transitrapid wrote:Um....Alteria or Altia Vista or Chioce Blue?What was that name of that railroad on throw momma from the train?Contrack?
Conrail....
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
When a CEO is dog tired of the really tough work of making the company function, he has several diversions available to him. All involve spending lots of time with consultants, most of whom have little idea what a railroad even does but are really nice people to have lunch with.
Favorite activites:
1) Repainting the locomotive fleet. You have to come up with a new color scheme that is "fresh, vibrant, blah-blah, dignified, blah-blah.
2) Writing some elaborate statement of business principles or values. This can become very complex as the consultants between meetings will find some new "community" in whose direction an acknowledgement must be made. Such a finding will require another meeting. You also get to learn nifty new concepts like "stakeholder".
3) Select a new corporate name. Some rules apply here. If your mainline runs from East Cowflop to West Cowflop, you must have the word "Pacific" in there somewhere. However, in the event you have thousands of miles of track and cover many states, then you need a name that means absolutely nothing to anyone, does not even mention transportation nor is an English word.
n012944 wrote: Awesome wrote: n012944 wrote: Awesome wrote: AntonioFP45 wrote: Thanks for that info n012944,Makes me wonder now, more than ever, if Ward is thinking wisely as a corporate leader or if he's grasping at straws (regardless of costs) to justify an image change. My question to Mr. Ward (whether I was a stockholder or a regular working Joe) would be: "Sir, with the high costs associated with a name/logo change.........how will you justify this expenditure? what will be the beneift? Who will benefit?"Who will benefit? I think it would benefit both the corporate (associates) and the customers. Right now, we have CSX with a bad publicity in derailments and customer satisfaction. As you notice on the Jurbak Journal in MSN money reads. CSX (CSX, news, msgs) has been a truly badly run railroad, which is why the stock looks interesting as an investment in 2005. Slow trains and poor service have kept CSX, the operator of the largest rail network in the eastern United States, from showing the revenue gains of its peers. But profit margins look like they'll improve this year and next as the company improves operations and cuts a projected $90 million by slashing managerial jobs. I think the CEO wants to revamp its work force and let the investors know they are for real in turning the company stock get a higher P/E.Dude, you do know that it is 2008, right?I course is 2008. I just wanted the railfan to read the problems. Keep in mind I can't change the words of another author.Thats the whole point. An article written three to four years ago is no longer relevant.
Awesome wrote: n012944 wrote: Awesome wrote: AntonioFP45 wrote: Thanks for that info n012944,Makes me wonder now, more than ever, if Ward is thinking wisely as a corporate leader or if he's grasping at straws (regardless of costs) to justify an image change. My question to Mr. Ward (whether I was a stockholder or a regular working Joe) would be: "Sir, with the high costs associated with a name/logo change.........how will you justify this expenditure? what will be the beneift? Who will benefit?"Who will benefit? I think it would benefit both the corporate (associates) and the customers. Right now, we have CSX with a bad publicity in derailments and customer satisfaction. As you notice on the Jurbak Journal in MSN money reads. CSX (CSX, news, msgs) has been a truly badly run railroad, which is why the stock looks interesting as an investment in 2005. Slow trains and poor service have kept CSX, the operator of the largest rail network in the eastern United States, from showing the revenue gains of its peers. But profit margins look like they'll improve this year and next as the company improves operations and cuts a projected $90 million by slashing managerial jobs. I think the CEO wants to revamp its work force and let the investors know they are for real in turning the company stock get a higher P/E.Dude, you do know that it is 2008, right?I course is 2008. I just wanted the railfan to read the problems. Keep in mind I can't change the words of another author.
n012944 wrote: Awesome wrote: AntonioFP45 wrote: Thanks for that info n012944,Makes me wonder now, more than ever, if Ward is thinking wisely as a corporate leader or if he's grasping at straws (regardless of costs) to justify an image change. My question to Mr. Ward (whether I was a stockholder or a regular working Joe) would be: "Sir, with the high costs associated with a name/logo change.........how will you justify this expenditure? what will be the beneift? Who will benefit?"Who will benefit? I think it would benefit both the corporate (associates) and the customers. Right now, we have CSX with a bad publicity in derailments and customer satisfaction. As you notice on the Jurbak Journal in MSN money reads. CSX (CSX, news, msgs) has been a truly badly run railroad, which is why the stock looks interesting as an investment in 2005. Slow trains and poor service have kept CSX, the operator of the largest rail network in the eastern United States, from showing the revenue gains of its peers. But profit margins look like they'll improve this year and next as the company improves operations and cuts a projected $90 million by slashing managerial jobs. I think the CEO wants to revamp its work force and let the investors know they are for real in turning the company stock get a higher P/E.Dude, you do know that it is 2008, right?
Awesome wrote: AntonioFP45 wrote: Thanks for that info n012944,Makes me wonder now, more than ever, if Ward is thinking wisely as a corporate leader or if he's grasping at straws (regardless of costs) to justify an image change. My question to Mr. Ward (whether I was a stockholder or a regular working Joe) would be: "Sir, with the high costs associated with a name/logo change.........how will you justify this expenditure? what will be the beneift? Who will benefit?"Who will benefit? I think it would benefit both the corporate (associates) and the customers. Right now, we have CSX with a bad publicity in derailments and customer satisfaction. As you notice on the Jurbak Journal in MSN money reads. CSX (CSX, news, msgs) has been a truly badly run railroad, which is why the stock looks interesting as an investment in 2005. Slow trains and poor service have kept CSX, the operator of the largest rail network in the eastern United States, from showing the revenue gains of its peers. But profit margins look like they'll improve this year and next as the company improves operations and cuts a projected $90 million by slashing managerial jobs. I think the CEO wants to revamp its work force and let the investors know they are for real in turning the company stock get a higher P/E.
AntonioFP45 wrote: Thanks for that info n012944,Makes me wonder now, more than ever, if Ward is thinking wisely as a corporate leader or if he's grasping at straws (regardless of costs) to justify an image change. My question to Mr. Ward (whether I was a stockholder or a regular working Joe) would be: "Sir, with the high costs associated with a name/logo change.........how will you justify this expenditure? what will be the beneift? Who will benefit?"
Thanks for that info n012944,
Makes me wonder now, more than ever, if Ward is thinking wisely as a corporate leader or if he's grasping at straws (regardless of costs) to justify an image change. My question to Mr. Ward (whether I was a stockholder or a regular working Joe) would be: "Sir, with the high costs associated with a name/logo change.........how will you justify this expenditure? what will be the beneift? Who will benefit?"
Who will benefit? I think it would benefit both the corporate (associates) and the customers. Right now, we have CSX with a bad publicity in derailments and customer satisfaction. As you notice on the Jurbak Journal in MSN money reads.
I think the CEO wants to revamp its work force and let the investors know they are for real in turning the company stock get a higher P/E.
Dude, you do know that it is 2008, right?
I course is 2008. I just wanted the railfan to read the problems. Keep in mind I can't change the words of another author.
Thats the whole point. An article written three to four years ago is no longer relevant.
A high P\E is justified only by higher earnings. The P\E ratio is the ratio of common stock price to corporate earnings; IOW it calculates number of times a share cost is reflected its earnings. All other things equal, investment in a company stock with a P\E of 10 has the potential to be twice as lucrative as a rival stock that's going at 20:1 price-to-income. A lot of investors just won't go for a stock with a P\E of 17 or 18 or above, as the dividend is more apt to be subpar. At a P\E of 20:1, for example, even if the company gave every penny of its earnings away, the investor couldn't possibly recognize more than a nickel (one-twentieth) on the dollar for his investment. - al
From CNN.com
"CSX (CSX, Fortune 500) said it earned $351 million, or 85 cents per share, in the three months that ended in March, compared with $240 million, or 52 cents per share, in the same period last year.
Revenue rose 12% to a record $2.7 billion.
The earnings included 5 cents per share for non-cash equity earnings adjustment and 2 cents per share for insurance recoveries. Excluding those items, profit was up 60% from a year ago."
An "expensive model collector"
Sector News from Yahoo finance: First Quater Earnings.....
Fuel surcharges coming in during the first quarter should also drive revenue, said JPMorgan analyst Thom Wadewitz.
"U.S. rail earnings growth is likely to provide a sharp contrast to weakness at other asset based transports," including trucking and parcel companies, he wrote in a note to clients.
Wadewitz said that while several of the sector's stocks already reflect strong recent growth, he thinks they still have some room to grow even if the broader market pulls back further. He said Norfolk Southern should have the best near-term stock performance, as Wadewitz expects the rail to beat Wall Street's first-quarter expectations by the widest margin.
For the two major Canadian rails, however, Wadewitz's forecast is much less optimistic. The analyst sees first-quarter earnings of Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. being hurt by severe winter weather and cost pressures.
Morgan Keegan analyst Art Hatfield also expects largely positive first-quarter results for the U.S. rails, despite rising fuel costs and weak freight demand. While traffic across the industry has slipped from last year, he expects pricing strength and continued operational improvements to drive earnings.
Hatfield noted that Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. has raised its earnings expectations for the first quarter, Union Pacific Corp. recently reiterated its forecast and CSX Corp. issued a first-quarter expectation for the first time in company history, saying it expects earnings well above analysts' forecasts.
Jacksonville, Fla.-based CSX Corp., will be the first railroad to report when it releases earnings before the market opens Tuesday.
Thanks for that info, Awesome. I hope that CSX does move in the right direction.
The railroad customer base markets and infrastructure has changed since CSX's formation, but overall they seemed to be actually for the better. It'sgood to see that in the past few years CSX has taken advantage of the latest technology to coordinate and keep tabs on equpment usage, and customer shipments. I've spoken with a few employees, including a manager, that state that some of the brass really want to see the company run on a good course. However, there are too many ego-laden, political games and disagreements being played between the brass and middle managers. Games that wind up affecting employee morale within the union and non-unionized groups in the operations areas. The words "We need to work as a team" are uttered, but the fruition of that comes in clusters and spurts instead of it being consistent.
I had strongly considered a career with CSX back in the early 90s when I worked for a transit system. I was a union steward, had a positive work ethic and was interested in working in the locomotive and/or freight car repair disciplines since welding-fabrication and paint-body repair were my specialties. An employee warned me to really think twice about it as the environment had changed a lot since the bygone "friendlier" days of the Seaboard Coast LIne.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
csxengineer98 wrote: J. Edgar wrote: csxengineer98 wrote: SR1457 wrote:Probably the new name he was hinting at, will be the "NORFOLK SOUTHERN'., of course he could not say at this time, mergers are not done overnight., well anyway thats my story, and i am sticking to it. also btw i do know my geography, golf and railroading.as far as the name change.. who knows if it will happen or is even if it is realy being considered.. but.. CHESSIE..DEAD..CONRAIL..DEAD(exept for the shared assets locations) and any of the other roads that some of you railfans would love to see "resurected" its nice to dream..but those names will never run the rails as main line class 1s ever agin..csx engineer oh i dunno....i seem to remember back in uh...1998 i think...started seeing all these freight cars lettered NYC...ever hear of that road?....was around the same time i think ...1998 maybe...started getting these diesels in MI with PRR on the side.....so id never say never that had nothing to do with bringing back a road name....that was to keep track of who got what int he conrail split.. csx got alot of the old NYC routes..and NS got the old PRR for the most parts...just an easy way to keep track of who got what...and to keep the computer systems from going ape with duplicet car numbers and engin numbers on the rosters.. done pure and simiple for tracking and divistion of assets..nothing more...csx engineer
J. Edgar wrote: csxengineer98 wrote: SR1457 wrote:Probably the new name he was hinting at, will be the "NORFOLK SOUTHERN'., of course he could not say at this time, mergers are not done overnight., well anyway thats my story, and i am sticking to it. also btw i do know my geography, golf and railroading.as far as the name change.. who knows if it will happen or is even if it is realy being considered.. but.. CHESSIE..DEAD..CONRAIL..DEAD(exept for the shared assets locations) and any of the other roads that some of you railfans would love to see "resurected" its nice to dream..but those names will never run the rails as main line class 1s ever agin..csx engineer oh i dunno....i seem to remember back in uh...1998 i think...started seeing all these freight cars lettered NYC...ever hear of that road?....was around the same time i think ...1998 maybe...started getting these diesels in MI with PRR on the side.....so id never say never
csxengineer98 wrote: SR1457 wrote:Probably the new name he was hinting at, will be the "NORFOLK SOUTHERN'., of course he could not say at this time, mergers are not done overnight., well anyway thats my story, and i am sticking to it. also btw i do know my geography, golf and railroading.as far as the name change.. who knows if it will happen or is even if it is realy being considered.. but.. CHESSIE..DEAD..CONRAIL..DEAD(exept for the shared assets locations) and any of the other roads that some of you railfans would love to see "resurected" its nice to dream..but those names will never run the rails as main line class 1s ever agin..csx engineer
SR1457 wrote:Probably the new name he was hinting at, will be the "NORFOLK SOUTHERN'., of course he could not say at this time, mergers are not done overnight., well anyway thats my story, and i am sticking to it. also btw i do know my geography, golf and railroading.
as far as the name change.. who knows if it will happen or is even if it is realy being considered.. but.. CHESSIE..DEAD..CONRAIL..DEAD(exept for the shared assets locations) and any of the other roads that some of you railfans would love to see "resurected" its nice to dream..but those names will never run the rails as main line class 1s ever agin..
csx engineer
oh i dunno....i seem to remember back in uh...1998 i think...started seeing all these freight cars lettered NYC...ever hear of that road?....was around the same time i think ...1998 maybe...started getting these diesels in MI with PRR on the side.....so id never say never
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
coborn35 wrote: Augusta is in Georgia....
Thanks Coborn. As I was reading down through this thread I saw the post you are referring to and thought someone could use a lesson in geography.
Also, what "Tiger is having a bad day" has to do with trains is beyond me.
Doug (in Augusta)
Chicago and Southeastern? Florida and Midwestern?
Chicago Dewey Chetam and Howe Railroad?
Perhaps SPEED LETTERING (ala WESTERN MARYLAND) complete with striping, to indicate MOVEMENT...?
...aaaaaaaaannnnd, bring back the cat.
Seems strange CSX would want to change names now; I've noticed the last few months that CSX has really been doing a lot of radio advertising about their environmental commitment (they are good ads: "CSX: How Tomorrow Moves"). I've not before noticed any railroad doing radio advertising as most consumers don't have any interest in railroads. Once you build equity in a name it's very difficult to get any marketing traction with a new name in today's market but who knows; they may be on to something. I guess when you think of some great names in the history of railroading (B&O, C&O, CN etc.) the letters CSX maybe really don't mean that much...
Ross
Maybe they should resurrect the old Seaboard Air Line name. Then the next time the Feds decide to bailout the airline industry (probably any minute now that the smaller carriers are starting to go belly up) they might not pay attention that it's actually a railroad and send them a few million.
Jeff
I thought it already had a name...
MUD!
Chuck
AntonioFP45 wrote:Thanks for that info n012944,Makes me wonder now, more than ever, if Ward is thinking wisely as a corporate leader or if he's grasping at straws (regardless of costs) to justify an image change. My question to Mr. Ward (whether I was a stockholder or a regular working Joe) would be: "Sir, with the high costs associated with a name/logo change.........how will you justify this expenditure? what will be the beneift? Who will benefit?"
SR1457 wrote:Well i dont think there will be any name change anytime soon, however if you wanting names, i suggest "Mickey&Minny, or just M&M, after all they do have Florida connections. Sorry thats the best i can do.SPEAKING OF FLORIDA, LOOKS LIKE TIGER IS HAVING A BAD DAY OVER AT AUGUSTA.
Augusta is in Georgia....
Mechanical Department "No no that's fine shove that 20 pound set all around the yard... those shoes aren't hell and a half to change..."
The Missabe Road: Safety First
SactoGuy188 wrote: they should revive the old Chessie System logo complete with the kitten.
they should revive the old Chessie System logo complete with the kitten.
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
carnej1 wrote:IMHO, the name should have been Chessie Seaboard RR from the Beginning......
I think my final choice would be Chessie Eastern Railroad (after all, CSX's trackage is east of the Mississippi River) and they should revive the old Chessie System logo complete with the kitten.
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