Spanning nearly 140,000 miles, freight railroads serve nearly every industrial, wholesale, retail and resource-based sector of the economy.
From the selling and building of automobiles and houses, to electricity generation, to the selling of goods to export markets, America relies on freight rail to move raw goods and products throughout the U.S. and beyond. Rail’s breadth of service across the economy allows other industries to succeed. Even more, it provides a potent economic multiplier. For example, in 2017 railroads supported approximately 1.1 million jobs and generated $220 billion in economic activity and $26 billion in tax revenue.
Railroads must have smart policies that allow them — not taxpayers — to continually invest billions annually into their infrastructure. These investments are critical to ensuring safe and efficient operations, maintaining the modern American lifestyle and keeping America globally competitive.