The US freight rail system may be maintained with private funds, but it was initially constructed with massive public subsidies. These took the form of land gra

The US freight rail system may be maintained with private funds, but it was initially constructed with massive public subsidies. These took the form of land grants, not just for the right-of-way, but for surrounding land. This land was then sold to fund the railway development. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/riseind/railroad/grants.html http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentations...