If this actually happens, the historic supply-chain crisis that we are experiencing right now will rapidly become far worse.  Each year, trains in the United States transport approximately "1.7 billion tons of raw materials and finished goods" to their ultimate destinations.  If that suddenly stops happening, our economy goes into the toilet.  I realize that may sound a bit crude, but that is the reality of what we are potentially facing.  So we better hope that national rail carriers and the unions representing the workers can come to an agreement before next Monday…

Railroad freight traffic across the United States could come to a screeching halt July 18 if progress isn't made on a labor contract between national rail carriers and their unions.

Union officials stressed they do not want to go on strike, but argued they are being forced to consider the option in a bid to get better benefits, wages and staffing.

We aren't just talking about a partial paralysis of rail traffic.

This would be a nationwide strike, and the entire system would suddenly be frozen.

At the moment the two sides are in a "cooling off period", but that "cooling off period" will be over at 12:01 AM on July 18th…