheny County would not have been able to supply the arsenal of democracy in the fight against the Nazis and Japanese during World War II. As the poet said, "For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail".