Effects of Railroad Regulatory Reform on Coal and Electricity. Draft.

摘要

The results to date of a study started in mid-1984 to determine how rail transportation policies are affecting United States markets for coal and electricity support the following conclusions: ''Partial rail deregulation'' is not now inhibiting the US from providing adequate supplies of utility coal. The basic principles of differential pricing, endorsed by the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, appear to be contributing to the improved operational and financial health of the nation's railroads. Although no modification to the Staggers Act is suggested here, some regulatory ''fine tuning'' is in order to balance the requirements of an efficient free enterprise system with the needs of those utility coal shippers who are vulnerable to monopoly abuse. (ERA citation 10:029736)