boxcar/reefer food business booming

[jsanchez]

I found a very interesting article from Railway age on how hauling food products by boxcar and reefers is booming for class ones and shortlines. Its good to see this business coming back and giving the truckers some serious competion. The link is below.

http://www.railwayage.com/A/feature2.html

[Anonymous]

They are a couple of major food warehouses in the area.They started a few years back filling in the railcar unloading area to make more space.They left about 3 spaces for boxcars when they get a cheep prouduct real cheep.That railway age article said in Florida the shipment gets broke down and moves by truck to where it is going.Trucks will still rule the roost.

[BRAKIE]

I to have noticed more reefers lately. I have also noticed at the warehouse where I work we are getting more boxcars.This is always good news.We also get alot of trucks in.I could tell you some real horror stories about trucks that most would not believe.Suffice it to say they are not perfect as most are lead to believe.

[Anonymous]

NO TRUCKS are not perfect Railroads Airlines Pipelines Barges not perfect also.When freight is shipped overland you have two choices rail or highway.Trucks can take their time and still out run a train.What I keep reading about Railroads is they have to bust their buns to make shippers happy and make big improvments to get all truck shipments converted to all BOXCAR shipments or Intermodal.Why do shippers or all of us at that woant everything in a hurry.If I were a Funiture reciever I would perfer 60 ft or 89ft High Cube BOXCARS because I would worry about the truck with all the traffic on the highways.Trucks wreck more than Trains do.I thank your shipment has a better chance on getting their on Rails than Road that includes Intermoadel.That is my thought.

[Anonymous]

That's great news to use boxcars or refer boxes. Piggy backing or inter modal doesn't maximize the loading gauge fully. I'm glad someone is finaly starting to see some efficiency in the simple high cube box car.

[Modelcar]

Yes, trucks are getting over the miles quicker than trains in many instances of freight hauling, but if regulations such as speed limits were administered on the highway for trucks one perhaps would see some changes. Railroads have speed and safety restrictions, etc. that must be adhered to. One area of improvements needed for railroad transport of freight is in classification yards. Somehow that technology is not up with the times. While railroad cars are motionless in the yards...the truckers are "speeding" down the interstate. We all know how fast truckers pass us in our cars on the highways across America.

QM

[Anonymous]

Truck drivers cheats on their logbooks that is where trucking compaines win.If a driver has to stop when he runs out of time just like a train goes in to a siding when it runs out of time that would help.He gets to keep on driving to he finds a safe place to stop.The train has to stop before it runs out of time or it will run out of time before it gets to the yard or safe place.That happens alot on the Hamlet Bostic trains.It goes into a siding about 30 miles from Bostic and sets a long time for the next crew.If they got that little to go why not let it go.The dam trucks can.See i drove one before when the dispatcher told me i had to doctor my log book a little i said i will not kill anybody.I said to them no wonder trucking almost killed the Boxcar.

[BRAKIE]

To This I agree,as I stated I work in a warehouse,driving a forklift.To many times I have seen truckers that look like they have no slept in days! How safe can these guys be on the road? If the truckers obeyed the laws and speed limits trucks would not be all that fast.Any time one can "fake" a log book-watch out! I think trucks should shut down if the driver does not stop after 8 hours of driving and rest/sleep for 8.Then restart the truck and go.Think how much more safer high ways would be if this was done.But,as long as the trucking industry can do as they please,pu***heir drivers over their limits for safe driving more people will be killed and hurt.As long as the truck companies and drivers see $$$,people are going to die.It is about time the FEDS step in and tighten down on the trucking industry.Know and understand there are good safe truckers out there.To them this does not apply.But,still something still needs done to make the highways safer.This past week end a family of 4 was killed when a trucker fell asleep at the wheel.This is not the frist nor the last.