If you picked up this paper to read while you wait for the train to pass Southeast 12th Avenue, good news: The average wait time at this railroad crossing is just 2 minutes and 42 seconds, according to TrainSnap, so it should be over by the time you finish this column. Of course, as WW reported in last week’s cover story about how to solve this commuter delay (“Railed,” May 20), sometimes the gates are down for an hour or two, which is why we provided you with a whole newspaper to read. Minutes from now, you will look back on this and laugh. Many, many minutes from now. Here’s what our readers had to say:
aggieotis, via Reddit: “Fundamentally, we need better ways to make old industries come to the table. The rail lines (and timber industries) were granted these ridiculous permanent contracts during the robber baron era. I don’t really care what court precedent there is or whatnot paid for by these big old companies. We’ve got to have the social ability to update our contracts based on current people and current needs. I’m glad that this merger with Norfolk Southern presents a glimmer of an opportunity.”
P Miller, via wweek.com: “There are precious few industries that do not experience significant progress in technology every couple decades. But due to a punishing combination of overregulation and massive government subsidization and promotion of trucking, North American freight rail was relegated to existential limbo for decades…