MPC Research Reports
Report Details

Abstract

The overall purpose of this report is to evaluate the perspectives and practice of economic and safety regulation of local and regional short line railroads. Specific objectives are to: (1) review the dynamics of the short line railroad spin-off movement in the United States and the Mountain-Plains Consortium region; (2) review the existing federal and state regulations related to short line versus Class I carriers; (3) detail the existing number, structure, and regulation of short line railroads in the Mountain-Plains Consortium region; (4) determine the extent and effect of regulation from the perspectives of the regulated short line railroads versus the state regulatory agencies; and (5) evaluate the conflicts in regulatory perspectives and their impacts on short line railroads.