Funding Sources

[ontheBNSF]

One has to be creative in looking for money for Rail improvements but if you look hard enough money can be found.

State Banks for State Corridors

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-brown/the-mysterious-cafrs-how_b_585011.html

Land Value Taxation/Property Taxes for building or running systems often referred to as value capture.

http://vimeo.com/32548658

Proposed them before but could still work

http://againstausterity.org/program/1-wall-street-sales-tax

http://againstausterity.org/program/nationalize-federal-reserve

The military could also be a funding source they could develop technology and deploy a nationwide network for the purpose of defense. A new rail or maglev system has defense value because you can evacuate cities or move troops and military goods at high speed. Cuts to agriculture or energy subsidies could also be used as a funding source. Just ideas though.

[John WR]

ontheBNSF

The military could also be a funding source they could develop technology and deploy a nationwide network for the purpose of defense.

You said the magic word, defense.  But does the military have any interest at all in railroads these days?  I don't see any.   

[oltmannd]

John WR

ontheBNSF

The military could also be a funding source they could develop technology and deploy a nationwide network for the purpose of defense.

You said the magic word, defense.  But does the military have any interest at all in railroads these days?  I don't see any.   

We move military equipment all the heck all over the place!  They don't come go to all those far off places w/o the RRs taking the good to the port.

If you remember the 80's you remember the "hide the missiles on train" thing the Pentagon wanted to do.  The RRs wanted no part of that!

Soldier transport?  Not so much.  They fly commercial between bases and on military charters at other times.  I'm sure passenger rail would fit into the scheme for moving troops as part of an overall national transportation network.  But, there will never be mobilization like there was in WWII.  Nukes have taken care of that!

[John WR]

In the US the military has a long tradition of using railroads when they need them.  That goes back to the Civil War.  But when it comes to building new railroads as far as I can see the military has never been at the forefront.