MAINTAINING LOCAL RAIL FREIGHT SERVICE

For the Nation's railroads, abandonment continues to be an essential part of the economic recovery from the bankrupt conditions of the industry in the 1960s and 1970s. Unfortunately for shippers and communities, abandonment offers no economic opportunity. In fact, losing rail service can create adverse conditions for local businesses and economies. While major railroads will most likely continue to take advantage of abandonment, shippers and rural communities are still ill-prepared to address this issue when their local rail branch line falls victim to the abandonment process. Not only is their knowledge of the abandonment process frequently limited, but more often than not their ability to successfully work within the framework of the process is substantially constrained by their lack of useful information. This revised handbook is aimed at providing such information for shippers, rural communities, and other interested groups that are facing or will face an abandonment. Bringing together information from a variety of sources, this revised handbook provides an updated guide to assist shippers and communities in retaining or acquiring viable local rail service. Included is a brief summary of rail regulation as it applies to railroad abandonment and a detailed summary of the abandonment process as it exists today. Topics covered include both methods for preventing abandonments and alternatives to abandonment. Special attention is given to providing nonrailroad purchasers of rail lines the fundamental considerations they should address before purchase. Available assistance programs are outlined, including those from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other Federal and State agencies, as well as industry associations and Class I railroads. This handbook should serve not only as a current guide to the abandonment process but also as a reference to additional sources of information and assistance for shippers and communities facing future rail line abandonments.

• Corporate Authors:

  Department of Agriculture

  Transportation and Marketing Division, Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20250
• Authors:
  • Batson, J A
  • Bearer, M A
  • Norton, J D
• Publication Date: 1997-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 55 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abandonment; Alternatives analysis; Communities; Deregulation; Grant aid; Guides to information; Handbooks; Prevention; Property acquisition; Railroads; Rural areas; Traffic managers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Acquisition; Shippers
• Old TRIS Terms: Assistance programs; Guides
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00739001
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 29 1997 12:00AM