It was the age of deregulation -- airlines, trucking, and railroads. Without the Staggers Rail Act it is highly likely there would be no
railroading left in the U.S. today says Ass'n. of American Railroads' president and CEO Ed Hamberger. That legislation, started under Jimmy
Carter and carried out under Ronald Reagan "...rescued the industry from oppressive regulations that dictated rail prices, earnings, and operating
practices." he continued.
By the end of the 1970s taxpayers were paying close to $1 billion to keep the nation's railroads afloat, mostly in the east. Since that time
freight rates have fallen 57% on average in real dollars. Today the World Bank rates U.S. freight railroads as delivering the most cost effective
service in the world.
With the nomination of former Congressman Norman Y. Mineta of San Jose, CA. as President Bush's Secretary of Transportation comes the names of others whose job it will be to staff other posts within DOT from the Federal RR Administration to Office of Intermodal coordination. They are:
Meanwhile Shuster's Committee will be chaired by Alaska's Don Young who, it is reported, is not entirely opposed to rail. Shuster, from Altoona, PA., is resigning from Congress.
NEW 'SURF BOARD' VICE CHAIRMAN
The Surface Transportation Board has a new vice chairman in William Clyburn, Jr. a Democrat from South Carolina appointed to the Surf Board by Bill Clinton on Dec. 18, 1998. He succeeds Wayne Burks. Prior to joining STB Clyburn served as commerce counsel to former VA. Senator Chuck Robb, and as staff counsel to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
HISTORICAL TIDBIT
The standard but rather odd width railroad gauge used in the U.S. -- 4 ft. 8.5 inches -- is handed from England where all the early locomotives and rolling stock were purchased. It was the gauge used up to that time for coal and quarry trams and before this for horse drawn wagons. And if wagons were not built to this width their axles couldn't withstand the stress of not fitting into existing ruts patterned after chariot wheels in the old Roman roads built to "military specs" for that day.
NORTHEAST HEATING OIL RESERVE
Established by Bill Clinton, it is located at the Amerada Hess Corp. tank farm in Woodbridge, N.J. (1 million barrels), Williams Energy Services (500,000 bbls.) and Motiva Eneterprises, LLC (500 bbls.), both of New Haven, CT. Releases are to be made when heating oil prices spike upward.
