Number: RL34117
Title: Railroad Access and Competition Issues
Authors: John Frittelli, Resources, Science, and Industry Division 
Abstract: This report provides background on the current railroad regulatory regime. It then examines the three main points of contention between railroads and their captive customers: "bottlenecks," "paper barriers" (also known as "interchange commitments"), and "terminal switching arrangements." It discusses legislation addressing these issues as well as shipper and railroad points of view. The last section of the report discusses the implications of injecting more rail-to-rail competition into the industry.
Pages: 16
Date: January 10, 2008