[caddie]

How much do the rail companies pay in taxes, of all kinds?

Because if it is a significant amount, say, 15 to 30 percent of their gross revenues, then all the Feds have to do to have a first-class rail system up and running by 2010 is to simply rescind all their taxes.

[Publius]

I don't have the figures at my fingertips, but the federal taxes paid by railroads are the corporate income tax and the fuel tax for diesel locomotives. Ironically, the fuel taxes paid by the railroads for their locomotives go to support the highway system.

The property taxes are paid to states, counties and localities, and those can be nasty. I don't know if the federales have the authority to rescind state, county and local taxes.

Of course, no highway pays property taxes, which only adds to the tilted playing field.