Is it now time to reactivate our rail network for freight?

Question

With the cost of fuel soaring and the current government seemingly incapable of solving our fuel crisis with anything that makes sense, does the rail system now seem to make more sense? I think it does, but I'd like to see some discussion about it.

Oil drilling in the US is not going to get us anywhere in the near term, and unless the government starts giving more incentive to alternative sources to innovate, we have to do more now.

Answer 1

It would be a great idea, but it would probably require the nationalization of all rail service in the country in order to make it effective as run down as some areas are....

Answer 2

Yes, for frieght, but more importantly, for passengers.

Answer 3

the USA has a very active rail freight system.

I ship 25 cars loads a week all over the USA

Answer 4

"Reactivate?" I don't know where YOU live, but I am in the heartlands of the midwest, and the rail runs thru my town. Trains coming and going all day long, hauling nothing BUT freight!

Answer 5

yes it would make sense to reactivate the use of the rail system not only for freight but for transportation as well. Where I live, inter urban rails have actually been torn up, making it impossible to reactivate them unless we wanted to rebuild the rails. But do you know why they were torn up? Becuase the car industry wanted them torn up so THEY would have more business. With inter urban rails and rails for freight, the fuel crisis would be not so major. Not only would we be using less fuel, the cost would go down. The places we get oil from know that we suck up a lot of it and feel they can charge us high prices becuase they know we are not gonna stop using it anytime soon. As soon as the level of fuel used drops, im sure the price will go down as well.