greyhounds Backshop Railroads do best with bulk commodities that don't need repetitive handling. Look at it this way---a unit train of trailers may be 200 trailers moving long distance with minimal handling. It needs a haul of at least 550-600 miles to be competitive with an OTR driver who needs to rest for 8-10nhours after that amount of time. So you have 6-8 railroaders doing the work of 200 OTR drivers. When you get below that, the driver can finish the haul in under a day. Also, once you get down to, let's say 20 trailers, the ratio of drivers to train crew is a lot closer. Forget about any "we'll just get cheaper labor to handle it" scheme, as railroads are having trouble finding good help at current wages. It's in no way about going down to 20 trailers. It's about going up to 220 trailers. Railroad operating people will insist on running past all kinds of money and freight to avoid making a pick up. It's just too hard for them.
Backshop Railroads do best with bulk commodities that don't need repetitive handling. Look at it this way---a unit train of trailers may be 200 trailers moving long distance with minimal handling. It needs a haul of at least 550-600 miles to be competitive with an OTR driver who needs to rest for 8-10nhours after that amount of time. So you have 6-8 railroaders doing the work of 200 OTR drivers. When you get below that, the driver can finish the haul in under a day. Also, once you get down to, let's say 20 trailers, the ratio of drivers to train crew is a lot closer. Forget about any "we'll just get cheaper labor to handle it" scheme, as railroads are having trouble finding good help at current wages.
It's in no way about going down to 20 trailers. It's about going up to 220 trailers.
Railroad operating people will insist on running past all kinds of money and freight to avoid making a pick up. It's just too hard for them.
It was the marketing department, not the operating department that shot down loading containers at Beverly. That got me thinking about many of the things that have been shot down by the people in the glass place. They all were developed at the local level. They weren't developed at the top from just a tip given by those in the field.
Could there be a problem with someone feeling their toes are being stepped on?
There is some meat going west out of Council Bluffs. Sometimes a westbound intermodal will be diverted through the Bluffs to pick up loaded containers of meat. I've been on such trains a couple of times in the past. It's been awhile, but I think it was all export, not for domestic consumption.
Jeff
Backshop You keep talking about adding your business to current trains, yet railroaders keep telling you that the trains are too long already. Do you know how long these extra pickups take? It's different than the days of 4 man crews and 80 car trains. Why don't you take your ideas to professional executive railroaders if they are so great and sure moneymakers? That's right, because they told you "bye-bye" 30 years ago.
You keep talking about adding your business to current trains, yet railroaders keep telling you that the trains are too long already. Do you know how long these extra pickups take? It's different than the days of 4 man crews and 80 car trains.
Why don't you take your ideas to professional executive railroaders if they are so great and sure moneymakers? That's right, because they told you "bye-bye" 30 years ago.
Ken places too much emphasis on incremental revenue, as though the infrastructure could always handle any additional carloads gratis. What you and Ed said he dismisses. He also places too much blame on regulation and the government. Ideology has no place in a business discussion.
jeffhergert greyhounds Backshop Railroads do best with bulk commodities that don't need repetitive handling. Look at it this way---a unit train of trailers may be 200 trailers moving long distance with minimal handling. It needs a haul of at least 550-600 miles to be competitive with an OTR driver who needs to rest for 8-10nhours after that amount of time. So you have 6-8 railroaders doing the work of 200 OTR drivers. When you get below that, the driver can finish the haul in under a day. Also, once you get down to, let's say 20 trailers, the ratio of drivers to train crew is a lot closer. Forget about any "we'll just get cheaper labor to handle it" scheme, as railroads are having trouble finding good help at current wages. It's in no way about going down to 20 trailers. It's about going up to 220 trailers. Railroad operating people will insist on running past all kinds of money and freight to avoid making a pick up. It's just too hard for them. It was the marketing department, not the operating department that shot down loading containers at Beverly. That got me thinking about many of the things that have been shot down by the people in the glass place. They all were developed at the local level. They weren't developed at the top from just a tip given by those in the field. Could there be a problem with someone feeling their toes are being stepped on? There is some meat going west out of Council Bluffs. Sometimes a westbound intermodal will be diverted through the Bluffs to pick up loaded containers of meat. I've been on such trains a couple of times in the past. It's been awhile, but I think it was all export, not for domestic consumption. Jeff
There has always been a lot of NIH (not invented here) that comes out of Board Rooms. They have the belief that ONLY they can see the future for the company.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Yep. It is export pork products going to Asia. More than likely headed to the Port Of Oakland. However some may go to POLA/POLB, and NSA(Northwest Sea Alliance Seattle/Tacoma).
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.