Reader suggests three-day delivery system

Dear Editor:

The combination of two currently discussed problems: (1) the continuing fiscal dilemma within the postal service, and (2) the critical nationwide energy shortage, prompts the following suggestion.

The current mail delivery system provides a six-day per week schedule. This is a luxury that we as a nation should modify to reduce postal operating costs and to conserve energy. Since the advent of e-mail there has been a significant decrease in the volume of first-class personal mail (including greeting cards) being sent via the postal service. This has caused a marked decrease in revenue to the postal system.

My suggestion is that the mail delivery system be modified to provide a three-day per week schedule. To reduce the number of vehicles required, one-half of the routes from each post office could be served on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and the other one-half on the alternate weekdays.

Substantial savings in money and energy would result.

The point is that our nation is going to have to make some difficult choices to counteract the two problems above along with others. My conclusion is that our society could easily adjust to a three-day per week delivery of mail and thus reap the benefits from significant cost savings as well as conservation of energy.

Paul A. Henry
Estero, Fla., formerly of Connellsville.

Railroading

Dear Editors:

After many months of enthusiastic cooperation the Heritage Railroad Chapter has come into being, and its purpose is to put an excursion train on the South West Branch rails.

The Railroad Museum of Youngwood, incorporated organization since 1982, will provide a safe place for the customers of Westmoreland Heritage Railroad Chapter to board and detrain.

The chapter's office will be located at the museum's site at the railroad crossing where the chapter and railroad museum will cooperate in developing annual plans of activities, including fund raising and Chapter memberships.

The responsibilities of the chapter includes active support, preserve, maintain and improve the tourist train industry in this region.

The chapter and its members will provide safe, educational, and enjoyable experiences for its riders.

Programs will strengthen the display, upgrade the equipment provide further archival research into the regional history and heritage.

Such high-level of growth and expansion will depend upon donors, train ticket sales, membership fees, independently of the railroad museum.

Monthly financial reports will be made for the Westmoreland County Commissioners and the railroad museum.

When the Heritage train rolls into sight, it will represent thousands of volunteer-hours originating from a wishful dream hoping to culminate it in an invigorating thrill, lost to this generation, with bells and whistles in the rhythm of the rails.

Chapter memberships are open; timetables and tickets are available; the dream has become a reality; and no one can be any happier than the railroad museum officers and volunteers who have been waiting for this miracle for almost 20 years.

Because of the successful creation of the Heritage Railroad Chapter, can a commuter train service over the South West Branch be too far behind• For more details, phone the museum at 925-7355.

Al Hopfer, chief executive officer
Curator of the Railroad Museum of Youngwood