Just how thin is that pipeline? In some cases pretty darn thin now--
I'm thinking that a lack of apprenticeships is one and the emphasis placed on theory in most colleges--as opposed to more "hands on" application of theory--may be some of the causes of that. Especially as cash strapped schools started to get out of the 'hands on' side to the detriment of many students and concentrate on the 'cheaper' theoretical side of education.
Another could be simple demographics as well---baby boom generation had more impact in a lot of ways--including numerical---the boom shadow and after are going to have some awfully big shoes to fill.
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
There are many challenges that are imagined. But the largest is real, and it's the loss of skilled and experienced employees to retirement in the next few years, and a very thin pipeline of new employees behind them.
RWM
Introduction: The other day I was re-reading a 2005 Fred Frailey 'feel-good' article in Trains on Norfolk Southern's 'comeback' after its somewhat botched 1999 acquisition of 58 % of ConRail and merger into its system, etc. As Frailey wrote it, despite a bunch of smart guys there - ''as good as any in the business'', is how I believe then-NS Chairman David Goode spoke of them - they still got blindsided by a whole bunch of factors. Now not all of those were merger-related or merger-caused - such as the decline in Pocohontas coal competitiveness and shipments for a couple of years then. As NS' Jim McClellan reportedly said - "If this continues for another 6 months, we may as well go to Fort Worth and ask Matt Rose and BNSF to take this railroad off our hands". But then NS made some changes, buckled down, and pulled through. So that got me to thinking - what else might have happened back then instead, which might not have turned out so well ? And then by extension -
Question: What might happen - either now, soon, or in the near future, say within the next 3 to 5 years - that would challenge the profitability, propserity, and maybe even survival of the railroad business and railroad operations as we now know them ?
No holds barred here - all subjects are 'fair game' as far as I'm concerned, everything from fuel to society to technology to equipment to regulation to politics to finances to labor relations, etc., etc. What do you see as being the biggest upcoming challenge(s) for your favorite or local railroad ?
Let the fur fly and the fun begin ! And thanks in advance for your participation.
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