One point that seems to be missed is that (it appears) that CORP violated the law.

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is set up to promote railroads,. The law see railroads as national assets, essential to commerce.

If you can no longer run a railroad, that is OK, you are no longer forced to run at a loss as it was in the so-called good old days of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC).

However, if you do chose to abandon a line, you can't retain ownership and attempt to blackmail shippers and government agencies. What you are supposed to do is file for abandonment, then others can step up to the plate and make an "Offer of Finicial Assistance" (OFA), in other words take over the railroad. If the parties cannot agree on a price, the STB will step in and set a "Fair and Reasonable Price" (basicly scrap value, less pickup costs). With the process it behooves the abandoning owner to work things out with a potential buyer.

It is even possible to provide an "Alternate Service" (ie: Run your own trains on someone elses railroad) if you cab show cause to the STB that the current operator is not providing sufficient service.

To those shippers and government agencies that are constantly whineing about the railroad serivce being provided, get off yer backsides and run the railroad yourself.

Go to the STB web site, and take a read on some of the proceedings . . .interesting reading.

Mike