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freight charges - pipe dream?

DvV
February 01, 2003 06:10PM
Hi,
I was wondering what the RR gets paid for hauling a car full of freight from Alamosa to Walsenburg (roughly). Does anyone know? If there are 30 cars a day, 5 days a week, and say 50 weeks per year, you are hauling about 7500 cars per year.
If there is a PROFIT of $133 per car, then that is $1,000,000 per year profit from the San Luis Valley.
Now then, let me bring in a short comment on the Georgia Northeastern. It is a former narrow gauge line from Marietta to the Tennessee Line at Copper Hill. They run freight (as I recall about 30-40 cars a day) on the line which is owned by three entities, the first third is owned by the GNE, the next third is by CSX (not connected to their system), and the last is by the State of Georgia. The GNE leases the unowned sections for freight service. The northern third also hosts and operates the State of Georgia sponsered the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway for tourists.
If the State of Colorado would purchase the ex-D&RGW line and sell the section BNSF wants to BNSF, the sale of the Joint Line may be able to provide funds to relay rail over La Veta.
If the State of Colorado will maintain the line, an operator could operate the line. If the RGRPC would form a freight division to run the SG, the profits could go to aid the C&TS. The Colorado legislature would get a larger bang for the buck approving money for the SG, which serves a larger geographic area than just the smaller Antonito area.
Also, Alamosa, Monte Vista, and so forth would have more political clout than just Antonito.
Of course if the RGRPC did operate both the SG and C&TS, dual gauging Antonito would be a bit more plausable.
With the current soft economy, I doubt it could happen but it is nice to dream.
Doug
Subject Author Posted

freight charges - pipe dream?

DvV February 01, 2003 06:10PM



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