Murphy Siding In these cases the stakeholder is Uncle Sam. charlie hebdo https://transportationtodaynews.com/news/9013-railroad-stakeholders-warn-system-needs-billions-get-good-state-repair/ "Despite an increase in the amount of federal dollars devoted to railroad systems in the fiscal year 2018 spending plan for the federal government, stakeholders in the rail systems say it’s not enough to adequately repair aging systems across the country." Nevermind the feeling I get that this article looks like it was written by a college student late at night the day before it was due, using Google as the main resource..... To me, this article seems to say that a lot of money needs to be invested, and that the 'stakeholders' are hoping someone else, like Uncle Sam, will cough up the dough.
In these cases the stakeholder is Uncle Sam.
charlie hebdo https://transportationtodaynews.com/news/9013-railroad-stakeholders-warn-system-needs-billions-get-good-state-repair/ "Despite an increase in the amount of federal dollars devoted to railroad systems in the fiscal year 2018 spending plan for the federal government, stakeholders in the rail systems say it’s not enough to adequately repair aging systems across the country."
https://transportationtodaynews.com/news/9013-railroad-stakeholders-warn-system-needs-billions-get-good-state-repair/
"Despite an increase in the amount of federal dollars devoted to railroad systems in the fiscal year 2018 spending plan for the federal government, stakeholders in the rail systems say it’s not enough to adequately repair aging systems across the country."
Nevermind the feeling I get that this article looks like it was written by a college student late at night the day before it was due, using Google as the main resource..... To me, this article seems to say that a lot of money needs to be invested, and that the 'stakeholders' are hoping someone else, like Uncle Sam, will cough up the dough.
Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Paul_D_North_Jr I took it that CMStPnP meant financial risk, not safety risk - but perhaps he could clarify that. Grain cars derailing at low speed are not much of a hazard to the public. - PDN.
I took it that CMStPnP meant financial risk, not safety risk - but perhaps he could clarify that. Grain cars derailing at low speed are not much of a hazard to the public.
- PDN.
Perhaps he did mean financial risk, but then why would the public be subjected to a financial risk due to a private company failing to maintain its plant?
Larry, I fully agree that "The American Dream" does not include preying on other people.
Johnny
If a shortline is in such poor condition that it places the public at risk, I would assume that there are laws that can be enforced to prevent operation under that risk.
Eddie SandWhere the needs of the market are sufficient to support a capital-intensive industrial activity, there's no problem; as soon as the politicians show up, there usually is.
Case in point: Milwaukee Road from Brookfield, WI all the way to the Mississippi River at Prarie Du Chein, WI was mostly a 10 mph slow order railroad in the early 1980's when the Milwaukee was reorganizing and using Federal Loans to upgrade it's Chicago to Twin Cities Mainline. Milwaukee Road had identified the line for sale or abandonment. Eventually WSOR gained control of the line and lobbied the state for money to upgrade it. It is now mostly 40-45 mph line complete with SD-40-2's and is carrying a LOT more freight since rehab and more frieght since the Milwaukee Road last owned it. So in that case at least the politicians saved the line and created opportunities by doing so.
The 7 miles of the line that lay dormant on the Eastern End between Brookfield and Waukesha, are the combined product of the City of Waukesha Mayor and Brookfield Nimby's banding together to get the line abandoned so Waukesha could use parts of the RoW for Real Estate development and os the Nmby's could keep trains away from their homes.
ruderunnerHowever, those low traffic secondary lines likely don't justify the expense of higher maintenance. Short lines get spun off for a reason.
Thats true but then it comes down to a decision. Should the public he held at risk because a operating shortline cannot maintain the tracks it runs over due to lack of revenue? Should the track be abandoned? Should the state or regional area step in and bring the track up to decent operating standards? Choice #3 is the best one in my opinion.
Where the needs of the market are sufficient to support a capital-intensive industrial activity, there's no problem; as soon as the politicians show up, there usually is.
But in fairness, I don't have a problem with public-sector involvement per se; the problem is that a segment of the political spectrum instinctively waves the bloody shirt of class warfare and blames free enterprise for all of society's ills (not to mention pandering to both economic and technical ignorance).
agreed but not the point I was making. However, those low traffic secondary lines likely don't justify the expense of higher maintenance. Short lines get spun off for a reason.
ruderunner title is a bit misleading. It implies that all the US rails are in poor condition. The reality is it's just the government run lines that need the improvements
title is a bit misleading. It implies that all the US rails are in poor condition. The reality is it's just the government run lines that need the improvements
Some of the secondary freight lines are in poor shape as well. Not every state is like the Dakota's or Wisconsin where they have state funds to rehab secondary lines that cannot sustain themselves but still have enough rail traffic it would be silly to abandon them. If you do a quick tour of youtube you will see some atrociously maintained secondary freight only lines.........those need to be fixed and upgraded. Most are run by short lines but some are still owned by Class I railroads.
Amtraks lines and equipment do also need a capital infusion.
(1) If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just because a bridge is old does not make it deficient or defective. Most of the "public" bridges in the NEC and Chicago corridors will never see the freight loadings and tonnage cycles they used to.
(2) If ticket prices actually reflected the cost of capital operating costs, the howls of protest would be heard out here. The something for nuthin' charade would be exposed.
(3) Bad article on so many levels. Newsworker is clearly a dupe.
(4) The railroads are plowing big money into plant plus shouldering PTC costs as well. Yards and backtracks are less well addressed, but still better than what it was.
(5) Shortlines could clearly use additional capital budget $$$ and industrial track owners remain hopelessly without a clue - especially the agridummies.
zardoz"vulture terrorists"
Wholly agree.
I not sure the American dream includes the looting these folks do, or even just getting rich to the detriment of others.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 Even the linked article never really makes the distinction. I was going to make a comment about how the railroads wouldn't be having such problems if the vulture investors weren't involved, but that doesn't fit this particular story.
Even the linked article never really makes the distinction.
I was going to make a comment about how the railroads wouldn't be having such problems if the vulture investors weren't involved, but that doesn't fit this particular story.
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