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Re: Supreme Court Deals Massive Blow To Rails-to-Trails Programs
Author: OldPoleBurner
Date: 03-13-2014 - 12:10
The ewepeee did file to abandon the double redundant Tennessee Pass line years ago. They consider the Moffat line to be the 1st redundancy, and have long since diverted most of its traffic to Sherman Hill as well. They keep it only for the (much diminished) local coal traffic and as reserve capacity. Thus they do not need and will never need the Tennessee Pass for anything.
The only reason the Utterly Pathetic has not trashed the Tennessee Pass is because the BNSF filed with the STB to take over the line the as soon as the UP abandonment became effective. In accord with Federal law, had the UP gone ahead with the abandonment, a forced sale would have resulted, to any competent applicant willing to continue operations. Therefore, the UP withdrew the abandonment application, just days after BNSF's filing.
Now we just can't have a competitor getting anything, even if it has no value to us and we don't want it. - Now can we! The Public interest in even a semblance of competition BE DAMNED!
Of course, the ewepeee's attitude is the ultimate in irony and absurdity. Ironic because of their obvious willingness to just give away most of their traditional common carrier traffic to truckers. Although the UP appears to not know it, trucker's are UP's real competitors.
Absurd; because the current lack of rail to rail competition, has (in my view) severely diminished the rail industry as a whole. And UP along with it! If you kook around, you might notice that in those areas where rail to rail competition has been historically strong, the rail industry thrives. But in those ares where it has been historically non-existant, local railroad traffic is essentially moribund.
Mostly because of lack any true rail to rail competition; industrial traffic managers continue to develop all sorts of alternatives to rail transport. And because they do in fact find ways to avoid railroads entirely; the rail market share has continued to shrink; as have railroads become more and more irrelevant in the eyes of the average American. This even as rail profits are supposedly up?
But if they were really were "up", why are most railroads (UP included) still insisting on federal and state aid to accomplish capacity expansion projects. Has there been even one project in the last decade anywhere, that has not enjoyed subsidy. There must be at least one - somewhere - but most have been in "partnership" with public funding agencies across the country.
There is one case I know of, where the railroad (UP) rejected a subsidy; but specifically because of the "public benefit strings" which were attached. The project never did get built. Of course the UP was also quite absurd in thinking anyone in their right mind, will give out subsidies for private benefit, without strings attached. Absurd indeed!
Anyone who thinks this continuing slide in market share and relevance is sustainable for the industry in the long run, is not paying attention to reality. The STB erred when it drew the current railroad map, especially in the west. That error still needs correction.
The only reason the Utterly Pathetic has not trashed the Tennessee Pass is because the BNSF filed with the STB to take over the line the as soon as the UP abandonment became effective. In accord with Federal law, had the UP gone ahead with the abandonment, a forced sale would have resulted, to any competent applicant willing to continue operations. Therefore, the UP withdrew the abandonment application, just days after BNSF's filing.
Now we just can't have a competitor getting anything, even if it has no value to us and we don't want it. - Now can we! The Public interest in even a semblance of competition BE DAMNED!
Of course, the ewepeee's attitude is the ultimate in irony and absurdity. Ironic because of their obvious willingness to just give away most of their traditional common carrier traffic to truckers. Although the UP appears to not know it, trucker's are UP's real competitors.
Absurd; because the current lack of rail to rail competition, has (in my view) severely diminished the rail industry as a whole. And UP along with it! If you kook around, you might notice that in those areas where rail to rail competition has been historically strong, the rail industry thrives. But in those ares where it has been historically non-existant, local railroad traffic is essentially moribund.
Mostly because of lack any true rail to rail competition; industrial traffic managers continue to develop all sorts of alternatives to rail transport. And because they do in fact find ways to avoid railroads entirely; the rail market share has continued to shrink; as have railroads become more and more irrelevant in the eyes of the average American. This even as rail profits are supposedly up?
But if they were really were "up", why are most railroads (UP included) still insisting on federal and state aid to accomplish capacity expansion projects. Has there been even one project in the last decade anywhere, that has not enjoyed subsidy. There must be at least one - somewhere - but most have been in "partnership" with public funding agencies across the country.
There is one case I know of, where the railroad (UP) rejected a subsidy; but specifically because of the "public benefit strings" which were attached. The project never did get built. Of course the UP was also quite absurd in thinking anyone in their right mind, will give out subsidies for private benefit, without strings attached. Absurd indeed!
Anyone who thinks this continuing slide in market share and relevance is sustainable for the industry in the long run, is not paying attention to reality. The STB erred when it drew the current railroad map, especially in the west. That error still needs correction.
