Its about time that the state governments got out of the railroad business. It's unfair that they keep obsolete rails around just in case they want to use them, but mainly keep them to keep the truckers rates low "or else we'll go rail" screwing us out of a fair wage! Starting with the land grants, railroads have done nothing but live off my tax dollars. I pay fuel taxes to build and maintain roads, not to buy railroads because some shippers are too cheap to pay the going rate. All the tax dollars wasted on the NWP and PCC lines could build safer roads for my industry and save real lives. Passenger rail should be the only focus as that will have the benefit of getting people out of their cars and free up capacity to make trucking more efficient. I don't pay taxes to help line the pockets of rail union bosses, managers and stockholders. I pay road taxes to build efficient roads, not buy worn out and unwanted railroad lines. My buddy at Washington DOT pointed me to this discussion board and I'm appalled at what I read here and how all these stupid worn out lines should be saved.
Just get out of my way and let me make a fair living!!