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Senator Baldwin introduces open access legislation
The article doesn’t say whether Tammy Baldwin is a democrat or a republican. Republicans are supposed to be anti-government regulation, so I suspect this bill does not have much chance in this congress that is pretty well controlled by republicans. From what I understand, this will really hurt the railroad industry and set them back forty years. Others who are more knowledgeable than I might want to weigh in.
Congress should keep their nose out of railroads business. Shipping by rail is by far the cheapest way of transporting any BULK commodity. Have this become law and watch the railroads lay ppl off in droves. Count On it. Ms Baldwin with all do respect the economy is all ready tenuous at best let’s not push it over the edge with another ill advised government regulation. Please go focus of something else.
Railroads seem to be getting attention from congress people who have no idea how railroads work.
Tammy is a democrat. There very well could be some Republicans behind this bill too.
Sounds like yet another unfunded mandate upon the private sector by legislators who believe in the free market, regardless of party affiliation, except when it doesn’t work for their constituents (e.g., contributors).
In order to allow ‘Open Access’ on private railroads, won’t that event require the US Government to Nationalize the Railroads? Which after Nationalizing, in turn, will then be the responsible party for maintenance and expansion. But we know from past experience with Amtrak, just how the US Congress will treat the railroads it will find itself in charge of funding. This bill is DOA and a waste of the paper it’s printed on.
is this the ICC again?
This is but another example of “the camel getting his nose into the tent” to, in a sense, sniff around. Parse carefully if you wish to find out what is really going on, because the gobbedly-gook language will not. This is a senator, regardless of political party, who is out of her depth. And this is something she or her staff cooked up to deflect attention from the Tomah VA scandal. Obviously it has nothing to do with the real world of RR’s and traffic.
Some shippers are unhappy that they have no competition. Deregulation would go back to the government setting rates. Open access allows railroads to set rates, but must allow other railroads access. However, the effect is the same. Lower rates will lead to rates of return that don’t justify reinvestment, deteriorating track and equipment, and ultimately repeal or nationalization. I would suggest that looking at the condition of our highways is probably a good indicator of what our railroads would look like if nationalized.
The one way to make this work is if the owning railroad was able to charge a sufficient trackage rights fee to make a reasonable return on investment even if the tenant gets the business. But in this case the tenant’s rates won’t be much lower than the owners current rates, so nothing is gained by the shippers. There is already maximum rate regulation in place to protect captive shippers. Staggers was designed to balance the railroad’s need for a reasonable rate of return but still protect the customer from getting gouged, and I think it has succeeded in this.
Senator Baldwin is a life long resident of Madison and represents the far left politics prevalent there. I doubt her proposal will attract widespread support.
First we the citizens let our government tax and harrass the railroads almost to the brink of disappearance then our politicians grandstand about how the railroads need to do a better job. A quick look at the REAL history of transportation in North America would be quite revealing!
@George Benson. Tammy Baldwin is a democrat.