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The Effect of E. Hunter Harrison on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

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The Effect of E. Hunter Harrison on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds
Posted by Murphy Siding on Sunday, August 13, 2017 5:42 PM

     What kind of effect is EH Harrison's actions at CSX having on the rest of the railroad world and the US economy in general?

   Taking 800 or however many locomotives out of service has to do something to the locomotive market. Eliminating a lot of jobs has to effect the job market for railroad people. The changes in capital spending on CSX must effect a lot of companies and businesses. What about the supposed congealing of traffic on CSX? How does that effect other railroads, shippers and receivers? I've read here and other places that companies are scrambling to find trucks to haul their goods. That has to have some serious side effects.

*I had to read The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. I'm still wondering why 40 years later.

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Posted by schlimm on Sunday, August 13, 2017 6:23 PM

If nothing else, EHH's strange thinking might be having some impact on here.

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Posted by wanswheel on Sunday, August 13, 2017 8:46 PM
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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, August 14, 2017 8:04 AM

schlimm

If nothing else, EHH's strange thinking might be having some impact on here.

 

I think of it as target fixation. If that's the biggest news out there, all the news tends to gravitate toward it. I'm a big fan of dirt sprint car racing. Last Saturday night was the biggest yearly event for the sport, the Knoxville Nationals. For the last 2-3 weeks, every sprint car racing board had no other topics to speak of.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, August 14, 2017 8:07 AM

 

Any railroad considering buying locomotives right now probably has to take into account that there may be a lot of used CSX units available at some point at fire-sale prices. Wouldn't that severely affect the new locomotive sales?

 

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Posted by dmoore74 on Monday, August 14, 2017 8:43 AM

Murphy Siding

 

Any railroad considering buying locomotives right now probably has to take into account that there may be a lot of used CSX units available at some point at fire-sale prices. Wouldn't that severely affect the new locomotive sales?

 

 

Probably safe to assume that no Tier 4 locomotives will be sitting idle in some yard.

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Posted by Norm48327 on Monday, August 14, 2017 9:07 AM

schlimm

If nothing else, EHH's strange thinking might be having some impact on here.

I think the question in the minds of those of us on the froum is "Whose side is Haarison on". From a casual oberever's view it appears his mission is to satisfy Paul Hilal's desire to increase the value of CSX stock proor to the latter's selling it off and making a considerable profit. That seems to be the mission of most hedge funds these days. IMO, he has been bought and paid for very well at the expense of the stockholders. I have a gut feeling they will later regret their decision to guarantee him millions. It is, in my opinion, pure unadultrated greed on the part of Harrison, Hilal, and the stockholders.

Harrison's record at both CN and CP indicates he was more concerned with stock value and personal profit than working with customers and employees to the benefit of both himself and Paul Hilal.

Norm


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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, August 14, 2017 12:40 PM

dmoore74
 
Murphy Siding

 

Any railroad considering buying locomotives right now probably has to take into account that there may be a lot of used CSX units available at some point at fire-sale prices. Wouldn't that severely affect the new locomotive sales?

 

 

 

 

Probably safe to assume that no Tier 4 locomotives will be sitting idle in some yard.

 

True, but wouldn't it affect the prices for anybody in the market to buy or sell locomotives in the near future?

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Posted by CandOforprogress2 on Monday, August 14, 2017 1:01 PM

wanswheel

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Posted by Ulrich on Monday, August 14, 2017 7:53 PM

Murphy Siding

     What kind of effect is EH Harrison's actions at CSX having on the rest of the railroad world and the US economy in general?

   Taking 800 or however many locomotives out of service has to do something to the locomotive market. Eliminating a lot of jobs has to effect the job market for railroad people. The changes in capital spending on CSX must effect a lot of companies and businesses. What about the supposed congealing of traffic on CSX? How does that effect other railroads, shippers and receivers? I've read here and other places that companies are scrambling to find trucks to haul their goods. That has to have some serious side effects.

*I had to read The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. I'm still wondering why 40 years later.

 

 

Way overstated.. two of my customers are large fortune 500s who are captive to CSX. I asked my contacts point blank how they're dealing with the chaos at CSX.. (both are traffic managers) one of them asked me what I was talking about. The other stated he heard of some rumblings at CSX but nothing more.. A long way I'd say from moving freight on to the road.. Truck rates are very high now.. any traffic manager who wants to go that route had better update his/her resume first.. BEFORE they get fired. 

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Posted by D.Carleton on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 11:38 AM

My concern is the alienation of the smaller customers. Remember, our industry was partially deregulated in 1980. There are still expectations of service by all customers large and small. The more shippers that are affected the louder the calls come for re-regulation. That may be EHH's legacy.

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Posted by Euclid on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 1:28 PM

I think that Harrison's true adversary in this is the labor unions.  Their interest clashes with his mission to cut costs, reduce operations, and lay off employees. 

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Posted by Ulrich on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 2:29 PM

That's been the case everywhere.. he's had opposition from labor everywhere he's been. He's got a window of opportunity to make it happen, and I'm sure he knows that. His time horizon is also short out of necessity.. this wasn't going to be a ten year gig for him. Two years at most, and Keith Creel will likely be his successor. 

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 2:36 PM

Euclid
I think that Harrison's true adversary in this is the labor unions.  Their interest clashes with his mission to cut costs, reduce operations, and lay off employees. 

Harrison's real adversary is breathing and continuing to get sufficient oxygen to his brain to be able to think.  His actions so far seem to be coming from his autonomic nervous system-if he violates enough labor agreements quick enough he 'thinks' they won't catch up to him.  Harrison's violation of agreements increase costs.

Agreements are just that AGREEMENTS - between parties that are to uphold all parts of the agreement, not just those they want to.  To be signatory to a agreement and then violate its provisions just means that 'you' were disreputable when 'you' signed the agreement.  Agreements negotiated by your predecessors are to be honored for the duration specified in the agreement, to do otherwise makes you a 'liar'.  Railroads have had more than their share of disreputable liars over the years.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 10:02 PM

Ulrich

 

 
Murphy Siding

     What kind of effect is EH Harrison's actions at CSX having on the rest of the railroad world and the US economy in general?

   Taking 800 or however many locomotives out of service has to do something to the locomotive market. Eliminating a lot of jobs has to effect the job market for railroad people. The changes in capital spending on CSX must effect a lot of companies and businesses. What about the supposed congealing of traffic on CSX? How does that effect other railroads, shippers and receivers? I've read here and other places that companies are scrambling to find trucks to haul their goods. That has to have some serious side effects.

*I had to read The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. I'm still wondering why 40 years later.

 

 

 

 

Way overstated.. two of my customers are large fortune 500s who are captive to CSX. I asked my contacts point blank how they're dealing with the chaos at CSX.. (both are traffic managers) one of them asked me what I was talking about. The other stated he heard of some rumblings at CSX but nothing more.. A long way I'd say from moving freight on to the road.. Truck rates are very high now.. any traffic manager who wants to go that route had better update his/her resume first.. BEFORE they get fired. 

 

You mean it's not the end of the world as we know it? With all the attention given to the subject, I would have expected whole sections of the economy to shut down by now. Mischief (<<< mischief or sarcasm, your call.)

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Posted by Shadow the Cats owner on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 7:17 AM

Part of the reason why the economy hasn't tanked yet is simple.  There was some overcapacity in the OTR side of things.  However the longer this meltdown on the CSX goes the less there will be in this.  We are gearing up for the Holiday rush we get yearly and that is a big time rush for us.  The problem is that compaines are literally running out of equipment to put into place.  

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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 7:29 AM

BaltACD
Harrison's real adversary is breathing and continuing to get sufficient oxygen to his brain to be able to think.  His actions so far seem to be coming from his autonomic nervous system-if he violates enough labor agreements quick enough he 'thinks' they won't catch up to him.  Harrison's violation of agreements increase costs.

As I've mentioned before, I'm not so sure he is actually making these decisions.  If that is the case, then all he has to do is appear to be alive so he can take the credit/blame.

As an aside - the city mothers and fathers of a city near me are engaged in a bit of a battle with the fire department.  The council is trying to cut costs, the FD is standing by the use of a national manning standard.  The standard is well thought out, and explains the purpose of each firefighter on an initial response.  

So far, they've demoted the captains (as a cost savings measure).  The same people are doing the same job, just not getting paid for it.  The big sticking point is "minimal manning" - which is based on the aforementioned standard.  I don't have a dog in the fight, but I've suggested on several fora that perhaps the council should go through the job functions listed in the standard and let everyone know which jobs they don't want done if the fire is at their house...

The point is - they want to cut, but don't know how, so they just sit there and gripe about it.  If they followed EHH's apparent strategy, they'd just cut the FD to the bone and who cares if some houses and businesses burn down as a result - that's less buildings we have to protect!

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Posted by Los Angeles Rams Guy on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 9:06 AM

Ulrich

That's been the case everywhere.. he's had opposition from labor everywhere he's been. He's got a window of opportunity to make it happen, and I'm sure he knows that. His time horizon is also short out of necessity.. this wasn't going to be a ten year gig for him. Two years at most, and Keith Creel will likely be his successor. 

 

Keith Creel is not leaving CPRS to go to CSXT.

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Posted by oltmannd on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 12:44 PM

CandOforprogress2

 

 
wanswheel

 

Fast Forward to 30:12 for a New Haven Loco Street Running scene in Bridgeport CT!!!!

 

 

Cool.  Looks like a NYC Alco S-2 to me.

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Posted by Ulrich on Thursday, August 17, 2017 7:38 PM

Los Angeles Rams Guy

 

 
Ulrich

That's been the case everywhere.. he's had opposition from labor everywhere he's been. He's got a window of opportunity to make it happen, and I'm sure he knows that. His time horizon is also short out of necessity.. this wasn't going to be a ten year gig for him. Two years at most, and Keith Creel will likely be his successor. 

 

 

 

Keith Creel is not leaving CPRS to go to CSXT.

 

That we know of. We also know he's an American with no plans to settle in Alberta indefinitely. Given that he's been EHH's protege for the better part of 20 years, and that Jacksonville is pretty much home for him, a move to CSX as EHH's successor would make perfect sense. Now I'm not saying that's cast in stone of course, and Creel wouldn't be saying it publicly either.. but that's logically  his next move. 

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Posted by samfp1943 on Thursday, August 17, 2017 8:31 PM

BaltACD said[in Part] "...Harrison's real adversary is breathing and continuing to get sufficient oxygen to his brain to be able to think.  His actions so far seem to be coming from his autonomic nervous system-if he violates enough labor agreements quick enough he 'thinks' they won't catch up to him.  Harrison's violation of agreements increase costs..."

My thoughts: "HellofvaNote": EHH is a guy who has worked most of his life in railroading, and "on his way out the door", he will leave as his legacy, a place that will lay somewhere between Ghengis Khan andBenito Mussolini. Leaving in his wake a number of people dancing on his grave ,and rich inheritors rushing to spend his millions....Whistling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i9ozy739c8  

(This is for Mike wanswheel :)

 

 

 


 

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, August 17, 2017 8:41 PM

I have to view Mantle Ridge, Paul Hilal and EHH as economic terrorists.  They rival ISIS in their ability to destroy CSX in a short period of time.

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, August 17, 2017 9:10 PM

samfp1943

BaltACD said[in Part] "...Harrison's real adversary is breathing and continuing to get sufficient oxygen to his brain to be able to think.  His actions so far seem to be coming from his autonomic nervous system-if he violates enough labor agreements quick enough he 'thinks' they won't catch up to him.  Harrison's violation of agreements increase costs..."

My thoughts: "HellofvaNote": EHH is a guy who has worked most of his life in railroading, and "on his way out the door", he will leave as his legacy, a place that will lay somewhere between Ghengis Khan andBenito Mussolini. Leaving in his wake a number of people dancing on his grave ,and rich inheritors rushing to spend his millions....Whistling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i9ozy739c8  

(This is for Mike wanswheel :)

 

 

Didn't Benito Mussolini make the trains run on time?Smile

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Thursday, August 17, 2017 9:11 PM

samfp1943
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i9ozy739c8   (This is for Mike wanswheel :)  

Sam, I like your link and it (the song) works! At least EHH didn't sire 9 offspring in one night but he sure seems like he's laying waste to CSX.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Thursday, August 17, 2017 9:27 PM

Ulrich

 

 
Los Angeles Rams Guy

 

 
Ulrich

That's been the case everywhere.. he's had opposition from labor everywhere he's been. He's got a window of opportunity to make it happen, and I'm sure he knows that. His time horizon is also short out of necessity.. this wasn't going to be a ten year gig for him. Two years at most, and Keith Creel will likely be his successor. 

 

 

 

Keith Creel is not leaving CPRS to go to CSXT.

 

 

 

That we know of. We also know he's an American with no plans to settle in Alberta indefinitely. Given that he's been EHH's protege for the better part of 20 years, and that Jacksonville is pretty much home for him, a move to CSX as EHH's successor would make perfect sense. Now I'm not saying that's cast in stone of course, and Creel wouldn't be saying it publicly either.. but that's logically  his next move. 

 

I dunno. Maybe if he was offered $50 million...Mischief

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Posted by Ulrich on Friday, August 18, 2017 6:41 AM

After experiencing a Calgary winter even that might not be enough.. 

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Posted by BaltACD on Friday, August 18, 2017 8:27 AM

Deggesty
 
samfp1943

BaltACD said[in Part] "...Harrison's real adversary is breathing and continuing to get sufficient oxygen to his brain to be able to think.  His actions so far seem to be coming from his autonomic nervous system-if he violates enough labor agreements quick enough he 'thinks' they won't catch up to him.  Harrison's violation of agreements increase costs..."

My thoughts: "HellofvaNote": EHH is a guy who has worked most of his life in railroading, and "on his way out the door", he will leave as his legacy, a place that will lay somewhere between Ghengis Khan andBenito Mussolini. Leaving in his wake a number of people dancing on his grave ,and rich inheritors rushing to spend his millions....Whistling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i9ozy739c8  

(This is for Mike wanswheel :) 

Didn't Benito Mussolini make the trains run on time?Smile

That is the old wives tale about Mussolini; however, in this case EHH is making the trains run late.

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Posted by Convicted One on Friday, August 18, 2017 4:26 PM

I guess this thread is a thinly veiled attempt to demean EHH's critics?  The evidence is really starting to pile up, while the pool of critics swells.

 

Am I the only one to suspect that Harrison's true objective is to merge CP into CSX, since they wouldn't allow CP to acquire CSX?  Creel's line of succession would be natural.

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Posted by Norm48327 on Friday, August 18, 2017 4:44 PM

Convicted One
Am I the only one to suspect that Harrison's true objective is to merge CP into CSX, since they wouldn't allow CP to acquire CSX? Creel's line of succession would be natural.

The only thing we can be certain of is Harrison's greed in wanting the $84 mil. Other than that one would be on a fool's errand trying to detect his real motives regarding any merger or what his true plan for CSX is.

Norm


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Posted by Murphy Siding on Friday, August 18, 2017 9:00 PM

Convicted One

I guess this thread is a thinly veiled attempt to demean EHH's critics?  The evidence is really starting to pile up, while the pool of critics swells.

 

Am I the only one to suspect that Harrison's true objective is to merge CP into CSX, since they wouldn't allow CP to acquire CSX?  Creel's line of succession would be natural.

 

No, actually I'm not that smart and I don't look good in veils. It was more of a "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" type deal. Do you think CSX is too big to fail?

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