Derailed and Rerailed: A story of American Railroading, during the Cold War and Onward.

[Virginia Liberal]

Derailed and Rerailed: An Alternate History of American Railroads The Cold War and onwards.
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For the United States this would take the form of the Federal Highway Transportation Act of 1949 which established the creation of a new interstate highway system, that would be controlled by the Interstate Commerce Commission's new Highway Transportation Board. This system would be funded by the federal government and sustained by tolls placed on the usage of these highways. This system of maintaining the new Federal Highways was favored by the military because it was felt that it would keep civilian traffic on these new roads to a minimum, and would thus prevent major pile up of personal traffic in the event of a national emergency. This would also have a major role to play five years later when in 1954 Senator Nigel Gambit of Pennsylvania (1) began pushing his Fairplay amendment to the Interstate Commerce Commission through the Senate transportation committee.

Senator Gambit created his amendment in response to several factors. The biggest was the Pan American Airlines backed ICC amendment that would seek to further the advance of the Airline Industry at the expense of the Railroad Industry. As they wanted to use the tax revenue gained from taxing the Railroad Industry to pay for and maintain the expansion of the nation’s airports, and aviation support industries. Pan American’s pockets reached deep into the Senate back then and Gambit’s amendment almost didn’t get through the committee. It was not until Secretary of Defense George Patton started Campaigning on Gambits behalf. Patton was famously quoted saying “Airplanes are well and good, they have their place in the future no doubt about it. We couldn’t have won the war without them. However, Railroads are essential to winning any war now and any war tomorrow. No Air plane can move the numbers of men and material that the Railroads can. It was the Railroads who did the Heavy lifting that allowed us to Kick the Japanese’s straight in the nuts. And halt the Russians At the Rhire! If they hadn’t carried the war on their backs then All of Europe except maybe Britain would be speaking Russian today.” Patton’s support along with other active and retired generals and admirals gave the Fairplay Amendment enough steam to make it though not only the Senate transportation committee but also the Senate and House Floor Votes, being signed into law by President Thomas E. Dewey (2) on July 4, 1954. The Gambit amendment would become part of President Dewey’s Great Revitalization of American, which was parallel to his European Reconstruction Project that was aiding those democracies left in Europe.

The Gambit Fairplay Amendment did several major things to aid the struggling Railroad industry. First it relaxed the Federal regulation of the prices that Railroads could charge on both freight and passenger cargo, to allow them to compete with the rise of the Trucking and airline industries. Second it relaxed the Federal regulations on the Merger of Railroads. Once again this was done to allow the Railroads to easier adapt to the changing market place brought on by the rise of the Auto industry and the airline industry. There was one caveat to this however mergers had to be with Railroads that were not in direct competition with each other. Lastly it offered federal loans to any railroad to help cover locomotives, and rolling stock repair and replacement each class one railroad could apply for one loan up to 150,000 dollars that had to be repaired within 30 years. Gambit had argued for more larger loans but he had to concede that point to get the bill out of the committee. The passage of the Gambit would give the railroads the breathing room they needed to rebuild and stay competitive in the new postwar world.

1. Totally fictional
2. Dewey beats Truman in 1948 and wins a second term in 1952

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Hello All This is officially my Second Timeline on this board. Over the years I've seen a hand full of Railroad Timelines come and go some were good some were not. This is my attempt to tell an alternate story of American Railroading and the world around it. Will It be good? Honestly I don't Know but I'm gonna try my best lol.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Seaboard System.

One of the first mergers under this new guidelines was the Virginian and Seaboard Airline Railroad merger of 1955. Coming out of the war years the Virginian, often called the richest little railroad in the world, was a profitable but small railroad that was in fear of a hostile takeover by the C&O or the N&W railroads. The source of the Virginian’s wealth started with it having the lowest grade route between the West Virginia and Virginia coal fields and the Atlantic coast. This along with its management’s pay up front policy had kept the Virginian not only in the black but deep in the black even after the strain and stress that the Second World War had placed on the system. It was its low grade route that had the Norfolk and Western and the Chesseapke and Ohio foaming at the mouth to acquire the Virginian. This was a fate that the Virginian’s management sought to avoid by diversifying the Virginian’s business model so that it was not as dependent on coal traffic which could possibly hiccup following the end of the war.

The Seaboard Air Line was a railroad with a troubled past. It had spent the better part of the twentieth century bouncing from one bankruptcy to another. It had gone into its last bankruptcy in 1933 and had not come out of receivership until last year of the Second World War. However when it came out of its last bankruptcy it emerged with a fully modernized track system and almost a new fleet of locomotive power, rolling stock, and little debt. Puting the SAL in better shape than many of America’s railroads at this point in time. One major thing that happened during that last restructuring was that the Virginian had acquired 55% of the Seaboard Air Line though stock purchases.

Six months after Gambit “Fairplay” Amendment passed that the Virginian and Seaboard filed plans for a merger of the two lines. The merger was presented as a benefit for both railroads. The Virginian would gain control over the Seaboard's vast system stretching from Virginia to Florida and from the Atlantic coast to Alabama. The Seaboard would gain the stability and profitability of the Virginian's coal industry. After a period where the ICC heard objections from both the Norfolk and Western and the Chesapeake and Ohio both railroads were informed that the wording in the Gambit amendment prevented them from acquiring the Virignian as it would upset the regional east west railroad balance in the Virginias. The N&W would shortly find itself being fully acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad who managed to acquire all of the N&W’s stocks following its failure to acquire the Virginian; the Pennsylvanian would absorb the N&W in 1956. While the C&O would begin looking to expand its foothold in the midwest and northeast.

The Virginian, Seaboard Air Line merger would be approved on July 7,1955 with a new holding company the Seaboard Railroad System Incorporated assuming control of both Railroads. Both railroads would continue to operate under their own brands until January 1,1956 when the Seaboard Air Line became the Seaboard System Railroad and began repainting its equipment Virginian Black, Yellow and Gold. The Virginian would be merged into the Seaboard Railroad System on January 1,1957 a year later. The two Companies Headquarters had both been in Norfolk Va and the new Seaboard System Headquarters would see the Virginian Offices moved to the Seaboard Building in Norfolk. The merger itself was well handled thanks in part to the fact that after its last Restructuring the Seaboard Air Line had been modeled on the Virginian Railroad. The New Seaboard System would emerge as a fully integrated system without the territorial infighting that many merged railroads would suffer.

Shout out to @Lucas for these Locos in the Seaboard System Colors

One of the biggest changes brought about by the Virginian Seaboard merge was passenger rail. The Virginian like many other railroads in the United States had been downsizing its passenger service following the end of the Second World War. While the Virginian’s low grade route was great for shipping coal and other goods west to east and east to west it was not as good for passenger rail; because its route though Southside Virginia was more rural bypassing the marjo cities like Petersburg, Lynchburg, and Danville. Leaving the Virginian passenger service with just Norfolk, and Roanoke and less profitable than its N&W competitor. The merger changed this; the Seaboard Air Line was one of the last railroads that was still innovating when it came to passenger rails service. The SAL had focused on not only keeping its current passenger service intact and profitable but looking for new ways to expand passenger rail service. This would be seen after the merger with the creation of the first ever Roanoke to Richmond passenger service.

The new Seaboard System would also partner with the New York Central Railroad to Run its own Norfolk to Columbus Express The Buckeye. The Buckeye would run along the Virginian Mainline to Deepwater West Virginia then switch to NYC tracks for the rest of the trip to Columbus Oh. The Buckeye along with the Hilltopper a Norfolk to Chalreston that also used NYC tracks would revitalize Passenger Service along the former Virginian line west of Roanoke which the Virginian had been phasing out.

At the End of the 1950’s the Seaboard System would reveal its next big idea, the Vacation Train. The concept was novel; America in the late 1950’s were looking for ways to enjoy their hard earned peace. However the average family couldn’t afford to uproot themselves for extended periods of time, there was work for the adults and school for the children so the Seaboard System started a marketing campaign advertising weekend getaways to the mountains of Southwest Virginia and West Virginia. Vacation Trains were not meant to set any speed records; instead they meandered through the countryside as they traveled form the cities deep into the rugged natural beauty that the Seaboard System Lines offered. At first these trains ended at towns where hotels already existed Like Roanoke, Pembrook, Princeton, and Beckley. These trains consisted of specially constructed cars from the Pullman Car company that offered spectacular views with extra large windows, along the sides, and large sunroofs in the dining and club cars so that the passenger felt like they were outside not enclosed in a railcar. Although their overnight destination was in the mountains they would often stop at selected locations in the Virginia Piedmont to allow passengers an hour or so to get off the train and explore a locality. To common stops were Victoria, Virginia, and Altavista, Virginia.

 

[isayyo2]

Oh snap this will be good!!!

@Andrew Boyd: Duke of Dank @TheMann
Pile on in here!

 

[Duke Andrew of Dank]

I love this already.

 

[TheMann]

Great start, curious to see where it goes from here. 🙂

 

[Virginia Liberal]

So This is just as much a teaser as it is letting y'all see what the world looks like in this world. I will post an International breakdown in an Upcoming updates

North America

North America Basically the same if you excluded the Massive Communist Country the Union of Latin American Socialist Republics (ULASR) to the south.

Europe

Asia

 

[Panzerlied]

I wonder what happen to make this a bit more... red.

 

[TheMann]

I wonder what happen to make this a bit more... red.

Yeah I'm wondering that too. How did all of Korea, all of Germany and half of Japan end up under communist rule? And Taiwan stayed as part of Japan?

A Soviet-aligned Mexico is gonna end up being destabilized by the Americans like crazy, and it would force Britain, France, Italy and Spain to build gigantic armed forces to counter what is now right on their doorstep, because with Mexico surely being backed up the Soviets the Americans will be sending everything they have to the Mexican border and to hell with Europe.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

I wonder what happen to make this a bit more... red.

With out going into too much detail till I have that update sorted out. The attacks on 12/7 are dual ocean waylaying the USN even more than OTL. Plus DDay fails the first time around giving the soviets more time to steam roll across Europe.

Yeah I'm wondering that too. How did all of Korea, all of Germany and half of Japan end up under communist rule? And Taiwan stayed as part of Japan?

A Soviet-aligned Mexico is gonna end up being destabilized by the Americans like crazy, and it would force Britain, France, Italy and Spain to build gigantic armed forces to counter what is now right on their doorstep, because with Mexico surely being backed up the Soviets the Americans will be sending everything they have to the Mexican border and to hell with Europe.

Yeah Latin America goes red in the middle of WWII. So the US distracted by Germany and japan puts them on the back burner cause Russia. Time the war is over Russia has managed to sneak support into mexico and the US is stuck with it.

The Southern border will look like today's border between the Koreas

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Second World War was the turning point of western civilization; this seven year conflict fought between 1939 and 1946 would leave western Europe and Asia devastated. The war in Europe would end on October 5,1945 with the last holdout Nazi strong points in France surrendering to the American and British soldiers following their second invasion of France on July 7, 1945. The Western Allies would meet their Soviet counterparts at the banks of the Rhine River. Setting the stage for the division of Europe; The Soviets set up Communist puppet states in Finland, Poland, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Yugoslavia. The Western Allies set up democratic governments in France, the Fourth Republic, Italy, the Restored Kingdom of Italy, and the Republic of Greece. To the east the Japanese would fight on even after the use of two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Leading to the Invasion of Japan on June 4,1946. This tied with a third atomic bomb dropped on Tokyo on September 7,1946 would lead to the unconditional surrender of the Japanese Empire on October 1,1946 ending the Second world war. And starting the Cold War.

For the United States the war had started on September 11,1940 when joint Japanese and German (and a handful of Italian submarines as well) attacks had decimated the United States sinking 2/3rd of the entire US Navy via Naval Air attacks on the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, followed by the Invasion of the islands. While German U Boats targeted the US Atlantic Fleet at Norfolk, Jacksonville, and New York. German Commandos would strike at Railroads, Dams and Power plants up and down the east coast. By the end of the war in 1946 the US was victorious but the American people were exhausted, American factories were worn out from supporting the war effort as was America's infrastructure. The end of the forties and start of the fifties would see America deal with rebuilding not just itself but what was left of Western Europe. America’s answers to these challenges would see new industries take off and see the oldest means of driving the nation's economy given a new lease on life. As the second half of the 20th Century dawned and the world moved into a Cold War, on the American continent the Iron Horse would be reborn to run.

For what remained of Western Europe was the French Fourth Republic, The British Federation of Imperial Nations, the Spanish State, the Kingdom of Italy and the Republic of Greece. Of these France and Greece were unstable in nature both of them had active communist insurgencies going on and were reliant upon aid from the United States of America and the British Federation of Imperial Nations.

Britain

The British Federation of Imperial Nations or Imperial Federation for short was the political union that evolved from the British Empire during the Second World War. Britain had to rely heavily upon every part of its massive empire to survive, the war and defeat Hitler and the Nazi’s. As a result in 1948 just two years after the war the British Parliament Passed the Federation Acts, these laws started the process of transforming the British Empire into the British Federation of Imperial Nations. The Imperial Federation would consist of the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales, and North Ireland (UK for Short), the Dominion of Canada, the Dominion of Australia, the Dominion of New Zealand, the Dominion of Belize, The Union of South Africa, the Kingdom of Egypt, The Imperial Federation of Malaysia, the Caribbean Commonwealth, and the Commonwealth of African Crown Colonies, and the Crown colonies of Jamaica, Bermuda, Newfoundland, Hong Kong, Malta, Gibraltar, Cyprus. Plus others. All Crown Colonies were established as autonomous parts of the empire and given various levels of self rule (generally depending upon their level of development) they extended all rights and privileges that a person in England would have to the peoples of that land. Post War Britain like all of Western Europe has had to maintain a high level of military readiness thanks to the monolithic Red Army based on the eastern side of what Churchill dubbed the “Steel Curtain that has descended along the Rhine.” Though the Eisenhower plan large amounts of British war debt have been written off by the United States; giving them the ability to peace their shattered cities back together, without cutting too much into defense.

France

The Fourth Republic of France, was on paper a democracy however in practice it was a dictatorship run by Charles de Gaulle and the French Military. France was devastated by the Second World War and after the war this didn’t change. The Fourth Republic was established on VE day however it had a long road to go. The Fourth Republic's life was made much harder by the French Commune Government which the Soviet’s established in Alsace-Lorraine when they had occupied it during their conquest of Germany. The French Commune is constantly sending “freedom fighters” into the Fourth Republic stirring up discontent and attacking roads and railroads. Many attribute the Fourth Republic’s continued existence to the numbers of British and American soldiers stationed inside of France. Politically the Fourth Republic is a republic in name only Charles de Gaulle is president for life and the constitution grants him powers to effectively run the country by himself. The National Assembly and the Senate serve only as rubber stamps for his policies, and all judges are appointed by the president. Even more so than the British the French have had to rely upon the Eisenhower plan’s forgiveness of war debt and financial aid for rebuilding in exchange for permanent American bases in France and what remains of her colonies. For France the rebuilding has centered on the defense industry first and foremost, the French Army has been quickly reestablished and equipped with American equipment, the French Air force is also high on the rebuilding list once again done with a mix of American, British and even some German equipment. In the case of the last this takes the form of the 50 He-280’s and 40 Me-262’s, which were stationed in Southern France at the end of the war, were several factories to build the aircraft and their engines had been established in 1942; these factories now form the basis of the French National Aircraft Company.

The Kingdom of Italy.

Following the success of the Allied armies in North Africa defeating both the Italian armies in North Africa and the German Afrika Korps with the final battles taking place in Tunis in December of 1943. The Italians realized that an Invasion of Italy was the next logical choice. To prevent this the Mussolini was forced by a large coalition of opposition including the King to seek peace terms. The Kingdom of Italy would surrender to the Allies on February 28,1944. The Italian army would manage to secure most of the country before the Germans could scrape up troops to take over however they would occupy part of Northern Italy until 1945. Now Occupied by British and American troops Italy would negotiate its way into the western alliance. Still they were forced to hand over parts of their Navy which the Soviets (who were allies still at this point) requested ships to build up their navy. The Soviets would get the battle ships, Conte di Cavour, Giulio Cesare, and Andrea Doria; the unfinished Aircraft Carrier Aquila which would be completed by the Italians under British and American Supervision, several cruisers, destroyers and a majority of Italy’s remaining transports. The Littorio class would be retained by Italy as the core of their navy. After the war Italy would also receive funds from the Eisenhower plan to rebuild its industry and military. Italy would spend large amounts of these funds fortifying the passes through the alps and the border with Yugoslavia. The the Fascist party would lose its majority after the surrender and Mussolini’s forced resignation, however it would still retain a sizable presence in the Italian government. Following the war the Socialist party would return to Italy where it would become a destabilizing factor inside the Italian government when ever it could find a way to do so.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Formosa will probably go to Republican China now that I think about it.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Seaboard System was not the only merger that took place in the 1950’s following the passage of the Gambit Amendment. Two other eastern railroads, the Southern Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad would pull off mergers as the 1950’s drew to a close.

Southern Serves the South

The Southern had long desired a direct link to the Norfolk area. In 1958 it would achieve this when it absorbed its long time subsidiary the Atlantic and Danville. Officially concluding on August 8, 1958 the merger with the A&D gave the Southern its long time coveted access to Norfolk and the Hampton Roads area. As part of the merge the southern created the Tidewater a passenger service between Norfolk and Danville from where passengers could connect with other Southern Passenger trains for travel across the Southern’s vast system. The 1950’s would also see the Southsider brought into service with the Southern’s passenger service. The Southsider was a daily run from Southern’s Hull Street Station in South Richmond (Manchester) to Danville, this would restore Southern Passenger service to the state capital for the first time since 1915 this was done as a requirement by the state of Virginia as part of the Atlantic and Danville merge in order to restore passenger service to Southside Virginia.

As the 1960’s began the American South was dominated by four railroads, the Southern Railway, the Atlantic Coast Line, the Seaboard System and Louisville and Nashville. All four railroads were looking for ways that would allow them to secure a dominance over the others.

A second thing to come from the Southern’s acquisition of the Atlantic and Danville was the creation of the earliest Short line in the modern era. On October 7, 1959 just two days after the Southern announced that it would seek permission from the ICC to abandon the trackage along what was called the Richmond and Mecklenburg line that ran from Keysville Virginia to Durham North Carolina. The part of the line that the Southern wanted to get rid of was the stretch of track from Chase City to Clarksville that had had tobe have a large bridge built over the new Kerr Dam Lake next to Clarksville. A group of businessmen from Charlotte and Mecklenburg Counties offered to buy the line from Keysville to Clarksville and create the Mecklenburg Branch Railroad. After much wrangling between the Mecklenburg Branch Railroad company, the Southern Railroad and the ICC the sale was approved. On August 1,1960 the Mecklenburg Branch line assumed control of the line between Keysville Va and Clarksville, Va. For the first year the line would borrow Southern power. However on July 4, 1961 the Mecklinburg Branch would receive two brand new RS-1 locomotives painted in a bright Gold and Blue paint scheme. In addition to working local jobs the Mecklinburg Branch would run a single passenger coach from Keysville to Clarksville once in the morning and once in the evening.

The Pennsylvania Railroad "The Standard Railroad of the World"

The Post War years had not been kind to the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Monolithic eastern Railroad was used hard and put away wet during the Second World War. After the war ended the PRR’s locomotives were worn out and in need of replacement, its rolling stock was not in much better shape. While its road bed left much to be desired. The whole system was in need of a major overhaul, some lines were so bad that speeds were limited to 10 miles per hour. When the Gambit Amendment was passed the PRR was quick to gain its allotment of federal loans to attempt to fix its failing system. However it wasn't until the PRR was allowed to assume control of Norfolk and Western on October 10,1958 and fully merge it into its system in 1960 that the PRR began to stabilize just a little bit.

The 1950’s marked a decade of disappointment for the Norfolk and Western Railroad. The Fairplay amendment’s ban on regional mergers had effectively locked the N&W from acquiring the Virginian Railway. Later in the decade they had lost a bidding war to the Southern Railroad over the Atalantic and Danville Railroad that had seen the Southern finally gain access to Norfolk Virginia meaning that the N&W now had more competition in that area. The Silver lining for the N&W was its Coal traffic. The constant traffic from the Pocahontas Coal fields meant that the N&W continued to enjoy increasing profits. In 1955 the Pennsylvania Railroad acquired a controlling interest in the N&W and immediately began applying to absorb the profitable line into its struggling system in the hopes of bolstering its own sagging profits. In 1958 the ICC would finally relent and agree to the merger of the two railroads. In secret many hoped that the men running the efficient N&W would be able to turn the Pennsylvania around. The N&W continued to operate under its own name for two more years before it was officially absorbed into the PRR.

One Jewel of the N&W was its Roanoke shops, this was the place where many of the N&W’s steam locomotives were built. To the money hungry the Roanoke shops amounted to dollar signs and started trying to sell the locomotives that the shops produced to other railroads however by this point steam was dying across the country, and sales struggled outside of the PRR itself which used the shops to help replace many of its tired worn out locomotives. So the PRR Purchased Fairbanks-Morse’s struggling Locomotive works and brought it to Roanoke. Once that was done the PRR started having the Shops design and built its own Diesel locomotives. The Diesel locomotives produced by the Roanoke Shops for the PRR would find a market with other railroads

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Patton vs. MacArthur

The Election of 1956 would be one of the most bombastic elections that America had seen in a long time. Both Parties would end up with highly contested and long conventions heading into the election season of 1956. The Republicans would after 106 ballots would nominate Secretary of Defense George S. Patton to be their candidate for President. Senator James P. Mitchell of New Jersey would be choses as Patton’s Vice President in an attempt to balance the ticket. The two men did not get along. Patton viewed Mitchell as soft on Socialism and everything in general; whereas Mitchell called Patton “the old blow hard” or “old bomb bash”.

The Democrats would have little better luck. Despite winning the Second World War they had lost the White house in 1948 and again in 1952. Desperate the democrats would turn to their own war hero former general Douglas Macarthur. Like the Republicans the Democrats would try and balance the ticket if to do this they would appoint Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. Representative from Massachusetts as the Vice prescient.

The campaign was a hard fought campaign that often became very personal due to the nature of the two candidates running for office. MacArthur brought up Patton’s slapping soldiers suffering form shellshock in Italy and France during the last war. Patton brought up how MacArthur had played at being Emperor while in charge of reconstructing the Empire of Japan and how he had pandered to the Chinese and Philippines while fighting in the Pacific. However the most damaging moment of the Campaign came in the Third Debate just a week before the election Patton was asked about the integration of the military that President Dewy had done while Paton was Secretary of Defense. Patton was brash and bombastic as only he could be declared that “Yes the president did that and I damn well support it. During the last war Black Americans fought just as bravely if not more so than Americans of any other Color. By God if anyone deserved a measure of quality in the Military it was the Buffalo Soldiers !.” This sent shockwaves rippling through the American South where Jim Crow was still in full effect, an area that was a traditional power base for the Democratic Party driving MacArthur’s rating through the roof.

Tuesday November sixth would come a week later. The election was as close as the run up had been as polls had gone back and forth between the two candidates all campaign season. As the East Coast polls closed MacArthur would jump out to an early lead taking Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Patton took New York, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. Pennsylvania was too close to call, this gave Patton 98 Electoral Votes, and MacArthur 79. The next set of polls closed Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi all went for MacArthur. Indiana, and Illinois went to Patton; the Electoral Count was Patton 138, MacArthur 164. Next came Wisconsin and finally Pennsylvania was called for MacArthur. Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana all for Patton. The Electoral Count was Paton 190, MacArthur 208. North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas would fall for Patton while Oklahoma would go to MacArthur. New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, Oregon would all go to MacArthur as well While Montana and California would fall to Patton. The Final Count would be Patton 272, MacArthur 259. It was the closest Election since the twentieth century. When MacArthur called to Concede the election to Patton, Patton congratulated MacArthur on a hard fought race “It was one Hell of a fight Mac. I know we ran on opposite sides here but if you want a position in my cabinet you just say so.” Shocked MacArthur was silent for a moment the he spoke “You really mean it don’t you. “ Patton “Damn Straight I do that was one hell of a fight and even second place deserves a reward, plus you were one hell of a scrapper in the last war too.” MacArthur “Well if you insist I would like to be reinstated and given Pacific Command.” Patton “Done soon as I’m sworn in shine your stars General your heading back out east. Our Australian Allies have insisted that NATO’s Pacific Command be headquartered in Darwin.” The line went dead MacArthur was quite honestly shell shocked.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Union of Latin American Socialist Republics

What history would record as “La Onda Rojo'' or the Red Wave began in the spring of 1944 as a series of Soviet backed Communist Revolutions ripped across Latin America. In Some countries like Mexico and Honduras it took the form of massive electoral victories for Socalist and Communits Parties, that would declare new constitutions after taking power Still Guatemala , El Salvador and Nicaragua would see their governments toppled in a series of Strikes and Revolution. The fact that the whole southern part of the North American Continent had suddenly fell to socialist and comunist revolutions greatly disturbed the United States of America. However, at that point in time they were up to their ankles fighting Germany and Japan and keeping the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand in the war. Then there was the immediate recognition of these socialist and communist governments by the Soviet Union With Premier Lev Kamenev even dispatching a division of troops to Mexico under Mexican Flagged ships. The Soviets threatened to break the uneasy alliance that the had with the Western Allies if the United States made any offensive moves against the newly created Socialist Republics. With FDR severely ill at this point in time and the war tottering on a knife edge America blinked and backed down. Although resources were shifted to begin fortifying the Southern border. America would take moves to prevent any such electoral victory or popular revolution from taking place in Panama, Costa Rica, and Colombia. These countries received a division of American troops each as well as support funds from the United States. The Canal Zone would receive a full additional corps and three squadrons of aircraft.

The Five Latin American Socialist Republics would remain independent for the duration of the Second World War. The five Latin socialist republics would meet in the town of Cobán to sign the Treaty of Union, Unity and Feditaly. This treaty would ensessence from the constitution of the new Union of Latin American Socialist Republics. ULASR’s government structure was based on that of the Soviet Union however the Central Government power was weaker and each of the Republics kept some autonomy compared to their Soviet counterparts. Cobán would become the Capital City of the ULASR. The ULASR would spend the last few years of the 1940’s and all of the 1950’s on a crash building program to develop modern industry and a military that could stand up to the United States of America. This would be done under the supervision of Soviet advisors and with Soviet produced equipment.

A ULASR Yak-17 the ULASR Air force would be the largest User of the Yak 17 even more than the Soviet Union's Red Air Force. Yakovlev would eventually form Yakovlev Mexico which would become the primary Aircraft manufacture in the ULASR with factories in all five republics.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Guns and Butter or Walk loudly and Carry A Big Damn Stick: The Presidency of George S. Patton

The Presidency of George S. Patton would begin with a private swearing into office on Sunday January 20, 1957 the official public Inauguration would take place the Following day Monday January 21,1957. In his Inauguration speech Patton set the tone for what would become his presidency, he pulled no punches and made some friends and more enemies. In this Speech he vowed to ensure that America leads the way into the future in every way possible. “My New English Friends like to talk about America being a light on the hill to all the world. Well the Damnit! Let's make that American light so bright that no one ever doubts it again.” In this speech he called for even more defense spending, to ensure that no commie ever sets foot on the Atlantic coast, the Pacific Coast, or the Northern Bank of the Rio Grande River. He concluded his speech with the promise that every American child had the ability to achieve greatness through the ability to get a fair and equal education, because only though having the best educated population in the world could America maintain her greatness.

Patton went for the low hanging fruit first, this took the form of the Defense bill of 1957. Known as Patton’s Army act in the press it was the country's largest defense bill since the end of World War II, and Completely undid all of his predecessor’s draw down’s. When that was mentioned by a reporter Patton replied “I liked Dewy, as a person. I was his last Secretary of Defense after all. But you have to remember why he brought me in. Thanks to his unwillingness to spend money on our Military, and his lack of involvement lead to the Soviet Union’s puppet Controlling all of the Korean Peninsula. Then he had the Japanese Crisis which would have gone worse than it did if not for me demanding that he do something and General MacArthur’s good sense and Generalship after I finally got Dewy to give him the men and guns to fight. No sir America is done reacting and done doing nothing while the world burns around us. The People put me into the White House, now we take the bull by the balls and make it cry; and if the Congressmen and Senators don’t like it they can come to the white house and I’ll talk to them till they see it my way.” The Reporter would then ask “ You mean put a Boot up their ass don’t you General err. Mr. President?” Patton would show some tack (which was rare) when he replied “No sir I did not say that.” with a smile that made it clear that was what he intended to do.

The defense bill of 1957 would pass with easy margins. Although it is often dubbed as the Army Act it was more than generous to the Air force and Navy as well. The Navy would get the funding for 6 new Forrestal class carriers as well the completion of the 1954 proposed the reactivation of the South Dakota Class battleships and the Alaska Class Large Cruisers. The two of the four Alaska Class ships the USS Hawaii and the USS Philippians would be refitted with new anti aircraft and anti ship missiles that were in development. In addition to that the six Iowa Class battleships were slated for active service until 1970, and a possible upgrade to Guided missile battleships to be completed after the South Dakota upgrades were completed. (Kentucky and Illinois were completed in TTL). This was to meet the Soviet Navy’s launch of the nine ship strong Sovetsky Soyuz class battleships and were also starting construction on its first class of carriers to replace its antiquated two war prize carriers the Italian Aquilia and the Japanese Katsuragi. Lastly was the funding for a massive border defense system for the Southern Border between the United States and the Union of Latin American Socialist Republics. What critics would dub the Patton Line was a series of fortifications, Land Mines, and Barbed Wire that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of California. This defensive system was backed up by a series of armored and mechanized forces, and air bases located behind the line that would be ready for a quick reaction should any shooting take place.

Patton’s next issue was much more difficult. In September the 1957 Civil Rights Bill arrived from its bitter passage battle in the house and senate. The end result was a watered down bill that had no teeth to enforce the civil rights that it claimed to guarantee. In a move that shocked Washington Patton Vetoed the bill stating “I’m not going to force half measures and water down clap rabble on the American people, just because some of our southern brethren don’t want to admit that the constitution guarantees the rights to all citizens regardless of color of their skin. My Great Grandfather fought for the CSA, he no doubt believed that he was right..but he lost, they all lost. I have seen Colored men fight and die for this country just as bravely as their white counterparts. I will not disgrace their memory by signing this bill. It's time that Congress got to work and sent me a real Civil Rights Act to sign. The Civil Rights issue would be Patton’s ax to grind for the rest of his administration as he battled for a better bill. This would finally come to futration with the Civil Rights Act of 1959. Patton would gain one other legislative success before the 1958 midterm election.

The was the United States Express Highway Act, which provided funding for a system of high speed roadways to be constructed across the country for the means of providing quick movement of people, goods and military personnel and supplies. The roads would be maintained by tolls on civilian traffic that used them. A series of six Interstates were provided for in the act. One North South on the East Coast running from Maine to Florida (USI-1), a Second North South from Wisconsin to Louisiana (USI-3), I third Running North south from Washington State to Southern California (USI-5). Three would run East west (USI-2) would run along the Canadian border bending around the Great lakes from New York to Washington, (USI-4) would run across the center of the country from Virginia to California, and (USI-6) would run along the Southern part of the country from Georgia to Southern California. Under the terms of the USEH Act the Interstate Commerce Commission was tasked with the construction, and maintenance of these highways and no other USI’s were to be constructed for a period of 20 years to allow the treasury time to recoup the losses from investment in this first round of highways, from toll revenues.

Patton’s active stance on the issues he ran on saw liberal republican candidates pick of seats in the a few seats in the House +13 for a total of 214 seats to the Democrat 221. However in the Senate they would gain +3 to their 47 seats for a total of 50 seats and a slim majority. It was this 86th United States Congress that would pass the Civil Rights Bill of 1959(1). This bill was an all inclusive measure set on rectifying the injustice that had divided the nation for so long. In many ways it played back to the original Civil Rights Act in 1875. It still took a monumental effort to get it passed as no less than 8 Southern Democratic Senators tried to filibuster the bill, before it finally was passed. President Patton took pleasure in Signing the 1959 Civil Rights Act into law on July 4,1959.

The Final major piece of legislation passed into law in Patton’s Administration was the creation of the Federal Department of Education though the Federal Education Act. This law was almost as aggressive fought against by the Southern Democrats as the Civil Rights Act had been. Under the terms of the FEA the new Department of Education would not only create a new cabinet seat but it would create an agency that would standardized, and federalize the Public Education system in the United States of America which to this point had been a domain of the States. The charge against the FEA was Senator Strom Thurmond from South Carolina, who charged Patton with violating the State Rights of every state in the United States of America. Patton never one to back down from a fight would during the 1960 State of the Union Address point out Senator Thurmond and say “As to those here who question whether or not standardizing our education system violates States Rights, They lost 100 years ago if you want to fight me they will lose again 100 years later. If you doubt the need for this change I have one word for you Sputnik.” The Federal Education Act would pass in June of 1960. This would set the stage for the Election of 1960.

1. Basically this is the Civil Rights Acts of 1960 and 1964 combined.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Election of 1960


The Election of 1960 would see the Democratic Party go to war with itself. As the Progressive wing led by Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. and the Segregationist Wing led by Strom Thurmond. Thurmond called Kennedy “No better than Patton” and actively sought someone to challenge the Senator from Massachusetts for the Presidential Nomination. The person he found was Harry F. Byrd of Virginia. Starting in the Spring and continuing through the summer the two sides warred with each other all the while moving further and further away from each other. The Democratic National Convention would be held in Los Angeles in August of 1960. There on the 7th ballot Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. was nominated to be the Democratic Candidate for President. In one of the most controversial moments in political history Kennedy named William Stuart Symington III governor of Illinois his Vice Presidential Running mate in a move that shunned the southern democrats who promptly walked out of the convention. The Southern Democrats would hold a second Convention in Atlanta in the First week of September now branding themselves the Dixiecrats they would nominate Harry F. Byrd of Virginia for President and Strom Thurmond of South Carolina for Vice President.

The Republicans only had an easier time leading up to the election only because their party didn’t fracture. The trouble started on Christmas day 1959 when President Patton announced to the nation that fighting to defend the United State of America and then becoming the President of the United States of America were the proudest things he had ever done in his life. However, he would not be running for reelection in 1960. This meant that the Republicans had to fine candidates for a primary. The Conserveritive side of the party saw this as a chance to regain control of the party and quickly rallied around Senator Richard Nixon of California. While the Liberal wing of the party who had found Patton a surprising ally went hunting for someone to carry their banner though the primary season found Theodore Roosevelt III the grandson of former President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt quickly ran away with the Primaries partly because of name recognition, and partly because of the two potential candidates President Patton endorsed Roosevelt. When the Republican National Convention met in Chicago in the last week of July Theodore Roosevelt III was nominated on the 2nd ballot. As his Running mate he Chose Richard Nixon of California.

With both parties running Liberal candidates it became a choice of which flavor of liberal did you want. Roosevelt and Kennedy both favored keeping what new deal programs were still on the books intact. However Kennedy wanted to build upon the New Deal into what he called an “Enlightened Society” where all Americans had an equal chance to achieve greatness that had for so much of American history been exclusive to the wealthy. To do this he championed expanding the Social Safety nets that the New Deal created so that they caught more Americans than they did currently. Roosevelt campaigned on leaving the New Deal intact but focusing on defending America claiming that President Patton had started down the right track with the Defense bill of 1957, but that America couldn’t go to sleep now because the Soviets and their allies would not stop or slack off. It was on this subject that Kennedy made his one big gaff of the campaign when in the third presidential debate he Claimed that Roosevelt would continue Patton’s out moded and old thinking when it came to defense instead of welcoming the changes that would lessen the need for so much manpower that wasn’t needed with modern technology. Meanwhile Byrd campaigned that both Kennedy and Roosevelt would destroy the social fiber that made tapestry that was the Democratic party.

On November 8,1860 the polls started closing at 6pm est. New Jersey was the first Called for Kennedy then Massachusetts, Connecticut, as well as Maine, Maryland and Delaware. New York would go to Roosevelt so would New Hampshire and Vermont and Rhode Island, and Florida. Virginia North Carolina, South Carolina, would go to Byrd. Pennsylvania and West Virginia would be too close to call.

At 7pm as polls closed in the Midwest, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Deep south; West Virginia would be called for Roosevelt. Byrd would take Georgia, and Mississippi. Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan went to Kennedy as the Unions stuck with Kennedy, Indiana and Kentucky would fall to Roosevelt. At 7:30pm Wisconsin, and Minisota would go to Kennedy, While Roosevelt took Iowa, and Missouri, and Louisiana. Arkansas would go to Byrd. at 7:50 pm Pennsylvania would be called for Kennedy and Tennessee would finally fall to Roosevelt; this left Alabama as the only state east of the Mississippi river uncalled and it was looking like it was gonna split.

At 8pm North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Texas all went to Roosevelt; while Oklahoma was split in a close three way race.

At 9pm Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Arizona would fall Roosevelt , Colorado and New Mexico would go to Kennedy. Alabama would officially announce that it would split its electoral count 7 for Byrd, 3 for Kennedy and 1 for Roosevelt. At 9:30 pm Oklahoma would announce a two way split 7 Roosevelt, 1 Byrd. This meant that if Roosevelt swept the west coast he would have just enough to win with 270, if not it would head to the house.

At 10pm California called for Roosevelt, So did Washington and Oregon as well as Idaho. With just three states uncalled; Roosevelt had 261 Electoral Votes, Kennedy had 197 Electoral College Votes and Byrd and 70 Electoral College Votes. Then Nevada went to Kennedy around midnight Alaska would go to Roosevelt as would Hawaii. With Election night closed across the board the final count was Roosevelt 267, Kennedy 200, and Byrd 70. The election was headed to the house.

January 9,1961 the House of Representatives and the Senate convened for the new 87th Congress. They were convening to elect the President and Vice President as no candidate had won a clear majority (269) in the November Election. The House was split with the Democrats split having 119 seats in the northern Caucasus, and 100 members of the Dixiecrat caucus. While the Republicans had 216 seats. Meanwhile the Senate was 52 Republicans to 48 ( 15 Dixiecrats) Democrats. In the Senate Richard Nixon was quickly voted in as the Vice President of the United States. The house was more difficult in Effect Byrd was the king maker if he nodded to the Northern or Progressive Democrats then Kennedy would be President if he said no then Roosevelt would be president. What took place was a lot of back and forth in the between the leadership of the divided part. Finally after several promises Byrd would be satisfied and give the nod to Kennedy. The House would Vote Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. as the next President of the United States. After 12 years of being out of the White House a Democrat was headed back to Washington, however the fly in the soup was that the Vice President would be Richard Nixon a Republican. For Roosevelt it was nothing but frustration he had come with in two votes of winning in November just to lose in the House in January.

 

[isayyo2]

Coming back to this, I am very interested to see what alternative infrastructure will be built in the coming decades...

OTL, we were blessed with an enemy far from our shores, but now with a hostile Latin SSR Union border defense and defensive weapons have much greater importance. The "Patton Line" would be backed up with Nike missiles and perhaps those new Expressways may double as runways too?
Civil Defense would be taken much more seriously. I doubt the city-sized shelters would be built, but continued funding for individual home units and maybe replicate Switzerland's program in new built buildings. Hardened basements, 3-6 months of canned food and water etc etc Heck, maybe the Nike-X/Sentinel ABM programs survive the cuts too.

The draft certainly isn't going anywhere, though with Joe Jr. in command maybe some changes could be added. Instead of just the military draft, a total National Service policy could replace it with the option of the Conservation Corps and future Peace Corps as alternatives to military service.
The retention of battleships is always neat, what missiles were you planning on refitting them with? Six BBG's for six Forrestal's, I think there's a pattern there haha There's also the three Alaska's and Des Moines for the three Midways too, plus whatever cruisers get the full Chicago treatment. I could also see more intermediate range missiles like Mace ,Jupiter, and Regulus remain in viable service to strike across the Rio Grande.

Without Mexico's oil ideally nuclear energy would get an even larger boost to meet growing population and power demands. Just letting the AEC run with their plans in the 60s would be plenty enough, they made several efforts to make nuclear do more than just create steam. Powering the coal to liquids plants is one such possibility and it certainly keeps the many coal roads in business too! Though desalination would be the ultimate goal for Texas and California, with great export potential out to Europe, Israel, Australia, and eventually China too. Here's two links on period nuclear desalting studies:

https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc784269/m2/1/high_res_d/metadc784269.pdf

https://inis.iaea.org/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/03/022/3022220.pdf

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Reliance on Oil is not going to be as big here as America and Western Europe are really reliant on US Oil Production. Italy still has Libya and will be able to get oil from there, as well as North Sea Oil and Canada/Alaska. But Yes Mexican oil is gone. The oil lobby is more hamstrung TTL which is why the Interstate System is so different, and the approach to air and rail travel is gonna be way different. Coal to Liquids is gonna make up for some of the lost oil production. ( you notice that I'm not mentioning the Middle east at all here ) The Kennedy Administration is gonna focus on expanding the new deal the Draft (although I like the diversifying it) is not going anywhere and the60's are gonna be a lot different. as to the South Dakota Class her is a WIP image of what they will look like. As to how BB to carrier ratio as WWII was longer all six Iowa's got built as did four of the Six Alaska's USS Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, and Philippines. They are sill currently in Mothballs TTL as of 1960. However, there are gonna be issues with the Washington Class Upgrades that are gonna see the Alaska's brought back into service. The SAM's are the same as on the Albany Class otl the ASM is going to be called the Eagle and is derived from an OTL early WWII era missile called the Bat.

 

[Panzerlied]

However, there are gonna be issues with the Washington Class Upgrades that are gonna see the Alaska's brought back into service. The SAM's are the same as on the Albany Class otl the ASM is going to be called the Eagle and is derived from an OTL early WWII era missile called the Bat.

Somewhere in California, the peaceful serenity was shattered by the bellows of a wild CalBear.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Somewhere in California, the peaceful serenity was shattered by the bellows of a wild CalBear.

I'm toying of changing either the 4th Alaska to Montana I've always felt bad that it never got a battleship named after it.

Or the 4th Midway class carrier but that would be odd.