You have just been apointed Railroad Czar and You have a 10 Billion Doller Budget

[Anonymous]

In a Highly Unsual move the president has Apointed a Railroad Czar and has nationlised the railroads in the name of national defence in this time of war.
You have been Apointed Railroad Czar and been asked to inprove the US railroad Infrastructure in security,freight and passengers.(In that order)
The Reason for this was that Union Pacific "Lost" a trainload of tanks and a Trainload of armennets in the same week causing a national panic as to terrorist activity. The president By executive order has asked that the railroad system in the US be brought up to par and speed of freight and passengers be increased on all lines. What would be your move and how would you do that?

[Anonymous]

Put together a staff of advisors. But in an unexpected move, contributors to the president's campaign would be excluded in favor of drawing from the ranks of the industry. Experienced and articulate engineers & conductors, yard crew members, traffic dispatchers, MOW crew chiefs, etc. would be appointed to provide factual info and practical ideas. While this goes against the practice of creating a task-force of self-serving industry executives, the goal would be making the industry safe and efficient rather than creating policies to line the pockets of the task-force members.

In a more draconian move, I would round up all UP-bashers and consign them to special schools at least until their 18th birthday.

Wayne

[oltmannd]

Good, thought provoking question!

Here's some ideas off the top of my head.

Security on the RR is mostly about keeping track of where stuff is. I think I'd light a fire under the RR CEOs to get serious about EDI and interchange operations. There's a lot of room for improvement here. I'd also make some money available for doing real-time car reporting so place and pull events don't have to wait until the local crew faxes in the paper work. Both of these would help close the holes in visibility of the traffic. Further, I'd consider making a rule that would stop RRs from pullling cars w/o billing from the customer. There's room for mischief w/o this rule.

On the safety side, I'd fund PTC/PTS and Electronic air brakes with load/empty sensing. PTC/PTS would make it much more difficult for an "on purpose" wreck to occur. The electronic airbrakes would allow quicker stops, eliminate all that "pumping air" time and improve speeds entering/exiting terminals and sidings. The less "unguarded" time there is, the less chance for mischief. Both these systems, taken together, and implemented in a std manner, nationwide, would increase capacity as well. They'd also make higher speed passenger svc easier to implement. I'd also consider some significant matching funds to elliminate grade crossings and possibly help the RRs pay for direct and indirect survalience of strategic assets like bridges and tunnels.

And, that would pretty much eat up my $10B, and then some.....

[Anonymous]

The answer is obvious, although in deference to others on this forum I will avoid using the words "access" and "open" in the same sentence.....

First, I would conduct engineering studies to determine which rail corridors are best suited for high speed intermodal and which ones are best suited for heavy haul. Out west, that would mean BNSF's High Line, UP's Overland Route (including the Vegas line), and UP's Sunset line would be designated high speed. BNSF/MRL's Yellowstone line, UP.s ex-D&RGW/WP line, and BNSF's ex-SF LA to Chicago line would be designated heavy haul. Additionally, I would rebuild the Modoc line and build a new line between Missoula MT and Lewiston ID to cover the gaps in the heavy haul network. The I-5 corridor would be high speed, with heavy haul rerouted where necessary.

The high speed lines would be limited to 55,000 lbs per axle weight limits which is the typical max for intermodal now anyway, and those lines would then be "sculpted" and signalled for speeds up to 125 mph. The lines would all be double tracked wherever possible. This would allow TOFC and COFC to beat long haul truckers cross country times dock to dock, allowing the rail operators to charge a permium per box. Bi-modal technologies would be encouraged on these lines.

The heavy haul lines would be buttressed for 78,750 lbs per axle, with speeds limited to 60 mph. Sidings would be frequent to avoid delays. Furthermore, I would allow heavier GVW for trucks which act as feeders to the railhead on these lines. Also, I would further integrate multimodalism by utilizing rail to barge transloading for export commodities, and use LA***ype shipping to avoid further congesting deep water ports.

Then, of course, I would allow operators to bid for services over any and all lines to enhance competition and innovation.

[Anonymous]

I quit.

[Mookie]

I'm with Tom!

[Junctionfan]

I would instruct all railroads to erect a large chainlink fence around the railway yards all with camera at the mainline to monitor inbound and outbound traffic as well as tresspassers. All employees including management (CEO included) must carry I.D and must registar thumb and eye scanning. Apon any enterance into the yard or facility, railroad employees/ers must varify their identity at the gate. I hire more railroad police and track inspectors so that the tracks could be monitored more frequent before trains encounter possible sabatoge. Safety checks of switching machines and signals will be done in between trains especially before movements of passenger, military, intermodal trains. Any train that carries radioactive or explosive materials must have a caboose on the train with a railroad police crew on board. All lines must be fenced with barbed wire. Increase in padestrian bridges that are also fenced will reduce the amount of citizens tresspassing onto the line to take "short cuts". The fence on thease bridges will prevent citizens from throwing items on the track. Railfans can go and get a security pass so they can watch trains without being harrased by police. They must carry this on them at all times in areas close to cities and will be inspected by police and givin a recit for the day. Building more railfanning depots will allow monitoring of individuals easier. Railroad crossing reductions will reduce the chance of collisions that maybe deliberate.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainfinder22

In a Highly Unsual move the president has Apointed a Railroad Czar and has nationlised the railroads in the name of national defence in this time of war.
You have been Apointed Railroad Czar and been asked to inprove the US railroad Infrastructure in security,freight and passengers.(In that order)
The Reason for this was that Union Pacific "Lost" a trainload of tanks and a Trainload of armennets in the same week causing a national panic as to terrorist activity. The president By executive order has asked that the railroad system in the US be brought up to par and speed of freight and passengers be increased on all lines. What would be your move and how would you do that?

First of all, the President doesn't have the authority to "give" anyone a $10B budget. Congress holds the purse strings. Accordingly, any such request would need to be codified in legislation passed by Congress. Assuming you went to Congress with this you'd need to do a lot of your research up front to present to Congress to justify your request. Given the history of railroads in this country as a private enterprise and the likelihood that any attempt to nationalize the railroads would end up in a welter of litigation I doubt it would ever happen, certainly not over a couple of lost trains that would be found quickly (you don't think that military trains have GPS?)

OK, so lets assume you can get by Congress with this scheme you are certainly very low on the amount of money it would take to make any significant change in the railroad system. If its $10B a year then you may have better luck.

LC

[Anonymous]

Besides, those trains aren't lost. They are sitting on sidings in dark territory because the crews went dead on hours, and they won't have crews free to go pick them up until the first bunch of new hires fini***raining! [:)]

[Anonymous]

LC you are right and I agree with you on the budget and the extreemly remote possibility of such a thing happening. A study of the Wilsonian/RRA mess of the First World War would be very instructive for such wishers. The issues involving personal/private property alone would be a nightmare of draconian deminsions as well as the compromise of private property rights to every American. That of course does ot even come close to the required addressing of lost and compromised securities, deeds, treaties and contracts, some of which predate the past century with the forse of law, and this is just on the federal level and does not even begin to address state and local issues that range from lease holds to tax bases. If any politician should be so foolish as to entertain such a notion they deserve to think that sin, wars, adultry and theft are only a sickness limited to the criminaly insane[:-^]

[Anonymous]

Nationalisation has been done before during WW1. During that time the railroads had massive upgrades in the Infrastucture. Unfortunatly in the northeast and with the exception of the Powder River Basin not much in that scale has been done since.

[Junctionfan]

I imagine under martial law if the government says jump, the railroad would have to say how high.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

I imagine under martial law if the government says jump, the railroad would have to say how high.

Martial Law is a subject that you would find most North Americans very loath to accept even under the most extrem of national emergencies. If the railroads are under maritial law your own rights are not to far behind especially involving real estate. However I do remain respectfull of your point of view.

[Junctionfan]

I would imagine if worst case senario the Soviets invaded during the cold war, the north america public would rather be temperarly ruled by congress than permanently ruled by the Kremlin. It all depends on the urgency needed in order to protect the country.

[Train Guy 3]

I've got a short line with 5 miles of track. And your not getting it!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

I imagine under martial law if the government says jump, the railroad would have to say how high.

I don't recall anyone saying Martial Law was involved. Better check your definitions. An Executive Order from the President is FAR different from Martial Law...

LC

[Anonymous]

If I had the $10B I'd fix a few railroads and increase my salary to say $100M and retire to my own private island. Maybe I'd spend a couple Mil to build a little choo choo on my island...

LC

[oltmannd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by futuremodal

The answer is obvious, although in deference to others on this forum I will avoid using the words "access" and "open" in the same sentence.....

First, I would conduct engineering studies to determine which rail corridors are best suited for high speed intermodal and which ones are best suited for heavy haul. Out west, that would mean BNSF's High Line, UP's Overland Route (including the Vegas line), and UP's Sunset line would be designated high speed. BNSF/MRL's Yellowstone line, UP.s ex-D&RGW/WP line, and BNSF's ex-SF LA to Chicago line would be designated heavy haul. Additionally, I would rebuild the Modoc line and build a new line between Missoula MT and Lewiston ID to cover the gaps in the heavy haul network. The I-5 corridor would be high speed, with heavy haul rerouted where necessary.

The high speed lines would be limited to 55,000 lbs per axle weight limits which is the typical max for intermodal now anyway, and those lines would then be "sculpted" and signalled for speeds up to 125 mph. The lines would all be double tracked wherever possible. This would allow TOFC and COFC to beat long haul truckers cross country times dock to dock, allowing the rail operators to charge a permium per box. Bi-modal technologies would be encouraged on these lines.

The heavy haul lines would be buttressed for 78,750 lbs per axle, with speeds limited to 60 mph. Sidings would be frequent to avoid delays. Furthermore, I would allow heavier GVW for trucks which act as feeders to the railhead on these lines. Also, I would further integrate multimodalism by utilizing rail to barge transloading for export commodities, and use LA***ype shipping to avoid further congesting deep water ports.

Then, of course, I would allow operators to bid for services over any and all lines to enhance competition and innovation.

Oh, my! You'd be out our money in a flash! Remember it cost $2B just to string wire, replace some signalling and buy 20 passenger train sets on less than 200 miles of double track between NH and Boston -- and they didn't straighten a single curve!

BTW how would open access improve security? Remember, the primary goal was security.

[oltmannd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Limitedclear

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainfinder22

In a Highly Unsual move the president has Apointed a Railroad Czar and has nationlised the railroads in the name of national defence in this time of war.
You have been Apointed Railroad Czar and been asked to inprove the US railroad Infrastructure in security,freight and passengers.(In that order)
The Reason for this was that Union Pacific "Lost" a trainload of tanks and a Trainload of armennets in the same week causing a national panic as to terrorist activity. The president By executive order has asked that the railroad system in the US be brought up to par and speed of freight and passengers be increased on all lines. What would be your move and how would you do that?

First of all, the President doesn't have the authority to "give" anyone a $10B budget. Congress holds the purse strings. Accordingly, any such request would need to be codified in legislation passed by Congress. Assuming you went to Congress with this you'd need to do a lot of your research up front to present to Congress to justify your request. Given the history of railroads in this country as a private enterprise and the likelihood that any attempt to nationalize the railroads would end up in a welter of litigation I doubt it would ever happen, certainly not over a couple of lost trains that would be found quickly (you don't think that military trains have GPS?)

OK, so lets assume you can get by Congress with this scheme you are certainly very low on the amount of money it would take to make any significant change in the railroad system. If its $10B a year then you may have better luck.

LC

In the recent past, fear of terrorism has loosened Congress's purse strings pretty fast. I imagine a single incident involving rail could make gov't investment in rail security happen pretty quickly. How fast did the gov't airport security service get funded, up and running?

[Anonymous]

How will increased security procedures improve the railroads efficiency or profitablility?

How has increased security improved the air travel industry?

[Anonymous]

one word nuke
(i support bush even though he doesnt know how to say nuke[:D][:D][:D][:D][:P][:P][:P][:P]

[DaveBr]

I would put the Amtrak Ticket agency back in the Station at Glendale Cal.(First I would have to buy it back from the city of Glendale)They don't care what goes on anyway .
Dave Br