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We have been exploring the effects of the deregulatory interventions that the U.S. implemented from 1970 to 1980—extraordinary measures that aimed to rescue railroad corporations and keep the infrastructure they operate under private control.

As we continue this exploration, we wanted to share a perspective that vividly brings to life the significance of what happened at that time and in the years that followed—not just the harms that were inflicted, but also the opportunities that were missed, the potential that remains untapped, and the enduring urgency of attempting to turn things around.

Who better to do that than Ken Kirschling, who began working in the railroad industry shortly after its deregulation in the 1980s and remains deeply involved in it to this day? Ken is the owner and principal bridge engineer at Rail Star Engineering. By a stroke of good fortune, his office is also right next door to mine.

As you will hear in our conversation, Ken’s up-close experience of the transformations that U.S. railroads have undergone imbues his stories with a unique energy. Decades after the fact, you can still feel Ken’s excitement when he recounts working in an industry that was no longer resource-constrained and was, for a time, actually growing and innovating—even as it was leaving smaller communities behind. No less palpable, however, is Ken’s profound disappointment at the funneling of capital out of the system that has since taken place, and the stagnation and deterioration of service that has ensued.

Whether you are already familiar with these themes or approaching them for the first time, this conversation is sure to inspire you with both appreciation and concern for the past, present, and future of this critical national infrastructure on which we all depend.

With Gratitude & Solidarity,

Bill Moyer

Reconnect America is hosted by Bill Moyer, co-author of the book Solutionary Rail: A People-powered Campaign to Electrify America’s Railroads and Open Corridors to a Clean Energy Future. Check out the essays and supplemental posts that complement this podcast HERE.

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