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  • "Railroads Got Something" Fiscal Cliff

  • For topics on Class I and II passenger and freight operations more general in nature and not specifically related to a specific railroad with its own forum.
For topics on Class I and II passenger and freight operations more general in nature and not specifically related to a specific railroad with its own forum.

Moderator: Jeff Smith

 #1127877  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Now that we are "running the movie backwards" (or the video on rewind) regarding the Fiscal Cliff (anyone about to think Obama will veto the legislation?), let us note that during the 5AM CT hour, CBS Radio News reported that there is a provision within such for railroads. CBS dismissed it "even under crisis conditions somebody will always find a piece of pork to throw in the pot".

I must wonder what is that provision; what area of the industry does it affect, for even if 90% of railroading is all about freight traffic, "John Q" still thinks of railroading as passenger trains. Therefore, I'm placing my bet the provision is passenger related.

Amtrak, commuter agencies, freight (in which please excuse my off topic origination), anyone?

Enquiring mind wants to know.
 #1127882  by mkellerm
 
It is an extension of the "Railroad Track Maintenance Credit" for an additional two years:

SEC. 306. EXTENSION OF RAILROAD TRACK MAINTENANCE
CREDIT.

(a) IN GENERAL.--Subsection (f) of section 45G is

22 amended by striking ''January 1, 2012'' and inserting
23 ''January 1, 2014''.
24

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.--The amendment made by

25 this section shall apply to expenditures paid or incurred
26 in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2011.

Here is the obligatory Wikipedia link: Railroad Track Maintenance Tax Credit
 #1127893  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Mr. Keller, I stand informed and corrected.

To add to our body of knowledge, the (presumably to be) enacted legislation is titled “American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012”; here is a link to the legislation including the Section 306, as captioned by Mr. Keller, appertaining Short Line railroads:

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc112/h8_eas.xml