America's Railroads
Railroads: a vital link in the U.S. economy
America's freight railroads - a $55 billion industry - are a vital link in the national economy, connecting producers with manufacturers and distributors at home and abroad, via a network of more than 140,000 route-miles that serve every major U.S. port and metropolitan area. Forty percent of the country's freight ton-mileage, more than any other mode of transportation, moves across America's rail lines each year - that's seven tons for every person living in the United States.
Railroad Fact
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Economic impact
U.S. freight railroads are more efficient and cost-effective than any other freight rail system in the world. On average, shipping by rail costs 54 percent less in inflation-adjusted terms in 2006 than it did in 1981, which contributes to the competitiveness of U.S. products in the global marketplace and improves our standard of living.
Wages & benefits
Freight rail employees are among the nation's most highly compensated workers. Despite sharply rising health care costs, railway workers pay only a nominal portion of the cost of their generous benefits. In addition, more than 174,000 current railroad industry employees are covered by a separate retirement system that provides enhanced benefits that exceed those of Social Security alone, and is widely praised as financially healthy.
