Steel Away - Hauling Off American Steel

Today, just below the Ilchester tunnel on the CSX / B&O Old Main Line, this maintenance vehicle is rolling on newly laid Nippon Steel rails and hauling off old US Steel rails, which were laid in 1958. They were working in the tunnel today. Otherwise it was a beautiful day for hiking with a friend and one of my brothers.

US Steel - What Happened?

Recently I have spent a lot of time walking the rails of the CSX / B & 0 RR Old Main Line, have posted many photos of the tracks. You may have noticed that there are unsecured rails laying next to the tracks and between dual tracks. A major rail maintenance project is in the works. The new rails and plates are being laid out all along the line in preparation for swapping out the old rails for new. In the past week I looked closely at the old and new rails. The old rails were manufactured by US Steel in Illinois in 1957. Assuming they were placed on the tracks in 1958, they have carried trains for 55 years! The new replacement rails, set to be placed in 2013 were made in 2012 in Japan. I aked myself: How is it possible for Japan, which has so few natural resources that prior to WW II  it was importing scrap metal from the US for their war efforts, can produce steel rails and transport, them across the Pacific ocean, then over or around North American to Baltimore cheaper than a US steel manufacturer can make them and deliver them here in the USA? What has happened to our country? And why?

The Sphinx of Ilchester