Back on Tracks

摘要

Congressis Gridlocked over infrastructure. On one side, Democrats want to invest in America. On the other side, Republicans want to tighten government's belt. But there's one more side to this story. U.S. freight railroads will get $23 billion worth of upgrades this year, and taxpayers won't pick up the tab. That's because the railroads build, maintain and improve their own infrastructure and even pay property taxes on their tracks. Also, freight trains are about three times as fuel-efficient as long-haul trucks, which means they help cut smog and reduce the U.S.'s carbon emissions and oil dependence. And forget those accident-prone trains your kids watch on Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. In reality, shifting freight from roads to rails sharply reduces crashes and congestion.