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Another stimulus fund RR construction delay

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[quote user="blue streak 1"] Then we have BNSF doing their line to speed up the Cal Z.  Wonder if it will also help BNSF speed their freights ?? <a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120318/NEWS/303180066/1001/">http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120318/NEWS/303180066/1001/</a>  [/quote] Of course the improvements will help the BNSF improve its freight operations through the area.  Manual switches are being replaced by remote controlled switches, which means the trains (Amtrak and BNSF) will not have to stop.   Given that the monies are coming from the federal government, i.e. we the taxpayers, there is no reason to believe that BNSF could not have gotten the monies under ARRA irrespective of whether it hoists Amtrak trains. ARRA monies are borrowed in the capital markets by the U.S.Treasury Department. The cost of the improvements, assuming they are funded with 30 year money, will be $25.1 million when interest on the debt is included in the cost, which is a standard business practice.  Over 30 years the improvements will save Amtrak an estimated 1 hour per day, which translates into 10,958 hours over the estimated life of the assets.  The cost of each hour saved, assuming the improvements are being made exclusively for Amtrak, would be $2,292 per hour.  However, it is probably safe to assume that the improvements are being made for BNSF, with Amtrak as a secondary beneficiary. Other freight carriers have gotten ARRA money that has been for the exclusive use of the carrier irrespect of its hoisting of Amtrak or commuter rail trains. In this case the cost per hour saved would drop significantly.
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