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Norfolk Southern, best run railroad in North America?
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This is part of the opening paragraph in the latest edition of Trains magazine in an article about NS by Fred W. Frailey. <br /> <br />The best run railroad in North America---- is theree any doubt? Not Union Pacific or CSX. Nor the Canadian railways, with lower pension and health care costs, and simple networks. Not even BNSF, well run but basically two lines from the Pacific to Chicago and a coal hauling core in the middle. It goes on to paraphrase NS is the best run railroad with its short runs complex route structures and all the while keeping customers and investors happy. <br /> <br />I'm not going to make this about all the railroads, just two. NS and CN. Fred W. Frailey thinks NS is the best run railroad in North America, I think CN is. <br /> <br />As it says in the opening Paragraph the Canadian Railways can't be the best run because of lower pension and health care costs and simple networks. Why not, it's not there fault that living in Canada is cheaper. It's not CN's fault that Canada has a better pension plan and health care system than United States. Next point, simpler routes. If I was building or running a railroad I think the better way to run it would be to have simple routes. Why be complex when simple will do? With that out of the way, here are some facts. Locomotives-CN 1958----NS 3755 NS has amost double the Locomotives running on roughly the same amount of track. NS does move approx. 1.6 times more cars in a year which means they should have about 3000, not 3755. Market capitalization---CN $17.16 Billion NS $14.07 Billion CN wins. Operating Revenue and revenue per car. CN $5.24 Billion with each car averaging $1074 <br />NS $7.31 Billion with each car averaging $980. I would want my cars averaging more revenue per car. CN wins. Operating Ratio CN 66.9% NS 76.7% CN almost 10% better. Speaks for itself. Last point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NS had a rough go when it merged with Conrail. CN has aquired Illinois Central, Wisconsin Central, BC Rail and Great Lakes Transportation with no merger problems at all. <br /> <br />Yes I am bias towards CN because I live in Canada, but I think my arguments above show that CN is the BEST run railroad. <br /> <br />Comments are welcome and encouraged
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