“From Margins to Growth: The Economic Case for a Public Rail System” by Kira McDonald September 2024
“From Margins to Growth: The Economic Case for a Public Rail System” lays bare the economic reality for the current state of the US rail system—facts working railroaders have been espousing for decades. Public rail ownership has the potential to save up to $140 billion annually for US consumers, provide an estimated 180,000 new rail road jobs, and avert $190 billion in public health, environmental, and fiscal costs while helping to meet climate goals by avoiding 180 metric tonnes of carbon emissions.
Hardcopies of this research report are available. They were printed in a union shop and are spiral bound. If you would like to order a copy of this report, please contact us at publicrailnow@gmail.com.
From Margins to Growth: The Economic Case for a Public Rail System
What are fellow workers saying about the report?
“Class 1 railroads are hoarding wealth that could be used to invest in and expand the rail industry. This peer-reviewed report clearly demonstrates that under public ownership, working Americans would benefit enormously. The report shows that by electrifying the U.S. rail system, we could create 180,000 additional rail jobs by 2030, as many as 4 million new jobs across America by 2050, and save up to $400 billion annually in shipping costs. We must continue to advocate for the massive amounts of infrastructure that rail electrification will require while also pushing for the adoption of low-emission locomotives built by union workers as we continue to work towards achieving full rail electrification.”
—Tommy Carden, Associate Director, Green Locomotive Project, Warehouse Workers for Justice, United Electrical
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