NATS 1840 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Technological Determinism
9 Nov 2017
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Nats 1840 lecture 18 - transportation networks. Trains and long distance transportation in 19th century, boats, horses. Early 20th century, cars, trucks and airplane infrastructure. 1920, trains: 2. 5 billion tons of freight and 1. 2 billion passengers in the us. Between 1920 and 1940 1. 7 billion investment into inland waterways, a million miles of roads. 1929 - 26. 7 million registered motor vehicles in the us. Federal government contributions to air infrastructure and air mail transportation. 1929: 81% of intercity passenger travel was done in cars. Lower transportation costs brought about by good quality roads and improvements to the truck and the car. Regulatory benefits directed towards alternatives to rail, concerns over railway corruption and inefficiency. 1920"s transportation coordination suggested, powerful business interests resisted. By 1860 freight transportation by inland waterways displaced to railways, waterway improvements continued. Wwi airplane success, attempts to create commercial airlines.
