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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken Roadmaster's point of view: (1) You can have your Rail Whales IF AND ONLY IF you also pay to upgrade the light rail and the sharp curves (6 degrees radius and above)and turnouts (#9 and below) that are cause and effect linked to track/train dynamics failures. (2) Open Access? - Not on my watch! (Shippers unwilling to pay for track maintenance as part of the cost of doing business. The shipper beancounters are no more qualified to do brain surgery than they can determine track maintenance. As bad getting funding to do proper track maintenance now is, Open Access would make it really scary.)[|(][|(][|(] [/quote] Regarding Rail Whales and their effects on track, it is my understanding that the eight axle cars are just as flexible as four axle cars, because they are really two sets of pairs of two axle trucks. And with the advent of radial steering, three axle trucks no longer have a problem with curve negotiability. I can see where cars of 400,000 lbs plus would be a problem on branchlines that still have a problem with the 286,000 lbs cars. I think we will agree to disagree on open access. I do think the idea has evolved to the point of there being an understanding that open access in conjuction with government incentives (to reduce the capital liabilities) would probably be the way to go. If it can be proven that some type of open access + federal incentives would result in overall reduced capital expenditures for railroad operating companies, then logic dictates that they would take a more positive outlook on the whole idea.
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