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Using rail to market an idea

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 7:09 AM

Paul of Covington
 I know how that works.  I keep everything, knowing I'll need it someday.  Trouble is when I need something, and I know I have it, I can't find it.

Not that I'm anticipating "leaving" any time soon, I've started considering what to tell the kids to do with my "stuff."  I have several extensive collections of magazines for both fire and trains - as seen by the thread about someone trying to dispose of their Trains magazines, they could well end up in the dumpster.

I have some collectibles that were fairly expensive - but it's a limited market and they might be lucky to get a dime on a dollar on them.

And I have some art, too.  No Mona Lisa's, but some limited edition prints and the like.

I don't know that I'm a full-fledged packrat, but I'm close...

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 8:11 AM

Murphy Siding

Are railroads allowed to own trucking firms?

 

I am not sure about now, but for a while, the UP owned Overnight Trucking.

This reminds me of a time when my company was out of a certain gas--and the "local" (in Boise) distributor had none, so it had to be shipped from North Carolina. Being toxic, it had to come by ground transportation, and Our purchaser who handled such things was told that it was coming "Overnight,"  and she wondered how it could come overnight from North Carolina. I received it when it arrived--two small cylinders that constituted the entire load in the van.

Edited to make sense.

Johnny

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Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 8:24 AM

Toxic somlky shipped overnight in small cylinders from Carolina.  Right. ... well, not exactly right.  I get the idea, but you might as well have said  it was widgets or foo.

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 9:36 AM

Overmod

Toxic somlky shipped overnight in small cylinders from Carolina.  Right. ... well, not exactly right.  I get the idea, but you might as well have said  it was widgets or foo.

 

Sorry--I don't know what happened between my brain and my fingers and I was in a hurry and did not check or correct it until I came back from breakfast.

Johnny

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Posted by SD60MAC9500 on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 9:38 AM
 

Convicted One

 

There have been innovators before. Maybe it's time to re-re-think roadrailers? Or find some way to accomodate some industry that is not commonly thought of as rail compatible?  Or find ways to reduce labor costs that make short haul more attractive once again?

 

 

RoadRailers had their time. CP had it right with Expressway.. Iron Highway type service is the way to go for SH IM.. The lingering problem as most know.. PSR doesn't focus on the SH. Second point.. Persuading the teamsters to negotiate for a one man crew to operate short fast regional IM service.. I'll throw out a what if.. If the C1's created an internal short line using human organization only.. Would they be able to pull off a non-union engineer to operate the former service? (Yes there will be pushback, but let's consider the possibility) Whilst using a 3rd party to market the service? APL Logistics? UPS? Maybe the C1's own internal 3PL??... 

 
Rahhhhhhhhh!!!!
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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 10:18 AM

Setting up a shell company or using an existing subsidiary (see Springfield Terminal) is going to work wonders with labor relations.  The IAM blew the whistle on Burlington Northern when they tried power-by-the-hour leasing to skirt existing shopcraft contracts.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by Convicted One on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 1:50 PM

SD60MAC9500
I'll throw out a what if.. If the C1's created an internal short line using human organization only.. Would they be able to pull off a non-union engineer to operate the former service?

Well if you look at history, such a subordinate entity wouldn't be too hard to hold  and still give it the outward appearance of independence....       thinking of the labrynthine ways that people such as the Van Sweringens tied their empires up in paper.

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