Re: (erielack) Re: Meadville Line news!

[Ken <"lackawanna_@_iname.com">]

You make an excellent point.  Railroads pay property taxes, and what do 
those property taxes pay for?  Highways to parallel the railroads.


Ken B.

At 11:06 AM 6/8/00 -0400, Blake D. Tatar wrote:
>"The devil is in the details," NS spokesman Rudy Husband said today. "We
>would look to
>preserve rail service on the Southern Tier Extension if it made economic
>sense to do so.
>The taxes we pay on that line is an incredible burden that offsets any
>revenue that could
>be potentially generated. . . . If the state is truly interested in
>preserving rail
>service in that area, then tax relief is a must."
>
>     This paragraph by itself explains why there is no more Erie RR, DL&W RR
>and so on. Our governments (Federal, State & Local) tax & regulate the hell
>out of the railroads and then force them to run trains that make no money on
>lines that no longer generate revenue. Now they will appoint 14 welfare
>recipients (and one NON-VOTING American Indian) who know nothing about
>running a railroad, to make it all come together. HA!! They will supplement
>those paychecks (paid by taxes) with favors and bribes and the railroad will
>still just sit there. If their actual Internet was to get the railroad back
>& running, they would suspend or remove the tax on the line, stop the
>ridiculous regulations and just plain GET OUT OF THE WAY! I this was the
>case, I am sure that (and many other lines) would be running today. In 1960,
>the tax charged by the state of New Jersey was 14,000 per mile.  (see the
>EL's 1st annual report). That was 40 years ago. I am sure that New York has
>far surpassed that figure. Just as an example, let's use that 40 year old
>figure. This line would cost the railroad $2,044,000 a year without turning
>a wheel. Add to that the cost of regulation, equipment and track
>maintenance, labor and operating cost. You have to move ALOT of trains to
>make that kind of money. I would love to see that line in regular use again,
>but not at the cost of people who will not benefit from it. Just wanted to
>give some insight on who "the bad guy" really is.
>
>Blake D. Tatar
>"BDTatar_@_worldnet.att.net"
>Website @ http://home.att.net/~BDTatar/index.htm
>
>
>
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