Quote Originally Posted by kydonky View Post
Warren Buffet of Berkshire Hathaway has been investing heavily in rail stocks for several years now. Freight trains are so much more efficient in moving goods than trucking.

Lowes and other major material handlers used to have stores locted next to rail spur lines. I remember (and not that long ago) 99% of the lumber and meterials delivered to Lowes and other building supplies here in Frankfort were delivered by rail lines.

At some point we have switched to trucking. As a result highways are choked with trucks, the interstates are full of potholes and problems with the weight of trucks, diesel fuel is higher than gas (10 years ago it was the other way around). Lowes has moved their store from the rail line to the interstate.

I would not write off rail transportation just yet. Trucking is faster, but with a little planning we can keep our stores stocked. The many years that Lowe's was located by the rail line I never found them out of 2x4s or plywood.

Burring all this diesel fuel and gas is coming with a price, namely terrorism, exporting US dollars, over 60% of the trade deficit.

We need to start saving were we can. Rail freight should be way high on the list. Passenger rail where it can be used efficently (Tampa to Disney World, Atlanta Martha line, DC metro, etc.) should be a priority. We can still have our cars for daily transportation.

As far as Amtrak goes, it's considered heavy rail. Also note that when gas hit $4.50 a gal in 09 Amtrak turned a proffit that year. $5.00 gas will be here this summer and we may remember that as the last year of cheap gas.

I say prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
You're mixing apples and oranges..........

RAIL to move goods is a GREAT idea and beats trucking hands down. BUT we didn't start out talking about moving goods.........we talked about moving people.........and moving them short distances.

Light Rail and People moving rail doesn't work. Maybe it will work in the future, but for now it doesn't.

I places like NY, Chicago, SanFrancisco, etc, etc. where they ALREADY had subway systems, additional rail systems work but the money involved to create NEW infrastructure is CRAZY........simply CRAZY. And in our consumer based capitalistic economy, there simply is no way to pay for it. Of course, unless you subsidize the hell out of it, and make everyone pay, even those who will never use it.

Later,

Geo