No!

[ericsp]

Has anyone heard that USPS radio commercial where they ask, "What if the answer to all of your shipping questions was 'Yes'?"

It gave me a thought. A certain railroad should have a commercial where they say, "What if the answer to all of your shipping questions was 'NO!'? Now leave us alone." Actually, I think that might fit most class one railroads. As they say, "Class one but not first class."

[MP57313]

Yeah, "Big Rail" is pretty much wholesale these days...

[Anonymous]

Railroads have long been out of the LTL business, that died with REA Express (Railway Express Agency). As far as other shipping goes, railroads still carry quite a bit of what moves America. A lot of what will be under your Christmas tree moves in a TOFC or COFC. Likewise a lot of the raw material such as iron ore or pig iron moves east across the pacific from U.S. sources via rail to ship.

LC

[jeaton]

Haven't seen Brown hauling any coal at this point.

[ericsp]

I wasn't refering to LCL. Most railroads are so congested they could not handle anything more traffic. Also, It seems that most shippers do not like dealing with railroads. When is the last time you heard a shipper saying how they like the railroad thet use, espically if the plant is captive? Finally, it was supposed to be humorous. Just picture a potential shipper calling a railroad to start shipping and the person saying "No, leave us alone." Isn't that funny? I'll admit that I did not get enough sleep last night.

[jeaton]

Actually, I think the press may play up the problems and disputes between railroads and shippers. "Things are OK" doesn't make great copy.

That is not to say that problems don't come along. Sometimes they are big-meltdowns- or small-bad ordered car set out enroute, but railroads do not have the corner on problems. There are and always will be problems cropping up between a supplier of goods or services and the customer. That's why smart people are paid good money to solve problems.

In terms of market development, you have to remember that UPS is a retail service in a mass market where there are many entities that don't have much expertise in the transportation end of things. It makes sense that UPS would advertise there ability to say "yes", but you better believe there are times when UPS takes a look at something and decide they won't do it. If it doesn't profitably fit into the business and service they provide, the answer is going to be no.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

A cursory look at both railroading and trucking suggests that many carriers have learned to say "No" to certain potential customers if the business won't make a real contribution to the bottom line. One part of UP's congestion problems may be based on an inability to say "No".

[Mookie]

and on a lighter note - "Profits are up 24% for BNSF - 2nd quarter. "

And still see some UPS going down the tracks on flats - BNSF.

And - 500 more hired before 2005 - to add to the 1800 already announced for 2004.

I hope they double their traffic here - especially on Sat and Sun!

Mookie
[^]

[espeefoamer]

I have seen semi trucks on the freeway with "yellow" painted on the side .Has UP finally given up and joined the enemy?[;)][;)][;)]

[SALfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer

I have seen semi trucks on the freeway with "yellow" painted on the side .Has UP finally given up and joined the enemy?[;)][;)][;)]

Probably those trucks belong to Yellow Freight Systems (as far as I know, no connection to UP).

[BaltACD]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ericsp

I Also, It seems that most shippers do not like dealing with railroads. When is the last time you heard a shipper saying how they like the railroad thet use, espically if the plant is captive?

Truth be known, Shipper don't like dealing with and carriers, rail, truck...you name it. Intrinsicly Shippers feel what they are shipping is important enough that the carriers should be so happy to carry their product they should do it for free. The carriers, in not hauling the product for free, are cutting into the Shippers bottom line and they resent that.

[Anonymous]

"OUCH"! Major!
BNSFrailfan.

[slotracer]

I am a major shipper (Probably have 1000 railcars out on the US RR's at any given time) and the problems tsome carriers are having is not a glorification of the media. I spend 3/4 of my day trying to keep my plants from shutting down, the horror stories that have been published recently are not extreme they are typical espeically in the cases of UP, CSXT and more often than not CP.
Lets just say the railroads make doing business extremely difficult in so many ways it would make you shake your head (After it was done spinning). CSXT is trying to ram major price increases down shippers throats while sitting on shipments and casuing us to costly trucks. UP is actively going to shippers and trying to cancel off business that is under contract that they deem to be below certain profit thresholds. Busy season is coming, this is only going to get worse.......

[jeaton]

slotracer-

I assume that you have been involved in the business long enough to know that there are periods of bad and then periods of not so bad. I agree that the current situation is in the category of bad, but I don't think it is the worst ever. In the seventies, when the railroads were financially and phisycally falling apart, it was difficult to be optimistic about any recovery.

While the UP and CSX may have made decisions that caused the problems, at least they seem to be putting in coniderable effort to work their way out. In the meantime-well I guess that is why I am glad I am retired. I don't miss some parts of the "good old days" Hang in there.

Jay

[Anonymous]

Oh hell yes BNSF profits up 24%..................Way to go B.N.S.F.
BNSFrailfan.

[ericsp]

USPS, not UPS, which is irrelevant to the topic. They just have the commercial that gave me the idea. Substitute any company you want for USPS. I am not comparing mail/parcel shippers to railroads.

The only places I have seen articles about railroad-shipper relations is in railfan or railroad magazines.

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by slotracer

I am a major shipper (Probably have 1000 railcars out on the US RR's at any given time) and the problems tsome carriers are having is not a glorification of the media. I spend 3/4 of my day trying to keep my plants from shutting down, the horror stories that have been published recently are not extreme they are typical espeically in the cases of UP, CSXT and more often than not CP.
Lets just say the railroads make doing business extremely difficult in so many ways it would make you shake your head (After it was done spinning). CSXT is trying to ram major price increases down shippers throats while sitting on shipments and casuing us to costly trucks. UP is actively going to shippers and trying to cancel off business that is under contract that they deem to be below certain profit thresholds. Busy season is coming, this is only going to get worse.......

Did you find the original post humorous?

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JOdom

QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer

I have seen semi trucks on the freeway with "yellow" painted on the side .Has UP finally given up and joined the enemy?[;)][;)][;)]

Probably those trucks belong to Yellow Freight Systems (as far as I know, no connection to UP).

UP did used to own Overnite Transportation.

[Anonymous]

If more subsidies were given to railroads, instead of to the maintenance of trucks and highways (an inherently more destructive form of shipping and transport) perhaps it wouldn't be so hard for railroads to carry work for a larger number of customers. Maybe this won't be a problem in twenty years or so, when oil productions peaks and cheap oil is no longer a reality, and the public and the government might realize the obvious benefits (environmental and cost-effective) that railroads hold over highways for both passenger and freight transportation. But as it stands now, we're still living in the delusion of the cheap oil and highway age. But railroads built this country, and they will resume their control over it once again, I rest assured.

[RudyRockvilleMD]

Considering the reports of Union Pacific's not being able to handle all of its traffic, when was the last time you saw one of their freight cars with the slogan, "We Can Handle It?"

[garr]

Rudy,

I saw one last week during a trip in Idaho but car was very dirty and hardly legible. When the 'We Will Deliver" slogan first came out in the '90's, I remember seeing a brand new car with the tag line "but when!" added after "We Will Deliver".

Jay