Re: (erielack) Re: Meadville Line news!

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

If the government owns the track, who determines the standards to which it 
is maintained?  What if one rail operator desires and is willing to pay for 
a higher standard, but another operator cannot afford it?  Who 
decides?  Who pays?  If the track is maintained at a lower standard, 
mandating slower speeds, an operator might choose another, faster route, 
depriving the rail line of needed revenue.

There are a lot of issues to be worked out.  And then there are signalling 
systems, rules, etc.


Ken B.


t 12:36 AM 6/9/00 -0400, "JACK5008_@_webtv.net" wrote:
>Blake,
>
>We see the problems that governments have given railroads for decades.
>We also have private freight railroads that have merged out of control.
>Amtrak can never make a profit, because of its large size and politics.
>
>Private enterprise and government input can do well to make US railroads
>top shelf. The Southern Tier could be a demonstration project of a new
>concept.
>
>Bus & trucking companies don't own the roads, airlines don't own the air
>or the airports, and barge companies don't own the water.
>
>One of the greatest ideas put fourth was the creation of the Interstate
>Railway System. The government would maintain railroad rights of way as
>it does with roads. Traffic control would also be a government function.
>
>Private carriers would operate over the Rail Interstates and pay a user
>fee. This would put railroads on the same playing field with the
>competition.
>
>
>  Jack Grasso
>
>Received: from mailsorter-101-6.iap.bryant.webtv.net (209.240.198.40) by
>         storefull-628.iap.bryant.webtv.net with WTV-SMTP; Thu, 8 Jun 2000
>         08:09:44 -0700 (PDT)
>Return-Path: <erielack-owner-JACK5008="webtv.net_@_internexus.net">
>Received: from internexus.net ([206.152.14.2]) by
>         mailsorter-101-6.iap.bryant.webtv.net (8.8.8-wtv-f/ms.dwm.v7+dul2)
>         with SMTP id IAA12419 for <"JACK5008_@_webtv.net">; Thu, 8 Jun 2000
>         08:09:43 -0700 (PDT)
>Received: (qmail 8700 invoked by uid 54); 8 Jun 2000 15:09:09 -0000
>Delivered-To: "erielack_@_internexus.net"
>Delivered-To: "erielack_@_internexus.net"
>Message-ID: <001601bfd15b$3382c320$"8f624e0c_@_pavilion">
>From: "Blake D. Tatar" <"BDTatar_@_worldnet.att.net">
>To: <"erielack_@_internexus.net">
>References: <"20000608100010.26320.qmail_@_internexus.net">
>Subject: (erielack) Re: Meadville Line news!
>Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 11:06:59 -0400
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>X-Priority: 3
>X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
>X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600
>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2919.6600
>Sender: "erielack-owner_@_internexus.net"
>Precedence: bulk
>
>"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
>
>
>
>  ------------------------------------------------------------
>Visit the erielack photopage at http://el-list.railfan.net


 ------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the erielack photopage at http://el-list.railfan.net

------------------------------