Density and Integration Effects on Class I U.S. Freight Railroads.

Rationalization of U.S. freight railroads following the Staggers Rail Act of 1980 had led to lower real rates for many agricultural and industrial shippers, but has also been accompanied by increasing industry concentration and (more recently) merger-related service disruptions. This has led some shippers to call for a "competitive access" regime to replace Staggers. We test the technological feasability ot subjecting Classe I railroad networks to reforms similar to those in telecommunications and electricity.