I'd be a bit leery about asking the government for money that is bound to have strings attached, as I'm sure this does. I'm not familiar with UP's funding requests and don't care to knbow a whole lot....I've found that state funding of shortline improvements gets you a whole new "board of directors" in that the state eventually owns your railroad...NO THANKS!!! I believe the Root Brothers found this outt when thay tried to dispose of the Willamina & Grand Ronde here in Oregon. They basically had to give it away to Hampton because of the liens the State of Oregon had on the rehab program the State had encouraged in the previous years.

Mike and Dave: PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong

The Staggers Act esentially saved most of the rural low density lines from the scrappers and put them into the hands of shortline operators. This was DEREGULATION at its best. What I'm afraid of with more and more subsidies to the Class I's and II's is that REREGULATION is sure to follow, where the Government (be it state or federal) ends up owning the rail infrastructure and anyone with a FRA-qualified locomotive and crew that can pass a drug test can get in the railroad business and use the national rail system much as the truckers do our highways for so much a gallon or mile.

When the "Jippo Railroaders" hit on hard times they will just park their equipment like the truckers do and wait for better times, then come in and eat all the chocolate off the cake.

Scary things to think about!!!

Shortline Sammie