Tuesday 3 June 2008

:: Look for Railroads to make a quick comback...
WCGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Mon Jun-02-08 03:26 AM
Original message
Look for Railroads to make a quick comback...Updated at 3:44 AM
The independent trucker, one of the last of the romantic figures left in America, is about to go under for the third time. Rising fuel costs that he (or she) can't pass on are rapidly forcing the independent freight haulers to park the rig.

In a way, the truck lived on American Greed and cheap oil, the elixir that made us all feel as if we could get anything we wanted at anytime at an affordable price.

But now, with the price of gas skyrocketing, the lonesome train whistle may be calling us back to the days when trains were king.

And with airlines soon to abandon smaller markets because they can't afford to fly anything that isn't chock full of customers, passenger trains will quickly fill the void.

I see freight being carried into cities by train and then trucked around in soon to be developed electric short haul trucks. People will stop heading for greener pastures and abandon the exurbs. Farm land will be reclaimed from far flung developments. Cities will once again be the centers of life that they once were.

The market will work it's magic.

Okay, okay, clap my hands and tinkerbell will wake from the dead.

I just have to look at the bright side once and awhile. All this gloom and doom about peak oil, energy crisis and impending food shortages is making me weary.

But I do think this will all shake out for the good. It's unfortunate that our country has allowed our leaders to become one with the economic power of oil and we did nothing, nothing to prepare for this day that anyone who was around for the first Earth Day knew was coming. We have pain coming, large doses, but I think in the end, we shall prevail. It won't be the same consumer oriented society we have come to loath and love, but it will be a better one for our children and our childrens children.


Alert | Hide Thread | Recommend (13 votes) Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
Replies to this thread
Invest CSX ! kentuck Jun-02-08 03:28 AM #1
Friend of mine working for rail sez it's already here... Hobarticus Jun-02-08 03:30 AM #2
They ripped up so much track that it will take a large investment WCGreen Jun-02-08 03:32 AM #3
Not for freight - the network is quite up to date. Richardo Jun-02-08 03:35 AM #7
I know - freaking idiots -- Flaxbee Jun-02-08 05:03 AM #29
My Union Pacific stock (from my days as an employee) has gone up over 30% just this year Richardo Jun-02-08 03:32 AM #4
Yea well it ain't gonna be so cheap to fly anymore... WCGreen Jun-02-08 03:35 AM #8
It will take some doing - rail costs well in excess of $25 million per mile to construct Richardo Jun-02-08 04:17 AM #16
$25 Mil per mile? Do you have a source for that contention? A HERETIC I AM Jun-02-08 11:27 AM #41
No profit in flying anymore. Takes a lot of money in fuel burn Turn CO Blue Jun-02-08 04:03 AM #13
People won't have a choice nadinbrzezinski Jun-02-08 04:04 AM #14
People may not - but the railroads do. Richardo Jun-02-08 04:18 AM #17
They are not government owned but changes are coming to this country nadinbrzezinski Jun-02-08 04:20 AM #19
The market may be a memory but all those draconian rules (Amerika is not a Nation of Laws anymore) tom_paine Jun-02-08 08:44 AM #38
We just got north-south commuter rail here in NM Warpy Jun-02-08 03:32 AM #5
You're laying out a good case here for rational reforms. JeffR Jun-02-08 03:33 AM #6
Remember a few years ago when they tried to kill the railroads? MiniMe Jun-02-08 03:37 AM #9
Yea, they were always trying to kill them... WCGreen Jun-02-08 03:40 AM #10
Exactly. And of course, they will never give the dems credit for it MiniMe Jun-02-08 04:00 AM #12
Oh, rail's comin' back alright... Mr_Jefferson_24 Jun-02-08 03:45 AM #11
I thought the infrastructure was not in such good shape. Bridges, for one thing, need overhauling. Hekate Jun-02-08 04:04 AM #15
I think if resources are redirected, we can pretty much do anything. WCGreen Jun-02-08 04:19 AM #18
That is not capitalism... but Keynseian Economics nadinbrzezinski Jun-02-08 04:24 AM #21
Not Capitalism Anymore AndyTiedye Jun-02-08 05:14 AM #30
Fascism, we should not be afraid to use it nadinbrzezinski Jun-02-08 05:18 AM #31
Both capitalism and Keynes may abhor monopolies, elleng Jun-02-08 05:46 AM #34
Railroads HAVE TAKEN OVER elleng Jun-02-08 05:38 AM #33
And here is my take on peak oil nadinbrzezinski Jun-02-08 04:22 AM #20
Basically go back to neighborhood stores and public transportation... WCGreen Jun-02-08 04:31 AM #23
You are lucky, but it will come back nadinbrzezinski Jun-02-08 04:41 AM #25
Similar thing just finished in Denver Robb Jun-02-08 01:05 PM #43
40 acres and a mule. IamyourTVandIownyou Jun-02-08 04:28 AM #22
Freight trains are certainly part of a better future... CaliforniaPeggy Jun-02-08 04:40 AM #24
As gas hits $5 , look for small towns lib2DaBone Jun-02-08 04:44 AM #26
London is similar Prophet 451 Jun-02-08 11:13 AM #40
Meltdown according to this news article RamboLiberal Jun-02-08 04:53 AM #27
Well, I'll be dead by then... WCGreen Jun-02-08 06:48 AM #36
and bicycles! Swamp Rat Jun-02-08 04:55 AM #28
Should take a photo of the one I got on Friday nadinbrzezinski Jun-02-08 05:22 AM #32
Rail at 5% growth a year bhikkhu Jun-02-08 06:27 AM #35
It'll be interesting to see how delivery is handled Robb Jun-02-08 01:07 PM #44
Short haul or short line, or relocation. bhikkhu Jun-02-08 02:25 PM #46
Out here, desperate people are stealing the rails to sell for scrap... countryjake Jun-02-08 07:05 AM #37
Excellent news Prophet 451 Jun-02-08 11:11 AM #39
Have you heard about the National Gateway? OurVotesCount-Ohio Jun-02-08 11:58 AM #42
Oh boy! I think I'll become a hobo! lonestarnot Jun-02-08 01:11 PM #45

No comments:

Apture