Coming off the Rails

The railroad companies have been doing very well- the 2010 profit numbers for some of the big ones:

Union Pacific: $ 2.78 B

CSX: $1.563 B

However the train services in the cities are being cut back drastically, because of the budget deficits. The working class that relies on public transit is going to be hit hard.

Metra warns it may cut trains on every line but one in 2012 - chicagotribune.com: "Faced with a looming budget deficit in 2012, Metra board members are considering a list of service reductions that would save the agency $8.2 million a year.

Under a recommendation proposed by Metra CEO Alex Clifford and his staff Friday, 31 weekday trains on 10 of Metra’s 11 lines would be eliminated"