Brian Arnhalt
Breckenridge, Minnesota
The tax credit is more than just the credit itself. My company recently helped RRVW finance the rehabilitation of two yard tracks that were needed to load heavier, longer trains. The tax credit helped make this upgrade economically feasible for the railroad and their willingness to proceed is what convinced us to participate. It seems to me this is a very positive outcome that the government should continue to encourage in the future.
Jerry Moen
LaMoure, North Dakota
It is not an exaggeration to say that if this railroad could not serve our facility we would have to close down. We ship approximately 10 million bushels a year and it is just not feasible to move that kind of volume by truck. Even if could, the damage that level of truck traffic would do to our local roads would be enormous.
David Skjaerlund
Owosso, Michigan
Short line railroads like Great Lakes Central provide service over track that was going to be abandoned by the large Class I railroads. For that reason most of this track received little or no investment for many years prior to the purchase by the short line. Catching up is very expensive and in rural areas such as ours small shippers do not generate enough volume to fully foot the bill. The tax credit has helped fill that gap. It allows the short line to catch up and lower operating expenses so that there is more revenue left to finish the necessary rehabilitation.
Cliff Vennix
Auburn, Michigan
Auburn Bean and Grain depends on the Huron and Eastern Railroad to move some 2,200 cars a year to get its product to market. The short line operates in areas the large Class I railroads no longer serve and over track that received limited investment by previous owners. The rehabilitation tax credit has allowed the railroad to increase it annual track investment by approximately $300,000 per year. Those track improvements are critical to the success of agricultural shippers in Michigan. They improve service and help keep transportation cost down. It's a smart program that should be continued.
Roger Simon
Alma, Michigan
he availability of direct rail service at the site was a major factor in making the economics of the move work. When you consider that one railcar holds four truckloads, the economics become real clear. Ours is a very price competitive business and we cannot get to the markets we need to reach without good short line rail service.
Steve McLaurin
Bay Springs, Mississippi
Our company feeds tens of thousands of chickens every day, and we count on the Mississippi Southern Railroad to be able to deliver the necessary corn and soybean meal in an economical fashion. Without the MSR being in business, and without their ability to rehabilitate and upgrade their track, we would have had to close our doors, which would have meant a meaningful loss of jobs and a major direct economic hit to our community.