In my chosen hobby there is a saying - 'Speed costs money boy! How fast do you want to go? (you can also interchange the words 'want' and 'afford')
In the railroad version it would become - 'Capacity costs money! How much do you want to buy? (you can also interchange the words 'want' and 'afford' in this saying also)
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
EuclidI suspect the fertilizer worry is largely a made up story. While oil is definitely a part of it, so is the apparent perpetual grievance of farmers against railroads.
So, you think farmers don't need/want fertilizer?
Hmm.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Euclid I don’t know what motivates the farmers in this story. But on the face of it, they want the railroads to haul less oil so they can better serve the farmers.
I don’t know what motivates the farmers in this story. But on the face of it, they want the railroads to haul less oil so they can better serve the farmers.
ND ag interests have been battling the railroads for over a decade with complaints on rates and service issue so this is just the latest volley in the fight.
I think the oil is just incidental, they don't care what the cause is, this is an opportunity because the STB has the BNSF's ear. I don't think there are larger "forces" at work. Once a railroad gets in trouble, people like to pile on.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
zugmannEuclidI suspect the fertilizer worry is largely a made up story. While oil is definitely a part of it, so is the apparent perpetual grievance of farmers against railroads. So, you think farmers don't need/want fertilizer? Hmm.
No, I did not say that. Of course they want the fertilizer. When I refer to it being a made-up story, I mean the story that farmers are worried about not getting their fertilizer on time. They want the fertilizer and they are not worried about getting it.
In my opinion, they are using the issue to create a grievance where none exists. Maybe it helps get publicity by telling the media that the resulting food shortage will be the fault of big oil.
For all of those who never connect dots and will accept nothing but hard facts and sources of those facts; where is the documentation that there is a need to be worried about the railroads not delivering fertilizer on time? I don’t find any documentation of that in any of the news stories about it. It is just a rumor that the sky is falling. So the STB has to go out and document that the rumor is not true.
The railroads say they do not have a capacity shortage due to rising oil traffic. Who are you going to believe; the farmers or the railroads?
EuclidNo, I did not say that. Of course they want the fertilizer. When I refer to it being a made-up story, I mean the story that farmers are worried about not getting their fertilizer on time. They want the fertilizer and they are not worried about getting it.
Customers are always worried about getting their product. That is pretty much how this whole thing works.
There's only so much track, so many employees, so many hoppers, so many engines... same story as always. And customers don't always have extra inventory of everything, nor the track space for all they want, nor do they want to lease/use the number of cars they maybe shoulda should have, nor unload cars as fast as possible so they can make another trip quicker, etc. A giant chess game, really.
I just don't know why you think it is purely a fairy tale this year.
And PS: I believe the truth always lies in the middle somewhere. Everyone has an agenda. Even you. And me.
Oh sure, I know that every customer worries about deliveries. I worry about them myself. But not every worry becomes a national news story. And not every worry gets the STB to go out and make sure the worry won't materialize. So this fertilizer worry is unique.
Complaining is a way of life. I'm waiting for the complaints (not just from farmers) about the shortage and price of fuel because the railroads aren't hauling enough oil fast enough.
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
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