Short line railroad operations as an alternative to loss of rail service
Subtitle: pros and cons
Series: BQW 76
Publisher: Council of State Governments
Published: 1976
Place of publication: Lexington, Ky
Language: eng
Number of pages: 36
Subjects: Railroads and state; Railroads; Finance; Branch lines
Description: The report asserts the probability of future widespread abandonments of branchline rail freight service. It stipulates the circumstances in which abandonments are most likely to occur, and assesses the negative impacts that may result. It is suggested that short line railroad operations may be an alternative to the complete loss of rail service. The report describes the savings that may accrue through a changeover from major railroad ownership to short line operation. Alternative institutional and financial mechanisms for establishing and operating short line roads are discussed. A broad description of capital and operating costs is given. Finally, several examples are provided of successful short line operations in the United States.
Notes: Based on a report prepared for the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation.
Table of contents: title: Preface; title: Introduction; title: Is retention of the rail line desirable; title: The advantages of short line operation compared with operation as a branch of a main line; title: The institution of short line operation: Alternatives; title: Elements of short line operation; title: The experiences of municipal operations; title: The experience with privately owned short line railroads; title: Supplemental uses of a rail line; title: The question of subsidy; title: Summary; title: Footnotes; title: Bibliography.