[eru]

Freight railroads weren't always doing so well. They picked up a lot after deregulation.

Compare also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_of_the_privatisation_of... and see eg the share of rail in all transport.

[Eisenstein]

You mean when they ditched their much-less-profitable passenger lines and forced the government to deal with them, then heavily consolidated?

[justinjlynn]

Lobby to socialise or externalise all the costs. Work to privatise only the profits. Typical mode of operation.