> ...although coal accounts for 47% of the railroads' ton-miles,
> it generates only about 25% of the railroads' revenues.

There are a lot of odd random mismatches to be found in railroad statistics , or any statistics for that matter. They are often totally meaningless!

In this case, the immensely superior economics of unit coal trains significantly lowers the cost of providing the service; permitting railroads to recover as much or more return on their investment, as with other commodities; even with much lower revenue per ton-mile. Note also, that railroad investment in coal transport is orders of magnitude less per tone mile as well. Someone else buys and maintains the cars, buys and maintains the terminal facilities, etc; relieving the railroads of most of the capital costs involved, and much maintenance cost too.

Railroads still need pay for the train service labor, buy and maintain a few additional locomotives, and in a few relatively rare places, invest in improved track capacity. But by an large, unit coal trains are just plain gravy, most of the incremental costs being borne by others. Now, do you really hate railroads so much , that your want them deprived of that gravy, just because it is a relative easy buck?



> .... I understand that the Class 1 railroads are hiring.

Tried that - twice now. Once when I had just retired from the navy, and again last year. Class 1s may or may not be hiring now, but I can't get past the medical exam. 1st time I was told my physical fitness was lacking (huh what!). Last year it was my "metabolic syndrome" - whatever the hell that is.

And yes, I am still looking - elsewhere; ever since certain NASA projects were abruptly cancelled, some months after Obama took office. They were supposedly cancelled because the money congress appropriated for them was diverted to NOAA - by administrative fiat apparently; as there was no vote in congress to cancel anything. It took my employer and his customers by total shock - especially the unilateral abrogation by the government of signed contracts. So yes, this president did directly cost me my job - without an OK from Congress. So "loss of respect" is the most accurate description of my feelings; and profound "loss of trust", is the natural result of his actions.


And - oh yes - I almost forgot! I would be happy if this president would just dial back on his own ideology, which is as foreign to what most Americans have held for dozens of generations, as it could possibly get. If he would just demonstrate in very deed, his own respect for fundamental American ideals, such as individual self reliance, personal civic responsibility, reverence for the Constitution and the rule of law - not of men, and the system of checks and balances required of congress; he would at least get my respect.

But as it is, no such respect has been earned, while trust has been completely destroyed. Indeed, much of the country is in obvious fear of what he will do next - "with or without Congress" as he keeps saying - and while certain factions must be "excluded from the debate" as his minions keep on saying. It's a damn shame - but the shame is on him - not his opposition!

But then again, there always seems to be those among us, that keep insisting we must all simply take whatever the ruling class wishes to impose; in pure silence with Ne'er a complaint or even a whimper to be heard. Oh - and anyone who dares to take notice and point anything out or publicly question what our "leaders" do - is told to dial back the hate. Well my friend - that is not only about as un-american as you can get - it is as un-liberal as you could possibly be. It is the pure antithesis of what "Liberalism" was once about.