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Economy

Train stories: Spurring Rail Investment

2017-03-06

[Daily Caller] Private companies are making a considerable impact in moving U.S. goods to markets here and abroad in an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly manner that is aiding our economy, creating jobs and saving wear-and-tear on our highways. Reliable and affordable transportation options are critical for the success of many of these small businesses and agricultural producers.

Short line railroads connect these economic drivers in our communities across our nation to customers worldwide. These rail lines provide crucial economic corridors that serve communities and support jobs and development. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) joined me in leading the introduction of the bipartisan S. 407, the Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy (BRACE) Act, to enable short line railroads to make long-term plans for infrastructure repairs and upgrades, improving the link between our rural communities and the national freight railroad network.

Posted by:Besoeker

#5 Hmmm....been there before?

Posted by: Procopius2k 2017-03-06 13:28

#4 Lord Garth is correct. Most of the lines had insufficient traffic for the Big Boys to bother with. But they also lost all the union rules when the short line operators bought them up. Now they are more like a 'Mom and Pop' operation, where the General Manager also drives the locomotive.

Customer service improved, too, so smaller shippers - ignored by the Big Boys when they were retrenching - began using the trains again.

Almost anything you put in a freight car will replace three or four big trucks on the Interstate. Trucks will still deliver the stuff to a warehouse near you.

Posted by: Bobby 2017-03-06 12:58

#3 Biggest loser if DAPL goes into service is the BNSF, Buffet's RR, and biggest hauler of non-pipelined oil.

Posted by: Glenmore 2017-03-06 11:59

#2 You get stuck behind a line of trucks on gridlocked Interstate 5 in southern California and you might begin to appreciate trains.

Posted by: Abu Uluque 2017-03-06 11:20

#1 these short lines are on track that was abandoned by the class 1 Railroads

in all States where the short lines are operating, there are State subsidies (usually used for track upgrading, signal work, grade crossing work). The BRACE would put federal $ into this process. IMO, the justification for this is pretty iffy. To determine whether such subsidies serve a public interest requires guessing about future industrial activity, future relationships between producers and suppliers, various competitive products in the marketplace, etc. Any honest analyst would put huge error bands on their analysis. Dishonest analysts will be able to justify or deny whatever the politicians want.

Posted by: lord garth 2017-03-06 10:28

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