The subsidy isn't to keep the company from failing...not even a little bit. The subsidy was to make that particular line more efficient, by being able to haul double stack containers...thus one train could now haul what used to take two trains...now using less fuel, creating less pollution, taking less crews, less track congestion, and the ability to get your Chinese goods to Walmart faster. The railroads are booming, and with fuel prices getting more expensive everyday...it's only going to get better for us. Look at it this way... Look at the amount of rail that is covered just in the state of Ohio, and look what you the tax payer(Ohio) paid, less that one million dollars. The amount of trucks we take off the road every day due to being able to efficiently run these trains, and the subsequent less traffic on the public roads making them safer and help keeping them in better shape longer, more than makes up for that million dollars. I see it as an investment. Also, realize the source of the article, and that it's the sole opinion of the writer, and may not show all the facts of how or why the subsidy was given. The word subsidy was given a bad name due to the auto bailouts...but this is not even close to the same kind of situation.