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Lubbock, Texas | which is why so many are torn out in the past......if the line was not making money.....even if they just let it sit.....they pay property taxes on it....so scrap or reuse the rails, ties, and ballast......and sell the tracks off
and this is why it is hard for them to build new or double tracks even on existing lines.....not just a long term capital expense.....but a forever increased tax burden.....that is really a lot to plan decades in advance for
we should do more to increase favorable tax incentives for railroads to build more track because they can be efficient for the fuel used and the tons moved
no other transportation method is taxed on their method of transport the way railroads are....not shipping, trucking, or air....and most are subsidized with maintenance and operation of their method.....not so with railroads
and do not get me started on the silly john edwards type lawsuits brought by those that had a relative killed when a train "snuck up" on them and did not slam on the breaks in time or swerve to avoid them
we need to do more to encourage rail transportation because the only cheaper method for bulk is barge....and there are not enough rivers for that ;)
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