by electricron
MikeBPRR wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 10:08 am I may be wrong, but wouldn't the Class I's be less opposed if someone upgraded their infrastructure for them? My understanding is that the New Orleans - Mobile Route is mostly single-tracked, and to an amateur like me, it seems rather pointless to have a corridor passenger rail service sharing trackage with freight rail if the line isn't double-tracked.Putting the double track issue aside, that's precisely what the freight railroads have been asking for, Amtrak or a local transit agency reimburse them for all the improvements needed to run passenger trains without causing delays to the freight trains.
The differences of opinions over what is really necessary to make them whole is the root of their reluctance to run passenger trains over their lines. They do not want someone else to upgrade their railroads, what they want is for someone else to pay for them to do it. If Amtrak or a local transit agency balks at what they suggest is needed, that certainly raises their opposition.
It's like taking your car to a mechanic shop to repair your car, and you balk at the mechanic's price. Do you think you should be able to force the mechanic to fix your car at your price? I hope not, that would not be fair to the mechanic. Of course, the transit agencies or Amtrak is not left with the option to use a different mechanic, they are mostly forced to use the one and only railroad in existence. There should be some mechanism in place to arbitrate the differences. Apparently, the STB is the one and only arbitrator.
But it should be done in private without all the publicity present, a fact finding mission on what is needed and why, then how much that should cost. Barting in public does not present the best face possible from either side.