WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., is calling on the federal government to require competitive switching between railroads to better serve shippers. Last week, Baldwin introduced the Rail Shipper Fairness Act that aims to reduce cost...
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2017/06/01-competitive-switching
Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine
A thought. Would this really hurt competition between Class 1s ? Now if we take some of the regionals doing the switching that might be a game changer ?
Concerning the current composition of the Congress, I would be incredibly surprised if this bill even gets called up in committee.
Dead as a do-do bird. So much of the claims are baseless, coming from the same people clammoring for re-regulation (and higher shipping rates?).
We have choice with Cell Phones, Electricity,Gas and other utlities
CandOforprogress2We have choice with Cell Phones, Electricity,Gas and other utlities
You can change who generates the electricity but the delivery is by your local utility. I don't think many have a choice in who delivers your gas either.
CandOforprogress2 We have choice with Cell Phones, Electricity,Gas and other utlities
Very prominently displayed on my electric bill is "delivery." It's as much, or more than the power being delivered...
Larry 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...
You might have a choice in your water source--put a well in your yard.
I doubt that you have any choice in your sewer service;if you live in an incorporated community; you might find it difficult to legally put a septic tank in your yard.
Johnny
They want you to THINK you have a choice. It's all a shill game.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Deggesty You might have a choice in your water source--put a well in your yard. I doubt that you have any choice in your sewer service;if you live in an incorporated community; you might find it difficult to legally put a septic tank in your yard.
Considering that there are places now telling their residents they can't legally collect the rainwater running off their roofs.... I'm not so sure you could get away with drilling a well in your back yard...
Around here, the chief reason for installing water systems seems to be due to contamination of the groundwater...
tree68 Deggesty You might have a choice in your water source--put a well in your yard. I doubt that you have any choice in your sewer service;if you live in an incorporated community; you might find it difficult to legally put a septic tank in your yard. Considering that there are places now telling their residents they can't legally collect the rainwater running off their roofs.... I'm not so sure you could get away with drilling a well in your back yard... Around here, the chief reason for installing water systems seems to be due to contamination of the groundwater...
For eight years, my mother washed our clothes in rainwater which was collected in tubs placed under the eaves of our house. Only after two of my older brothers, my youngest brother, and I ran a waterline from the town water system were we able to stop carrying water from the pump next door for our household needs.
I learned quite a bit after those two brothers came back from military service--carpentry, crosscut saw usage, iron pipe plumbing, electrical work, etc. I never did learn how to swing a scythe, though.
If there happens to be a choice, it is purely on a voluntary basis that multiple providers enter the market. In the case of many utilities and private railroads, no alternate provider enters the market. The key point is that there is no right for consumers to have a choice of providers.
Competitive switching amounts to a law that creates an entitlement for consumers to have a choice. It is based on the presumption that when there is only one provider, it is free to charge the consumer more than what is fair. Competitive switching requires such providers to share their market with competing companies who will provide the service at a lower price in order to get their market share.
But here is the question: When the government forces a private railroad to share their market with a competitor, why should the competitor lower their price by more than a penny? They will get the business no matter what they charge as long as it is less than what the host railroad charged before the new law went into effect.
So, will the consumer be satisfied with a one-penny reduction in price; or will they come to believe that both companies are overcharging them? If it is the latter, then what will they ask the government to do about that?
DeggestyI wonder: what authority does any community really have to forbid making use of the rainwater which falls on your property?
Apparently, quite a bit: http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/rainwater-harvesting.aspx
From the link:
Under a new Colorado law, House Bill 1005 (2016), residential homeowners are now able to use two rain barrels, with a combined capacity of 110 gallons, to capture precipitation from their rooftops. The collected precipitation is required to be used on the property where it is collected and may only be applied to outdoor purposes such as lawn irrigation and gardening. The law guarantees collection of precipitation from rain barrels does not interfere with existing water rights and that the use of a rain barrel does not constitute a water right. The state engineer is required to track adoption and usage among homeowners. The House attempted to introduce a similar bill in 2015, but the bill did not pass through the Senate Agriculture Committee.
I think I recall reading about somewhere that a fellow got in trouble for building a pond on his land...
If today's attitudes had existed in the day of steam locomotives, it's possible that the railroads would have gotten pushback from the use of hydraulic rams (and other methods) to keep their water tanks full from nearby streams.
Somebody paid Senator Tammy Baldwin off at some point or gave her a large campaign contribution. No way would she even be remotely interested in this legislation as there are virtually no Chemical Industry shippers in Wisconsin that care about this. This is an issue in Texas, LA, and the Chemical Coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Answer me this, what large Chemical shipper is in Wisconsin?
All around sad.
A fair number of public utilities are interested in this legislation in a push for mandated competitive rates for trainloads of steam coal to power plants.
CSSHEGEWISCH A fair number of public utilities are interested in this legislation in a push for mandated competitive rates for trainloads of steam coal to power plants.
OK so maybe Wisconsin Electric or whatever it is called. Still to me seems more like an out of state interest as when I lived there I never heard of WE complaining about haulage rates only rail service delays due to bad weather and not enough stock piled coal............that was a long time ago though.....back in the BN-Milw days of coal hauling.
CSSHEGEWISCHA fair number of public utilities are interested in this legislation in a push for mandated competitive rates for trainloads of steam coal to power plants.
I have always found it facinating that industries and organizations that have a monopoly in their own fields complain the most about having to deal with a single source for transportation.
CMStPnP Somebody paid Senator Tammy Baldwin off at some point or gave her a large campaign contribution. No way would she even be remotely interested in this legislation as there are virtually no Chemical Industry shippers in Wisconsin that care about this. This is an issue in Texas, LA, and the Chemical Coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Answer me this, what large Chemical shipper is in Wisconsin? All around sad.
Here is a linked site: "Mother Jones/ Map: Is There a Risky Chemical Plant Near You? "One year after a fertilizer explosion in West, Texas, killed 15 people, pinpointing potentially hazardous sites remains tricky."
link @ http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/04/west-texas-hazardous-chemical-map/
Also a search of " Chemical plants in Wisconsin" shows that primarily they are located from the SE corner of the State of Wisconsin and North to Green Bay. Seem to be within about 100(+) miles of Milwaukee..
(disclaimer) [Admittedly, the two maps linked above, are designed to 'scare', and give the 'anti' crowd some ammunition, but they are showing some interesting data(?). Certainly, even if it is a 'slanted position'. ]
I think a better search would be plants that USE dangerous chemicals and watch people scream. You would be amazed at what gets used where for things. I still laugh at that one State trooper wanting to shut down the highway for a Phosphoric acid tanker that overturned around here a while back. My driver is pumping it off not even wearing breathing protection he is dressed as required and the cop is wanting to evacuate the area. My driver hands him a Coke bottle and says read the dang ingrediants officer. Yet we walk around with one of the most dangerous inventions inches from our head all the time. The simple lithium ion battery pack. What am I talking about those are thermally unstable when they fail they overheat and can burn.
Shadow the Cats owner Yet we walk around with one of the most dangerous inventions inches from our head all the time. The simple lithium ion battery pack. What am I talking about those are thermally unstable when they fail they overheat and can burn.
Yet we walk around with one of the most dangerous inventions inches from our head all the time. The simple lithium ion battery pack. What am I talking about those are thermally unstable when they fail they overheat and can burn.
Hope you don't allow them in your trucks.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Shadow the Cats owner I think a better search would be plants that USE dangerous chemicals and watch people scream. You would be amazed at what gets used where for things. I still laugh at that one State trooper wanting to shut down the highway for a Phosphoric acid tanker that overturned around here a while back. My driver is pumping it off not even wearing breathing protection he is dressed as required and the cop is wanting to evacuate the area. My driver hands him a Coke bottle and says read the dang ingrediants officer. Yet we walk around with one of the most dangerous inventions inches from our head all the time. The simple lithium ion battery pack. What am I talking about those are thermally unstable when they fail they overheat and can burn.
I would guess that like many folks, are unaware the part chemicals play in everything from food to household cleaning products to may uses in industrial applications... By themselves, we are daily transporting, and using stuff we take for granted; because 'our government, is watching out for our best interests'....
One has to wonder, like so many, did that Trooper catch the offer of the Coke? Phosphoric Acid being a key ingredient in many caramel colored, soft drinks, and Cokes...
Maybe troopers and reular police need to carry a copy of the Haz Mat guide ? Tree should give us his take.
Anymore batteries for cell phones come in one variety and those are the ones that can catch fire. Anyone remember the Samsung Galaxy 7 phone fiasco that was IIRC in 2015 or last year were the batteries would literally explode. Or the Dreamliner plane having to be grounded until they literally put the batteries also Lithium Ions into a stainless steel case that vents to the outside and has a Halon fire control system in it.
Yes I would love for all Law Enforcement officers to carry a response guide that way when there is a trailer full of 3077 that is unexpanded styrofoam that goes over we don't have a total freaking panic yet when a trailer full of liquid chorline or pure hydrocholric acid tips they don't have a clue around here. Yes there are some good law enforcement officers that know their stuff. However the latest generation makes me go we are screwed. If the book doesn't tell them how to fix the issue they are lost. I had to show one of our newest office workers how to make change for the pop machine for one of our mechanics this week. She did not know that 5 dollars was the same as 20 quarters. Yet these are future leaders of America and I am scared to death.
And, there are some who think that a quarter of an hour is twenty-five miuntes.
Speaking of phosphoric acid spills.
http://www.nonpareilonline.com/news/train-spills-phosphoric-acid-across-iowa/article_1ef89f4c-3ae3-5b85-bb89-32c467e7e636.html
The scariest part is this was almost 13 years ago. It seems like it was only 4 or 5 years ago.
Another article about the spill from the Des Moines Register via the BLE-T website.
http://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=12114
Jeff
[quote user="Shadow the Cats owner"]
"...Yes there are some good law enforcement officers that know their stuff. However the latest generation makes me think, we are so screwed. If the book doesn't tell them how to fix the issue they are lost. I had to show one of our newest office workers how to make change for the pop machine for one of our mechanics this week. She did not know that 5 dollars was the same as 20 quarters. Yet these are future leaders of America and I am..."[/quote]
[ Shadow the Cats owner] I know I do not have to tell you this, as I suspect in your job you deal with these kind of folks whule soing your job.... While working in my capacity at a medium sized trucking company, I was amazed atthe level of functional illerateacy in our driving force...In an ability to read, and understand the Rand McNally Trucker's Atlas, every driver got on completion of their orientation week. That coupled with their ability to communicate [via Qualcom in their truck] information they needed to complete their jobs. As well as, reading, comprehending and understanding signage on the highways. Also apparent was a supreme lack of their duties, and responsibilites regarding issues surrounding their own safety and that of the truck,trailer and their load... I can appreciate your position, and I am empathetic; but also glad, I am retired and out of that rat race!
Deggesty And, there are some who think that a quarter of an hour is twenty-five minutes.
And, there are some who think that a quarter of an hour is twenty-five minutes.
And don't forget, you can order 12 nuggets, but not a dozen...
Shadow the Cats ownerAnymore batteries for cell phones come in one variety and those are the ones that can catch fire. Anyone remember the Samsung Galaxy 7 phone fiasco that was IIRC in 2015 or last year were the batteries would literally explode. Or the Dreamliner plane having to be grounded until they literally put the batteries also Lithium Ions into a stainless steel case that vents to the outside and has a Halon fire control system in it. Yes I would love for all Law Enforcement officers to carry a response guide that way when there is a trailer full of 3077 that is unexpanded styrofoam that goes over we don't have a total freaking panic yet when a trailer full of liquid chorline or pure hydrocholric acid tips they don't have a clue around here. Yes there are some good law enforcement officers that know their stuff. However the latest generation makes me go we are screwed. If the book doesn't tell them how to fix the issue they are lost. I had to show one of our newest office workers how to make change for the pop machine for one of our mechanics this week. She did not know that 5 dollars was the same as 20 quarters. Yet these are future leaders of America and I am scared to death.
Maybe they could ride with these drivers.....
https://www.usatoday.com/pages/interactives/news/rigged-forced-into-debt-worked-past-exhaustion-left-with-nothing/
BaltACDMaybe they could ride with these drivers..... https://www.usatoday.com/pages/interactives/news/rigged-forced-into-debt-worked-past-exhaustion-left-with-nothing/
+1 Trucking companies.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Shadow the Cats ownerYes I would love for all Law Enforcement officers to carry a response guide that way when there is a trailer full of 3077 that is unexpanded styrofoam that goes over we don't have a total freaking panic yet when a trailer full of liquid chorline or pure hydrocholric acid tips they don't have a clue around here.
Heck, I carry an ERG in my own truck, and have it on my phone...
Around here, we refer to the troopers as gray canaries...
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