[Publius]

When "public" money is involved, no limits are seen to either employee demands or fare levels or using other related costs as a cash cows.

This is the only area on which we are in complete agreement. Once these systems were privately owned. Then a combination of unionization and the minimum wage made it uneconomical for private interests to run them. The unions learned to milk the systems because union members were voters.

I'd like to level the playing field and return to the days of private ownership. But that's going to require more political will than anybody has nowadays.

[WOSG]

"Once these systems were privately owned. Then a combination of unionization and the minimum wage made it uneconomical for private interests to run them. The unions learned to milk the systems because union members were voters. "

Now you are talking. If you want to get the trucks off the highways, just get the Federal govt to end the age-old work rules on railroads that the unions insist on keeping. We could have great intermodal transport and much lower rail shipping costs, but union rules and fed regulation has held it back in the past and still is hampering productivity. ... JMHO.

Indeed, it could well be argued that this whole car vs. rail
dichotomy is a false one, the govt killed railroads through regulation. The issue is regulatory transport policies, or open / free market transport policies:


http://www.libertyhaven.com/theoreticalorphilosophicalissues/protectionismpopulismandinterventionism/socialcost.html