Freight Railroads in Today's Economy
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Freight railroads play an important role in the United States' economy. The American freight rail system is considered the best in the world. In terms of ton-miles, railroads annually move more than 25% of the United States’ freight and connect businesses with each other across the country and with markets overseas. They also directly contribute tens of billions of dollars each year to the economy through wages, purchases, retirement benefits, and taxes.
Read more about this topic: Rail Transportation In The United States
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