On Oct. 14, 2025, the 45th anniversary of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980 signing, the Association of American Railroads launched a new website, “Harley Explains,” hosted by a folksy, bearded, ponytailed, blue jeans-and-leather-jacket-clad animated character named—who else—Harley, who looks like he just hopped off his Harley Davidson at a railroad crossing. Named after the late Rep. Harley Orrin Staggers, for whom the Staggers Rail Act was named out of respect, this Harley doesn’t gesture with his hands very much, like the late Jim Florio, the Italian-descent New Jersey congressman who actually authored and near single-handedly managed the legislation, probably did.
“I’m here to help you know what’s going on in rail policy and to get an idea of how freight railroads work,” Harley says in a Western-brogue-free baritone reminiscent of Sam Elliott. “Think of me as your guide through the nuts and bolts of the industry, minus the jargon and the snooze (I hope he’s not referring to Railway Age). I’m a true rail guy and I get pretty jazzed (remember that expression?) about all this stuff. I’ll drop new videos regularly, so subscribe to AAR’s YouTube channel and check out their newsletter The Signal to stay in the loop.”
Cowboy hats off to the AAR for doing this. It’s a great idea, presenting rail “stuff” in a simple, easily digestible way, like pork and beans straight out of the can, heated just a tad on a campfire. John Q. Public—who last I heard don’t know nuthin’ ’bout railroads ’cept that when them bells start ringin’ and lights start flashin’ and them gates come down, is gonna be waitin’ a real long time for a real long train to pass—could use some learnin’ ’bout all the good things railroads do.
Come to think of it, most of them folk up on Capitol Hill could use some learning, ’specially since none were around when President Jimmy Carter signed Staggers into law.
But let’s be clear folks. Florio got it done, as Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Frank N. Wilner points out in his book, Railroads and Economic Regulation (An Insider’s Account): “Sensing strong opposition, Florio flashed remarkable political savvy, seizing on an announcement by House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee Chairperson Harley O. Staggers (D-W.Va.) that he (Staggers) would retire after 16 House terms. To attract additional votes for H.R. 7235—and cement Staggers’ support—Florio renamed the Rail Act of 1980 as the Staggers Rail Act, calling it ‘a fitting tribute [to Chairperson Staggers’] years of service and dedication to a sound rail transportation system in America.’”
Wilner’s book also chronicles Staggers’ opposition to early economic deregulation, such as a railroad-sought “zone of rate freedom.” So, Harley Staggers was not a deregulator in any sense of the word. Jim Florio was the squeeze and the juice behind the Staggers Rail Act—which was bipartisan legislation, somethin’ we don’t hear too much about ’round these parts anymore.
But that’s OK. All water under the railroad trestle. What matters, AAR tells ya’ll, is that since Staggers, “rail rates are 44% lower than in 1981 (adjusted for inflation). Railroads have reinvested $840 billion—$1.4 trillion in today’s dollars—into their own networks. Railroads move one ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a single gallon of fuel, and make $23 billion each year in private investment, not taxpayer dollars. The legacy of the bipartisan partial economic deregulation continues to deliver results for railroads, customers and everyday consumers. Preserving this landmark legislation will help drive the investment necessary to continue enhancing safety and keep our economy growing. Bottom line: The Staggers Rail Act turned a failing industry into a global leader. [This] anniversary is a moment to reflect on the power of smart policy—and the importance of protecting it.”
Now, for railroaders, all them facts amount to making the obvious less obscure. But for political types and the public, well, heck, we need to keep hammerin’ away, drivin’ that spike into that crosstie—rather than into our own coffin.
