[engineeringwoke]

> I would be surprised if this correlated with a large increase in derailments, as that would have a tremendous impact on average network speed and thus profit.

That would be true in a non-monopolistic situation, but it's well known from the investor side that what the railroads are doing around rates is driven by collusion and lack of regulation.

CSX stock was at $8 in 2016 and is at ~$33.50 now. There is no amount of throughput increase that could drive those financial results. You could lever up your cap structure with tons of debt (even 6-7x) and not even get close to this kind of return on equity.

Throughput doesn't matter when you have pricing power; in fact, abrupt drops in throughput make people even more desperate so that they can raise the freight rates even more.

[richardhod]

and this is why strong and intelligent regulation of many structurally monopolistic industries is essential. (and known in Europe)