@Alon yeah. US private sector rail scheduling strikes me as a straight transfer from workers relative to older practices, unless elaborately compensated. being the residual whose plans must adjust, rather than a party whose plans and interests must be taken into account, is a large cost imposition. US gerontocracy is part of a more systemic US problem, US-ians have little ability to absorb downward shocks (for both structural and cultural reasons), so labor+management often agree to a ratchet.