Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
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Item An accident prediction model for highway-rail interfaces(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2000) Austin, Ross DuaneItem Rail based grain distribution systems in the Golden Triangle Area of Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1978) Cox, LindaItem The Effect of branch line abandonment on local highways : a site specific study(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1984) Fortenbery, T. RandallItem Multiple parallel machines scheduling with setup resources(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2003) Wang, ShaoweiItem Factors affecting bear and ungulate mortalities along the Canadian Pacific Railroad through Banff and Yoho national parks(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2011) Dorsey, Benjamin Paul; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Lisa J. Rew.Railroads, roads and associated traffic have been shown to adversely affect ecosystems by killing wildlife and altering the landscape. Relatively little research has been conducted along railroads. Given the probable growth of railroads, it is imperative that we understand the impacts railroads exhibit on wildlife. In this thesis, I reviewed the documented impacts of railroads on wildlife then conducted analyses on data collected along the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) through Banff and Yoho National Parks (~134 km). In the study area, over 1000 train strikes with 26 mammal species have been recorded between 1990 and 2010, which included 579 elk (Cervus elaphus), 185 deer (Odocoileus spp.) and 79 bears (Ursus spp.). The goal of this research was to provide an initial assessment of the factors affecting strikes with ungulates and bears along the CPR. To accomplish these goals, I studied four general factors that have been hypothesized to affect the rate and spatial distribution of strikes. These are: wildlife abundance, anthropogenic foods, and railroad design. I compared strike rates along three mile long rail segments to train spilled grain, train and railroad design variables. I developed an estimate of risk using line transect data so that I could determine if there was evidence for nonconstant strike risk. Statistical models were used to identify which factors best explained strike rates. I detected correlations between the density of train-spilled grain and bear foraging rates but not with bear strikes. I identified locations where corrective measures or mitigation solutions may be needed and identified railroad designs and landscape variables associated with those locations. Hotspots were identified for elk and deer but not bears. Relative abundance was generally correlated with strike rates. High risk locations, where more strikes occurred than were expected, were identified. Train speed limit and right-of-way width was positively associated with strikes for elk and/or deer. For bears, the number of structures (e.g. highway overpasses) and bridges were positively associated with strikes. These results were used to suggest management recommendations including train speed reductions, habitat modifications and railroad design alterations to reduce the risk of strikes.Item Wonder and spectacle in the world's first national park : railroad imagery of Yellowstone National Park(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2011) Kress, Ellen Rae; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Robert Rydell.Much has been written about Yellowstone National Park, but little of it considers images as representations of the Park. In this study, I examine the imagery of two series of railroad advertisements for Yellowstone: the Northern Pacific Railroad's Wonderland campaign (1883-1910) and the Union Pacific Railroad's bear campaign (1923-1960). Despite the axiom "you can't judge a book by its cover," clearly the creators of these brochures think otherwise; they intend these images to convey the essence of Yellowstone. Both sets of railroad imagery refer to Yellowstone as an unusual place, a wonder, a curiosity, even a freak show. The Northern Pacific Wonderland series emphasizes the geothermal and geological features, while the Union Pacific series features bears. The Northern Pacific brochures are in and of themselves a collection of fragmented pieces of Yellowstone, like a cabinet of curiosities, a pre-modern collection kept by European social elites. By focusing on the unique and the singular, they question the laws of nature. They co-opt the metaphors of gender and race in order to portray Yellowstone as an island untouched by humans that resisted the march of Progress and Civilization. This idea of Yellowstone's separateness is what gives it commercial value and situates it squarely within American commercial culture. The Union Pacific bear images feature a theme of performance and entertainment. The Park and its bears and geysers are now tamed and serve to entertain tourists; Yellowstone is now a mass spectacle. The bears are entertainers, clowns, and freaks; they question the boundary between human and animal and thus cause anxiety. But traditional gender roles are upheld, and issues of class are largely avoided, which serve to calm the anxiety that was raised. In both railroad representations, Yellowstone National Park serves as a foil, a place modern tourists can visit to define themselves. These representations of Yellowstone chart a shift from elitism to consumer democracy; clearly ideas about Yellowstone National Park, and representations of it, have changed and continue to change with the times.