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How does Walmart affect the railroads?

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 12:46 PM
 Dweezil wrote:
 Murphy Siding wrote:
Most people can see the undeniable writing style of TheAntiGates / Convicted One/ Dweezil.  If you believe in what you write, why the different identities?  We're, for the most part. an anonymous forum.  Do you need to be *more anonymous* sometimes?  I don't get it.

    

Sign - Off Topic!! [#offtopic]

Maybe it's best to chalk it up to the same reason your god put all the stars in the sky, ...for your wondermentMy 2 cents [2c]

Maybe it's not important  that you get it?

Laugh [(-D]  This doesn't have anything to do with little voices-does it?

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 12:52 PM
 Dweezil wrote:

Of course I'm sure that some mod would have loved to put the clamp on this thread after the 6th post, out of concern of "where it might lead", but the fact remains that it was never necessary, (so they didn't) and a keen interest item blossomed as a result

  Ad this to the stuff I don't get about stargazing:  The 6th post is by greyhounds, about logistics (?)

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 12:59 PM
it was an arbitrary reference
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Posted by nanaimo73 on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 1:11 PM
 Dweezil wrote:

 nanaimo73 wrote:
FutureModal had a lot of bitterness for BNSF, with the opinion that they were helping the Chinese destroy your economy. Is that how you view Walmart?

If that WAS the case, the correct place to fix the blame would be on the politicians, for favoring capital over labor....but then that would be a forbidden topic.

Rather than favoring capital over labor, your politicians favor the military over infrastructure. Isn't that what the the American population wants?

Dale
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 1:26 PM

 nanaimo73 wrote:
Rather than favoring capital over labor, your politicians favor the military over infrastructure. Isn't that what the the American population wants?

 

Why yes, I feel McCain will do WONDERS for Amtrak. Evil [}:)]

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 1:54 PM
 nanaimo73 wrote:
 Dweezil wrote:

 nanaimo73 wrote:
FutureModal had a lot of bitterness for BNSF, with the opinion that they were helping the Chinese destroy your economy. Is that how you view Walmart?

If that WAS the case, the correct place to fix the blame would be on the politicians, for favoring capital over labor....but then that would be a forbidden topic.

Rather than favoring capital over labor, your politicians favor the military over infrastructure. Isn't that what the the American population wants?

The Military keeps us free. Otherwise the Bad Guys will come here and fight us in Main Street USA. Dont forget that we are a Volunteer Force and willingly go fight them.

The Politicians dont always know what they want so we sort it for em every few years.

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Posted by doghouse on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 4:48 PM

 Dweezil wrote:
it was an arbitrary reference

 

Kinda like all of your different names.  I think I told you once back when you were known as "The Anti-Gates."  Many of the things you say I can't agree with, but I do respect what you say.  Sometimes I just don't know where you're coming from. Oh well.

ps  has this thread been hijacked?

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 5:35 PM
 doghouse wrote:

ps  has this thread been hijacked?

Laugh [(-D]  I think that may be the understatement of the year, and the year is still young.

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Posted by Poppa_Zit on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 5:37 PM
 Dweezil wrote:
 Murphy Siding wrote:
Most people can see the undeniable writing style of TheAntiGates / Convicted One/ Dweezil.  If you believe in what you write, why the different identities?  We're, for the most part. an anonymous forum.  Do you need to be *more anonymous* sometimes?  I don't get it.

    

Sign - Off Topic!! [#offtopic]

Maybe it's best to chalk it up to the same reason your god put all the stars in the sky, ...for your wondermentMy 2 cents [2c]

Maybe it's not important  that you get it?

I don't get it, either. But you're absolutely right -- it really isn't that important.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. They are not entitled, however, to their own facts." No we can't. Charter Member J-CASS (Jaded Cynical Ascerbic Sarcastic Skeptics) Notary Sojac & Retired Foo Fighter "Where there's foo, there's fire."
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Posted by Murphy Siding on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 5:37 PM
 Dweezil wrote:
it was an arbitrary reference
  AG:  I had a PM from you earlier today, but couldn't open it, due to a security thing on the 'pooter at work.  Now, I see it's gone.  Could you send it again please.  -Thanks

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Posted by edblysard on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 5:40 PM

Sybil,

When, exactly, were you put in charge of what is or is not important to other people?

 Dweezil wrote:
 Murphy Siding wrote:
Most people can see the undeniable writing style of TheAntiGates / Convicted One/ Dweezil.  If you believe in what you write, why the different identities?  We're, for the most part. an anonymous forum.  Do you need to be *more anonymous* sometimes?  I don't get it.

    

Sign - Off Topic!! [#offtopic]

Maybe it's best to chalk it up to the same reason your god put all the stars in the sky, ...for your wondermentMy 2 cents [2c]

Maybe it's not important  that you get it?

23 17 46 11

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 6:05 PM
 edblysard wrote:

Sybil,

When, exactly, were you put in charge of what is or is not important to other people?

 

I'll get back to you on that when I've decided that it's important that you know, ok?Big Smile [:D]

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 6:07 PM

 Murphy Siding wrote:
  I had a PM from you earlier today, but couldn't open it, due to a security thing on the 'pooter at work.  Now, I see it's gone.  Could you send it again please.  -Thanks

 

Sorry Murph, it really wasn't that important, never mind. Evil [}:)]

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 6:32 PM
 doghouse wrote:

 Dweezil wrote:
it was an arbitrary reference

 

 Sometimes I just don't know where you're coming from.

 

The number 6 was an arbitrary number, It could have been 9, it could have been "x" for all i care...the value was arbitrary.

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Posted by doghouse on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 7:38 PM
 Dweezil wrote:
 doghouse wrote:

 Dweezil wrote:
it was an arbitrary reference

 

 Sometimes I just don't know where you're coming from.

 

The number 6 was an arbitrary number, It could have been 9, it could have been "x" for all i care...the value was arbitrary.

From the link:  Under Philosophy, 4th paragraph.........Even if a person has a goal, they may choose to attempt to achieve it in ways that may be considered arbitary. 

I like that.Evil [}:)]

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Posted by mbkcs on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 9:20 PM

Back to the topic, please. 

I know Wal-Mart is headquartered in Bentonville, AR. I used to drive by it everyday. There main distribution center is south of there, out by the airport. The land is open, unlike the hills of Bella Vista, or down by Fayetteville so I can see it makes sense to build such a large facility with such easy terrain.  

But there is the Arkansas and Missouri Railway running freight on the other side of I-540. When Wal-mart built this newer distribution center, couldn't they have built it closer to the railroad instead of the airport with the idea of using it? Or does the A & M offer the right connections? The distribution center is not accessible from I-540 so being close to the airport doesn't have a trucking advantage.

tina 

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 11:15 PM

The airport is irrevelant unless Corperate keeps Jets for the Big Bosses.

There are many DC's over here on the east side of Arkansas. I think there are 2 in Searcy, 10 Supercenters within an hours drive in any direction.

I worked inside a DC inside Searcy for 4 hours as a temp once. All we did was move stuff from 12 trailers to 12 trailers while yard jockeys kept replacing these 12 doors with more trailers, some empty, some partially loaded and others full needing breaking down into several trailers.

I think we had toys in one, that one was distrubited to 4 more trailers as partial loads.

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Posted by mbkcs on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 11:25 PM
 Falls Valley RR wrote:

The airport is irrevelant unless Corperate keeps Jets for the Big Bosses.

Actually, the corporate jets fly out of the little Rogers Airport and not the newer regional airport, XNA.

You said there are 10 Supercenters within hours in any direction. I don't doubt that for a moment. In the northwest corner of the state, there was the one in Bentonville, one in Rogers, a newer one in Pineville, MO and a newer one on the southside of Rogers, south of the Pinnacle area. But I don't remember any but the one DC. And it was huge. 

I know there is also a DC north of Denton, TX. I think there is a BNSF line that runs behind it, but I don't know if the railroad services the DC.

 

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Posted by selector on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 11:56 PM
 CShaveRR wrote:

Norris, your title is correct as it stands.  Complicated pair of words there, but if Wal-Mart has an effect on railroads, it affects them.

"Effect" could also be a verb, as in "Wal-Mart could effect a change in the way railroads do business."  That could really affect the railroads.

Now that I've effectively infected this thread, I'll effect a retreat and watch how I've affected things.

Affectionately,

If I may be permitted, affect is also a noun used in the field of psychology, with emphasis on the "a".  It is one's outward demeanor, mood, or expression.  Most of us are either "down" or up-beat.  In my field we say a person has a flat affect when they are absent, subdued, depressed, disinterested, but you can also say a poker player exhibits a flat affect.

Smile [:)]

-Crandell

P.S. - I have enjoyed the thread so far.  Maybe I have a thicker skin these days, or the knives aren't...um...honed quite so much this time around. 

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 21, 2008 12:52 AM

Kbar is sharp, but am exercising restraint. =)

Cheers.

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 21, 2008 5:14 AM
Affect is also a verb meaning to pretend, imitate, make a show of, or put on a pretense.
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Posted by Murphy Siding on Thursday, February 21, 2008 6:46 AM
 selector wrote:
 CShaveRR wrote:

Norris, your title is correct as it stands.  Complicated pair of words there, but if Wal-Mart has an effect on railroads, it affects them.

"Effect" could also be a verb, as in "Wal-Mart could effect a change in the way railroads do business."  That could really affect the railroads.

Now that I've effectively infected this thread, I'll effect a retreat and watch how I've affected things.

Affectionately,

If I may be permitted, affect is also a noun used in the field of psychology, with emphasis on the "a".  It is one's outward demeanor, mood, or expression.  Most of us are either "down" or up-beat.  In my field we say a person has a flat affect when they are absent, subdued, depressed, disinterested, but you can also say a poker player exhibits a flat affect.

Smile [:)]

-Crandell

P.S. - I have enjoyed the thread so far.  Maybe I have a thicker skin these days, or the knives aren't...um...honed quite so much this time around. 

Honed, or pioneered?  Before you villify me for that, you'll have to go back a few pages to see the in-joke.Mischief [:-,]

     For what it's worth, in addition to the couple of posts here, I've also gotten a few PM's about effect/affect.  And yet, like a lot of things, the answer is still muddy.Smile [:)]

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Posted by JSGreen on Thursday, February 21, 2008 7:24 AM
 Falls Valley RR wrote:

The airport is irrevelant unless Corperate keeps Jets for the Big Bosses.

I talked to one of their pilots at an FBO one time...their jet was down, and waiting for a replacement to continue the trip....he claimed they have the second biggest corporate air force in the country...

Should we be glad they havent branched into cut rate air transportation??

...I may have a one track mind, but at least it's not Narrow (gauge) Wink.....
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Posted by tatans on Thursday, February 21, 2008 9:01 AM
Do you mean the railroads in North America or China(where everything is made) ???
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 21, 2008 10:24 AM
 JSGreen wrote:
 Falls Valley RR wrote:

The airport is irrevelant unless Corperate keeps Jets for the Big Bosses.

I talked to one of their pilots at an FBO one time...their jet was down, and waiting for a replacement to continue the trip....he claimed they have the second biggest corporate air force in the country...

Should we be glad they havent branched into cut rate air transportation??

Well.. I cannot stay away from airplanes in general, Im thinking that the VLJ's (Very light jets) backed by scheduling software and availible 24/7 on demand will be the next big thing in Bizavaition.

Imagine a little cottage inventor working out of a garage being able to whistle up one of the VLJ's and get aboard in a General Aviation field somewhere with sufficient runway and flit over to Fayetteville to pitch the idea to walmart for example. Hell of alot cheaper than Commercial, Faster than security lines and probably execute the trip in... say... 30 minutes instead of 4 hours by ground or whatever.

The cost? Well... if enough people participate the VLJ's will be much cheaper than those blingage burdened Gulfstreams or Dassaults.

Last I looked at airlines, Jet Blue has the corner on cutrate transport but I consider Southwest the best of the bunch with thier B737's.

What do you think can happen when local airports with perhaps a strip 5000 feet long can suddenly originate and ternimate flights all over the USA at or better than the big Commericial airlines can do out of thier controlled airspace?

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Posted by JSGreen on Thursday, February 21, 2008 5:31 PM

hmmm....fractional ownership of a VLJ....an idea to watch for!  It would be cheaper to operate, VLJ's would only require one pilot...and use less fuel....and cost less.  Something to watch for....

 Wonder if you could do fractional ownership of a private rail car like that?  Hey, pick me up Anywhere, take me to Chi Town....

...I may have a one track mind, but at least it's not Narrow (gauge) Wink.....
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Posted by droc30 on Friday, February 22, 2008 3:09 AM

You'd want to at least start by using the RailRunner system (or alternative) to move containers.  A terminal for such a system only needs:

1) An unused/underutilized side track near the DC

that sound like a great idea if you ask me.

only if wal-mart can find a way to adept there truck trailer to the roadrailer system like many other trucking companies has done they there truck trailers. wal-mart can make a killing in get there goods to the store faster.

there alote of unused railroad all across this country. even some in towns where a wal-mart dc locate. if not that. there alote of unused land that is near a major rail line or a unused rail line that wal-mart and buy and turn it into there roadrailer center for there truck trailer.

all they have to do is find  a way to work a deal out with the railroad company that own that rail line and help update that track so that they can have a fast and easy way of getting good close to store where a wal-mart dc maybe in a couple of hours a way from that store.

i know it may sound stupid. but i think it can work if wal-mart took the time to do there homework on the idea. not only would it get the goods to the store faster but it also will cut on on time of how long a trucker has to be on the road with the price of fuel going up.

i think its a great idea if wal-mart try the roadrailer idea out.

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Posted by Convicted One on Friday, February 22, 2008 12:12 PM
 droc30 wrote:

.

i think its a great idea if wal-mart try the roadrailer idea out.

 

Really? where in their distribution chain do they reload and  then reship by rail?

My visualization of their operation has the containers coming into port, and traveling by rail to a huge distribution point . There it is inventoried, and shipped out by truck to the stores, as needed.

I just don't see the service point that roadrailers would serve.

 

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Posted by edbenton on Friday, February 22, 2008 12:18 PM

That idea would fail simply for one reason.  Wal-Mart does things their way or the highway.  Sam Walton HATED the Railroads service levels why do you think all of his DC's were serviced by trucks only.  Also he realized early on that trucks went everywere and faster than the RR's ever did.  Plus the DC's are built on a very severe JIT delevery system sometimes there are trucks delivering product and it is going on another one next to it.  Try having your apples in the trailer being checked in and 4 forklifts waiting for them to load onto trucks that are late leaving simply because the guy ahead of you flipped over,  Thanks alot PRIME that night.  The dry side is even worse they ship out butt paper by the pallet to the stores if you are late the stores run out. 

 

Roadrailers work for industrys like Cereal auto parts and such were the plants are dedicated and runs are consistant.  DC work for Wal-Mart or any retail store you never know were or when you are dropping or picking up same with stores.  Also the Stores would not know what to do with the Roadrailer style trailer and suspensions.  Also Wal-Mart plans everyexpense done to the penny including fuel for the trucks having to all of a sudden pay for switching and then RR crews on runs of 300 miles or LESS and that is the run of a Wal-Mart driver would not work.

Always at war with those that think OTR trucking is EASY.
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 22, 2008 6:19 PM

I heard stories of Sysco trying rail service in Baltimore only to find themselves charged for the railcar sitting on thier dock until SYSCO unloaded at THIER time which was sometimes hours or days after the railcar got spotted.

I bet those charges ate them up for a time.

Come to think of it, you still might sit for 24-30 hours getting unloaded. We did once but had a team that day. Tv, cooking food, more tv and more cooking and naps waiting. By the end of the second day we were stir crazy and climbing the walls. lol.

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