It's an absolute shame that none of these investments in railroads will go towards building up a decent passenger rail system in the US. With diesel engines getting cleaner and more efficient every year, soon it will become more important to get cars off our interstates and planes out of the air, and trains are a really good way to do that.

A diesel train load is the equivalent of a tractor trailer running at 400 miles per gallon. The only problem is local distribution from the terminal. However, if we revive more ancient rail rights-of-way we could dramatically expand the systems servicability.

There is no Magic to what Warren Buffett does, he just has more patience than most people. The average investor will hold a stock 12 to 18 months at the most, Warren will hold for 12 to 18 years. Here is an example:

Statistically people over 65 years old, spend 4 times as much on medicine as those under 65.

Millions of Baby-Boomers with Trillions of dollars will be in their 60's soon.

Cost of Living is about 3%(minus food and energy cost), but Medical costs are growing about 9%

A Global medical company, with a triple-AAA credit rating,
currently is selling about 20% bellow it's value.

Warren Buffett added some more of their stock to his "Buy-n-Hold" portfolio. It will take years for that to pay-off.

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While I understand the desire to remove trucks from our highways, I also need to point out their necessity. Rail is great, but you will always need some way to get the product from the rail yard to the final destination, unless you want railroad tracks going up to every Toyota dealership to drop of the new Prius.
Let work on forcing truck companies and manufactures to build and use more environmentally sound big-rigs. And don't forget that thousands of hard working people drive these trucks every day to put food on the table. The drivers are not responsible, the companies they work for are, so please don't take it out on them. No I am not a driver, but I have a family member who is.

A look at oldnyc.com and forgotten-ny.com will show the many railways that used to go through Brooklyn, Queens, and even Manhattan. Couldn't electric frieght trains run through short/light hauls urban areas cutting pollution?
Yes, passenger rail systems could really use a ramp-up. Short flights don't make much sense any more with all the security delays.

vsk

Every time I read that phrase "We need to force" It reminds me of the many failed Comunist countries and their propensity to force their will on the people. Force does not work long term on a free people. Sooner or later they have a tea party.
The US was founded on the notion that the people would run the government, not the government running the people.
However the US like all other Democracies is slowly moving farther and farther to the left until one day it will be so bloated and top heavy it will falll of it's own weight, brought on by loose fiscal policy.
This is all interesting to watch.

What are you talking about Zac? I don't see "We need to force" anywhere. Though I agree, force creates resistance.

Let work on forcing truck companies and manufactures to build

MDO a couple of comment ago