RAILROAD ABANDONMENT: A SOUTH DAKOTA TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM

Railroad abandonment is especially critical to South Dakota's agriculturally-oriented economy because abandonment often threatens the survival of grain elevators and other agri-business firms. The problem of abandonment is becoming more critical because it has been occurring at an increasing rate in recent years. In addition, both the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Congress have been considering proposals which would speed up rail abandonment proceedings. This article, which is first in a series, reviews the railroad abandonment problem and discusses selected alternatives available to affected firms.