During the 1990s the United States experience a reemergence of the railroad industry as an important mode of transportation. After decades of decline, train travel and use surged; by 1997, railroads were trans-porting almost 84 percent more freight than they did during their peak during World War II. Part of the boom can be traced to decreased shipping costs, which fell 62 percent between 1985 and 1996. Still, while the resurgence revitalized train transportation, it has come at a cost. Increasingly, railroad companies came under fire for market abuses and their failure to keep up with demand. There was even talk about deregulation or perhaps a restructuring of the entire industry. Critics pointed to problems such as those of Union Pacific (UP), considered one of the best in railroad transportation, in handling traffic from Southern Pacific, which UP bought in 1999. Shippers were unhappy with the overall quality of service...