rail strike averted

[dismalist]

Another key point to recall is that the railroads initially built their enormous wealth throughout much of the country, by literally being given land on which to build their tracks.

Correct! And that land was worthless without the railroads.

[marshwiggle]

Another key point to recall is that the railroads initially built their enormous wealth throughout much of the country, by literally being given land on which to build their tracks.

For better or worse, in order to get the huge investment (and risk) required to build megaprojects, the one incentive the government has is to offer a monopoly, for either a limited term or indefinitely. It's always easy to look at the result once it's generating huge profits and be outraged at how the government "maintains" the monopoly, but it has to be acknowledged that this was necessary in order that it be undertaken in the first place.

[kaysixteen]

And one more point-- rail unions may be 'holding hostage' the companies (and thus, the country) by refusing assent to their contract offers, but that's well, too bad, unless we have somehow relocated to a communist country without my knowledge.   These people are highly skilled professionals, and cannot (for the most part) merely be replaced with schmucks plucked off the road.   Similar to pro jock unions, thus, they control access to the product their employers provide.   I am a baseball fan, for instance, but wish to pay exactly nothing, either in person or by watching on tv, to see such schmucks off the road wearing 'Red Sox' uniforms, and playing ersatz 'major league' baseball games.   Even if this discomfits the billionaires who own the teams.

Now as to the need to give the rrs the monopoly, complete with the free land, of course that's true, just as we had to give access to utilities easements to put up transmission lines, and monopoly access to service the land these lines cross.   But that does not mean that the established monopolists should not be then forced to accept limitations on their profits and businesses, once so established.

[Mobius]

Is this not considered subsidizing railroads? Many of these are for freight rail.

https://railroads.dot.gov/newsroom/press-releases

[dismalist]

Is this not considered subsidizing railroads? Many of these are for freight rail.

https://railroads.dot.gov/newsroom/press-releases

That's all chicken feed except for one big one, and that's new.  It looks like this is to the benefit of places around railroads, in other words paying for stuff the railroads themselves find not worth paying for. So, it's subsidies to rural people and such. Doesn't do the railroads any good.

Oh, and Class I railroads are not even eligible for the funding, which are the only railroads involved in the wage negotiation.

[Anselm]

They must be desperate for workers since they repeatedly advertise their career fairs nearby where I live.   I actually went to one a month ago since I really want a different job.   The recruiter says " The railroad never stops moving.  Your family life never stops moving.  Expect Xmas and Independence Day to be celebrated with your family over the phone".    At times you have to get out of the engine and walk 100 yards through knee high snow.  You are on call and sometimes they relocate you to another city.   I wanted to run out of there screaming.  So I chickened out and handed the guy my resume and told him I wanted an office job.