2009 Rail Customer Day
Online Journal

March 25, 2009

Rail customers and CURE members from across America came to Capitol Hill on March 25 for the 5th Annual Rail Customer Day.  For the first time, participants kept CURE members updated on the day’s events by posting to this Rail Customer Day Online Journal, a one-day blog designed to keep members informed of the developments in the Rail Customer Day meetings on Capitol Hill. 

Rail Customer Day Wrap Up
Posted 7:30 p.m.
By Bob Szabo

Today’s efforts bring us one step closer to achieving meaningful rail reform.  Thank you to all the CURE members and rail shippers who participated in today’s activities.  CURE will continue to follow this issue closely and will continue to update www.railcure.org with important news and information regarding our efforts.

Rail Customer Day Reception
Posted at 6:30 p.m.
By Bob Szabo


"With our economy already challenging consumers
and businesses at every turn, the last thing our farmers,
manufacturers and local utility companies need is to be
forced into paying exorbitant rates because of the
railroads’ uncontrolled pricing power. It’s time for
Congress to apply our antitrust laws more equitably to
protect consumers throughout the nation."
- Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

Journal of Commerce
Posted at 3:55 p.m.
By Bob Szabo

I just finished an interview with John Boyd of the Journal of Commerce.  John and I have spoken many times and he covers our issue extensively. We had an extensive discussion on a wide variety of topics related to the legislative fight for rail reform legislation in 2009. We'll post that story to the Web site as soon as it is published.

Antitrust
Posted at 3:00 p.m.
By Robert Szabo

One Democratic Senator indicates co-sponsorship of the Antitrust bill likely, another indicates legislative action on the issue imminent this year.

Omaha World Herald
Posted at 2:35 p.m.
By Robert Szabo

I met with the Washington bureau reporter for the Omaha World-Herald along with Shelly Sahling-Zart, who is with Lincoln Electric System in Lincoln, Nebraska.  We talked about how the monopoly power of the railroads is impacting consumers and farmers in Nebraska. Shelly is a great advocate for CURE and really gave the reporter a compelling story with a local angle.  

Escalation Consultants Survey Data Proving Effective
Posted at 1:30 p.m.
By Robert Szabo

A number of CURE members just had an excellent meeting with senior Senate majority staff who were particularly interested in the new Escalation Consultants survey data which shows that high rail rates are causing job layoffs, hurting American businesses, and moving frieght onto our congested roadways.  Our monopoly profits graphic which shows increasing railroad revenues and profits on declining volumes of traffic was also well received.

Electric Cooperatives, Muni's and Investor Owned Utilities
Posted at 12:35 p.m.
By Robert Szabo

Electric Cooperatives, Municipal and Investor Owned utilities had a lively discussion with a senior Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee who seemed to be persuaded by our arguments calling for increased access to competition for his constituents. He closed the meeting by suggesting a hearing to further educate members of the committee on the issue.

Glenn English, CURE Chairman
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
By Robert Szabo

"Only baseball and the railroads are exempt from
antitrust. Baseball may be sacred, but the railroads are
not."- Glenn English, Chairman of CURE

Rail Customer Breakfast Kick-Off Rally
Posted at 9:40 a.m.
By Robert Szabo

Rail Customer Day 2009 is off to a tremendous start with remarks from two of our champions on the Hill: Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Sen. John D. Rockefeller, IV (D-WV).  CURE is well positioned thanks to these two stalwarts.  Sen. Kohl is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee and Sen. Rockefeller is chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.  Both Senators gave rousing remarks and both stated that the chances for passage of meaningful rail reform legislation are better now than they have been in the past 20 years. 

"All of you who use railroads to ship your products
deserve the full application of the antitrust laws, to end
the anti-competitive abuses which are all too prevalent
in this industry today. The American economy flourishes
only when we have competition. When there is no
competition, the special interest groups win, but the
people don't win." - Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI)

"We can make big things happen in the Commerce
Committee. It's a new, tough, focused committee. This
is our year to do it, and I'm confident that we can."
 - Sen. John D. Rockfeller, IV (D-WV)

“Railroading Consumers” by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.)
Posted at 6:30 a.m.
By Robert Szabo

“In these challenging economic times, we hear a lot about falling stock prices, shrinking retirement funds, and plunging home values.  What we don’t hear about are actions taken by freight railroads that result in a hidden tax on U.S. consumers, causing higher prices for everything from the electricity lighting their homes to the food on their dinner table.”

These are the first few lines in a letter to the editor from Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) from this morning’s The Hill.  She hits the nail on the head.  The railroads exemption from U.S. antitrust laws allows them to charge exorbitant fees and provide unreliable service which ultimately hurts American consumers.

With the introduction of the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act (H.R. 233) earlier this year Rep. Baldwin has proven herself to be a champion of restoring fairness to the freight rail industry.  CURE is delighted to have a strong champion on its side.  I’m looking forward to hearing her comments on the issue later this afternoon at the Rail Customer Day reception.