OH LORDY
I feel a sermon coming on me.
Anyways, it seems like efficiency commends itself, and the only thing government really needs to do is get out of the way of those with more efficient ideas. Government does not need to impose solutions, especially the grossly inefficient ones that haven't happened in the private sector because they are not sustainable, not viable. *cough* Social Security *ahem*
Sorry Guys, I guess it's time for more bloveating by wsherrick. Yes, you would think that in a rational world efficiency would commend itself, but we don't live in a world governed by rationality it seems.
In regard to street car systems and such. They worked and work still quite well. Memphis TN is one example. They put a street car line back in service down the middle of down town for tourists. They found authentic turn of the century street cars down in Mexico that once ran on the Memphis Street Railway. This historic recreation was a huge profitable big hit for the city. So they've expanded it quite a bit. The cars are always crowded.
Many street car systems, didn't go out of business because they weren't profitable, they were deliberately destroyed, by the auto and oil interests. It is a matter of historic record.
The steam locomotive industry was also placed in at a disadvantage and wiped out by GM. (See Economic Results of Diesel Electric Motive Power by Brown)
Before we go on-a few fun facts. A single standard gauge track has as much haulage capacity as an 18 lane highway. One average freight train carries as much as 400 semi trucks.
The track and train haul this without burden to the public. In fact the railroad industry pays large amounts in taxes.
The trucks are a burden to the public as they must move on a tax payer supported right of way as they cause damage to the road that exceeds the budget for repair by quite a lot.
Just think about this. If a private trucking company had to buy and condemn land, pay taxes on it, build a road network and maintain it out of their earnings. Well, there would be no interstate trucking industry.
The government building of US highways and interstates, subsidizing the airline industry, trucking industry and taxing the public to maintain the right of way AND not passing those costs on to the private companies, i.e. truckers and airlines who use a public way at a nominal cost. Led to the abandonment and destruction of the greatest, most efficient transportation network ever to exist.
The Government has always been punitive toward the railroad industry. Those evil greedy capitalists had to be controlled, taxed and placed at a competitive disadvantage. They were and still are expected to provide transportation that is demanded of them and do it with the capital they earn, borrow or get from investors.
The hostile or negligent attitude of the regulatory bodies, big labor and falling profit margins led to the horrible state of affairs that reached a crisis point in the 1970's. The railroad industry's earnings had sunk until they were earning a negative rate of return. (help me out here EPH)
Then under Regan some, not all of the cripping regulations were relaxed under the Staggers Act of 1980. Slowly the industry began to repair and heal itself until the present day where the rate of return on investment, has finally attracted much needed dollars from investors.
Now the world is dealing with rising oil costs without any relief in sight. The trucking industry is suffering greatly. The railroad industry in the US is suffering also, but their natural efficiency makes it a lot easier and the most sensible alternative to trucking. For the first time in a hundred years the railroad industry due to rising oil prices can sort of attempt to compete with the truckers. Well, guess what? Now that we have a Democratic controlled Federal Government. This new profitability of the Railroad Industry is view as an injustice.
You must remember that to a dyed in the wool socialist. The steam locomotive chugging down the steel rail represents the most evil form of money grubbing capitalism, recalling such terms as, "robber baron," etc. The evil big railroad is always taking advantage of the poor little guy. Movies and literature is filled with these images.
Well, your gut reaction would be, "well that was in the past. Railroads no longer have a monopoly on transportation. It's 2007 not 1897.
Let me refer you to the latest issue of Trains Magazine. It turns out that some Democrats are pushing hard to repeal the Staggers Act and bring back the regulatory environment of the Turn Of The Century.
A few snippets from the article I read: "You're looking at the 1970's. You're looking at bankruptcy, you're looking divestments, you're looking at abandonment's." This from Association Of American Railroad Communications Director Tom White. The individual who's heading up this move to re-regulate the industry is a Rep. James Oberstar-Democrat Minn. now chairman of the House Transportation Committee. He says, "The railroads are common carriers Their service is not without public responsibility." That remark is right out of 1897.
Wait, there's more. "In the 19th Century the government gave the Railroad's huge tracts of land-They(the railroad industry) have an obligation to serve." He operates from a grossly inaccurate view of history. He expects the industry to provide transportation at a loss, because of the public interest. Vanderbilt said, "The public be ******!" People like this Congressman prompted this famous remark. I agree with Vanderbilt. This cat and his leftist buddies once again view the railroad industry as the enemy of the, "people," simply because he feels that making a fair return on investment is somehow cheating the shipper. Not only do these officials want to re-regulate as of old-they want to be Teddy Roosevelt and impose anti trust legislation on the industry. As if the railroads had no other competition from government subsidized modes of transportation. It is almost beyond belief. I think I'm in 1897 hearing this stuff. If these people get their way, It will be dark times for all of us who work for a railroad. It is especially ironic to me in this age of high fuel prices and concern about pollution. The answer to all of these problems is a healthy, profitable and privately operated railroad industry.
So to answer the statement that, "efficiency should commend itself." Yes, it should when sensible people are looking at it. But, the reality is, sadly, far from the case.
