It was interesting to read an interview of Mr. Edward Burkhardt (see TBT #488) and your own opinion page as well. As far as I know, Estonian Railway is the only privately owned railway company in the European Union. Some trains are privately owned in the U.K., and they have their own problems even though the rails are owned by the state.
In all other countries in Europe states have seen the railway system as an important basic transportation structure, which needs to be covered and controlled by a common good. The future case will show if the pilot case in Estonia will be good or bad for the railway transportation itself.
I travel a few times a year in the Baltic states for private business reasons. I miss efficient European-style passenger train services between the countries. Neither Mr. Burkhardt nor yourself on the opinion page said anything about the passenger trains! American passenger train services are rare and inefficient. Would that be a good model for the Baltic states, or could the European one be better?
I personally wish that efficient passenger train lines be built as soon as possible in the Baltic states and between Western Europe and the Baltics. There needs to be a big investment from all involved (including the EU), but the high speed train links that are built in the world are for the common good. I hope that The Baltic Times will promote the building of an efficient and speedy passenger train service as well as any other railway system.
