This is not exclusively the fault of the railroads. But it appears (and amplified in spades on here) they have the attitude of blaming everyone else for the failures, including customers. Really inept but a great way to lose those customers in the future.
Yes just another blame everyone else. Instead why not try to offer them help in solving the problems. Any solutions will take effort from all affected persons. It may be that increasing storage fees temporarily might help. Attracting more dray drivers by paying more. Incraeasing wharehouse thruput. ETC.
blue streak 1Yes just another blame everyone else. Instead why not try to offer them help in solving the problems. Any solutions will take effort from all affected persons. It may be that increasing storage fees temporarily might help. Attracting more dray drivers by paying more. Incraeasing wharehouse thruput. ETC.
They're doing what they can. UP has reopened Global 3 in Rochelle, IL to add storage space. BNSF has increased storage space at its Elwood, IL terminal by taking tracks out of service and using them to store containers.
The railroads don't control warehouse thruput, nor do they control drayage driver pay.
Supply chains all over the world are disrupted. The railroads don't have a magic wand to fix it.
blue streak 1 Yes just another blame everyone else. Instead why not try to offer them help in solving the problems. Any solutions will take effort from all affected persons. It may be that increasing storage fees temporarily might help. Attracting more dray drivers by paying more. Incraeasing wharehouse thruput. ETC.
That's where the money is. Lot's of finger pointing and blaming..and lots of money being made by people who can help their customers..
greyhounds blue streak 1 Yes just another blame everyone else. Instead why not try to offer them help in solving the problems. Any solutions will take effort from all affected persons. It may be that increasing storage fees temporarily might help. Attracting more dray drivers by paying more. Incraeasing wharehouse thruput. ETC. They're doing what they can. UP has reopened Global 3 in Rochelle, IL to add storage space. BNSF has increased storage space at its Elwood, IL terminal by taking tracks out of service and using them to store containers. The railroads don't control warehouse thruput, nor do they control drayage driver pay. Supply chains all over the world are disrupted. The railroads don't have a magic wand to fix it.
Everybody in the Supply Chain has had a hand in its breakdown. Manufacturers, Shippers, Container operators, Port Terminal Operations, Drayage Firms, Railroads, OTR Trucking, Consignees. Everybody has some level of failure - NOBODY has clean hands.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD Convicted One I still stand behind my earlier assertion, If there is a logistics problem, then you (UP or BNSF) are the logistics experts, so solve it. Don't come wimpering to me, expecting a comfortable shoulder to cry on. Find a solution!! When you as a 'customer' are not upholding YOUR end of the transportation contract YOU become the problem, not the carriers. It is your obligation to get the boxes consigned to you off the carriers property - it is not the carriers obligation to find more space to store your boxes until you can handle them.
Convicted One I still stand behind my earlier assertion, If there is a logistics problem, then you (UP or BNSF) are the logistics experts, so solve it. Don't come wimpering to me, expecting a comfortable shoulder to cry on. Find a solution!!
When you as a 'customer' are not upholding YOUR end of the transportation contract YOU become the problem, not the carriers. It is your obligation to get the boxes consigned to you off the carriers property - it is not the carriers obligation to find more space to store your boxes until you can handle them.
BaltACD greyhounds blue streak 1 Yes just another blame everyone else. Instead why not try to offer them help in solving the problems. Any solutions will take effort from all affected persons. It may be that increasing storage fees temporarily might help. Attracting more dray drivers by paying more. Incraeasing wharehouse thruput. ETC. They're doing what they can. UP has reopened Global 3 in Rochelle, IL to add storage space. BNSF has increased storage space at its Elwood, IL terminal by taking tracks out of service and using them to store containers. The railroads don't control warehouse thruput, nor do they control drayage driver pay. Supply chains all over the world are disrupted. The railroads don't have a magic wand to fix it. Everybody in the Supply Chain has had a hand in its breakdown. Manufacturers, Shippers, Container operators, Port Terminal Operations, Drayage Firms, Railroads, OTR Trucking, Consignees. Everybody has some level of failure - NOBODY has clean hands.
I am confused by the contradiction between the statement "It is your obligation to get the boxes consigned to you off the carriers property - it is not the carriers obligation to find more space to store your boxes until you can handle them" with "Railroads, OTR Trucking, Consignees. Everybody has some level of failure - NOBODY has clean hands."
Didn't you first claim that the railroads indeed have "clean hands" inasmuch as that it is unreasonable to blame them when customers don't pick up their containers from railroad intermodal yards?
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
Paul Milenkovic I am confused by the contradiction between the statement "It is your obligation to get the boxes consigned to you off the carriers property - it is not the carriers obligation to find more space to store your boxes until you can handle them" with "Railroads, OTR Trucking, Consignees. Everybody has some level of failure - NOBODY has clean hands." Didn't you first claim that the railroads indeed have "clean hands" inasmuch as that it is unreasonable to blame them when customers don't pick up their containers from railroad intermodal yards?
Never stated the RR's had clean hands - EVERYBODY in the chain has dirty hands of varying degrees for various reasons.
BaltACD Paul Milenkovic I am confused by the contradiction between the statement "It is your obligation to get the boxes consigned to you off the carriers property - it is not the carriers obligation to find more space to store your boxes until you can handle them" with "Railroads, OTR Trucking, Consignees. Everybody has some level of failure - NOBODY has clean hands." Didn't you first claim that the railroads indeed have "clean hands" inasmuch as that it is unreasonable to blame them when customers don't pick up their containers from railroad intermodal yards? Never stated the RR's had clean hands - EVERYBODY in the chain has dirty hands of varying degrees for various reasons.
What part of "it is not the carriers obligation to find more space to store your boxes until you can handle them" is not claiming that the RR's indeed have "clean hands" in that they are doing everything reasonable and expected of them at their intermodal terminals?
If boxes are backing up at the RR intermodal terminal because the RR is not delivering the boxes to the intermodal terminal in a timely matter because whatever reason -- PSR, short staffing, whatever -- then it would be reasonable for the RR's to be expected to either store the boxes on their property or "un-PSR" their operations so there is a steady flow of rail shipments to the terminal for their customers to dray off the RR property.
A number of commenters on this site are saying "don't blame the RR's, it is not their job to store boxes on their property if their customers don't pick them up." The statement "it is your obligation to get boxes . . .off the carrier's property" isn't agreeing with those other commenters?
What do you suppose is the chance that at least a portion of the chassis shortage that everyone is fretting about is due to them being deployed in rubber tired detour service transporting containers inland, by customers taking matters into their own hands and deciding to circumvent the vaporlocked railroads?
Convicted One The amount of empty shelves I'm seeing at retailers is sadly amusing. And not just on a spot basis, I'm talking about products that have been sold out for weeks on end, with stores you would expect to be on top of their game (Walmart, Target, etc). I was just in a Dollar General, and it was astounding the entire swaths of shelf space sitting empty. Sure made me think of this thread. So, I asked the manager if she had any insight, and she just replied that they haven't "seen a truck" in two weeks. Could this ordeal possibly have a silver lining for competing products sourced on this continent?
The amount of empty shelves I'm seeing at retailers is sadly amusing. And not just on a spot basis, I'm talking about products that have been sold out for weeks on end, with stores you would expect to be on top of their game (Walmart, Target, etc).
I was just in a Dollar General, and it was astounding the entire swaths of shelf space sitting empty. Sure made me think of this thread. So, I asked the manager if she had any insight, and she just replied that they haven't "seen a truck" in two weeks.
Could this ordeal possibly have a silver lining for competing products sourced on this continent?
Some of the products that I've looked for that are either out of stock or in short supply are made here in the US. I think some brands are concentrating only on their best selling items, temporarily discontinuing what they perceive as lesser items.
Jeff
There has been some retooling in that only certain items that were high volume sellers were kept in production during the height of the pandemic. Especially in things like toilet paper or paper towels. Those items had the variety of things cut by 30 percent.
Certain meat cuts also have been hard to come by due to labor shortage in the meat processing system. As for the rest there's a raw material shortage as some supplies only come from certain parts of the world and without trade it is hard to get needed items in to make things.
My point was that everyone needs to get together to increase thru put. IMO supplies are going to suffer for a long time world wide. It may be some of the labor shortage comes from USA businesses trying to return supplies closer to home. Another is the demand mix is different.
An example: Friend has a fasirly large business that had a very good relationship with suppliers. The distributor for toilet paper was over stocked with commercial paper that no one wanted. Supplier was Desperate to clear inventory. My friend had space to purchase enough that he still has not worked off all the extra. - Now home toilet paper that comes off different lines is often still in short availability. One week my store has plenty next week empty. Also same for paper towels. No relationship between the two.
Convicted One What do you suppose is the chance that at least a portion of the chassis shortage that everyone is fretting about is due to them being deployed in rubber tired detour service transporting containers inland, by customers taking matters into their own hands and deciding to circumvent the vaporlocked railroads?
BackshopMaybe a small part. IM chassis are normally spec'd very cheaply and aren't used for long hauls.
Well, I'm not proposing to have all the answers, I'm just saying that when left with no better alternative, creative minds tend to adapt.
Rather than allow a stubborn class 1 to shut me down, empty warehouse space is not hard to find. I might rent temporary space In some half way location like Denver (etc) and break down the containers there, rather than Chicago. And if that works well enough, consider repeating the proceedure (as I mentioned earlier, if forced to find my own solution, I might find alternatives more to my liking than the status quo)
jeffhergert think some brands are concentrating only on their best selling items, temporarily discontinuing what they perceive as lesser items.
Yes, I'm confident that you are correct about that. I supect that to be the case with several of the items I'm finding in chronic short supply. (single serving sized processed foods, just for one example)
But I suspect the off-shore parking lot to be to blame for many others.
And then there are all those insubordinate unemployed, hedonistically reveling in their lavish, subsidized unemployment benefits.
Convicted One jeffhergert think some brands are concentrating only on their best selling items, temporarily discontinuing what they perceive as lesser items. Yes, I'm confident that you are correct about that. I supect that to be the case with several of the items I'm finding in chronic short supply. (single serving sized processed foods, just for one example) But I suspect the off-shore parking lot to be to blame for many others. And then there are all those insubordinate unemployed, hedonistically reveling in their lavish, subsidized unemployment benefits.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Convicted One... And then there are all those insubordinate unemployed, hedonistically reveling in their lavish, subsidized unemployment benefits.
If the unemployed have it so good - maybe you should quit your job and join them and grain status.
BaltACD Convicted One And then there are all those insubordinate unemployed, hedonistically reveling in their lavish, subsidized unemployment benefits. If the unemployed have it so good - maybe you should quit your job and join them and grain status.
Convicted One And then there are all those insubordinate unemployed, hedonistically reveling in their lavish, subsidized unemployment benefits.
Is it just me or does it seem like teenagers don't work anymore? All the entry level jobs in fast food, etc., are being performed by "retired" people. That's not right. You build many lifelong job skills in your first job.
BaltACDmaybe you should quit your job and join them and grain status.
I've been enjoying retirement now for 20 months (double "woosh" )
I was just satirizing the laments of a certain group that includes our govenor, who insist that those "hedonists" I describe are a paramount threat to the Republic
Murphy Sidingif you want to buy shingles, the major manufactureres are so far behind that they've cut their offerings to their 4 or 5 most popular colors in their major line. If you want something else, you can place your order, but it won't get made until they catch up.
I didn't care for them much when I first started noticing them 10-12 years ago. But lately I've found those metal roofing systems quite attractive. Thanks for adding a practical dimension.
Convicted One Murphy Siding if you want to buy shingles, the major manufactureres are so far behind that they've cut their offerings to their 4 or 5 most popular colors in their major line. If you want something else, you can place your order, but it won't get made until they catch up. I didn't care for them much when I first started noticing them 10-12 years ago. But lately I've found those metal roofing systems quite attractive. Thanks for adding a practical dimension.
Murphy Siding if you want to buy shingles, the major manufactureres are so far behind that they've cut their offerings to their 4 or 5 most popular colors in their major line. If you want something else, you can place your order, but it won't get made until they catch up.
"Wanna get away?"
Sounds like it would be a great idea!...except that airline (Southwest) has huge issues. Not enough employees, high demand for service, and very disgrunted employees. Oh, they are not alone...other airlines have cancelled flights also.
Hmm, probably the fault of the railroads! If they would just run a few more passenger trains this problem would go away! Or not.
We are in a mess and it is going to be this way for quite awhile. Planning needs to be based on months not days, regardless of what you are doing.
Guess what, here comes the next round of COVID. Lots of personal freedom and liberty about vacinations and masks...oops we didnt quite get that right.
My employer's biggest supplier (a Fortune 50 giant) has indicated it will be getting worse and anticipating lengthed supply chains and ongoing shortage of materials and the product they are providing has a high rejection rate.
Hang in there, stay calm, manage what you can.
Ed
MP173"Wanna get away?" Sounds like it would be a great idea!...except that airline (Southwest) has huge issues. Not enough employees, high demand for service, and very disgrunted employees. Oh, they are not alone...other airlines have cancelled flights also. Hmm, probably the fault of the railroads! If they would just run a few more passenger trains this problem would go away! Or not. We are in a mess and it is going to be this way for quite awhile. Planning needs to be based on months not days, regardless of what you are doing. Guess what, here comes the next round of COVID. Lots of personal freedom and liberty about vacinations and masks...oops we didnt quite get that right. My employer's biggest supplier (a Fortune 50 giant) has indicated it will be getting worse and anticipating lengthed supply chains and ongoing shortage of materials and the product they are providing has a high rejection rate. Hang in there, stay calm, manage what you can. Ed
We tend to forget and overlook that most all industries and other forms of employment that just a little over a year ago all those organization pared their their employment to the barest of bones - putting hundreds of thousands if not millions of employees on the unemployment rolls.
Then when it can time to recall the employees - Surprise Surprise - employees didn't want to return to the menial low paid positions that they had previously held - they found they could obtain higher paid positions elsewhere and not return to their old jobs.
My experience in the 21st Century that a employer is luck if they can get 20% of the work force they furloughed to return when they issue a recall. They also find out that all those jobs they thought didn't require any skills or training to perform effectivelly - do infact require skills and training, thus the 'body' that is hired has to undergo a period of training before they and become a productive employee.
Convicted OneBut lately I've found those metal roofing systems quite attractive. Thanks for adding a practical dimension.
What happens when they start to rust?
Electroliner 1935 Convicted One But lately I've found those metal roofing systems quite attractive. Thanks for adding a practical dimension.
Convicted One But lately I've found those metal roofing systems quite attractive. Thanks for adding a practical dimension.
More supply chain problems. Orlando is running short of liquid oxygen for the hospitals . It also uses liquid o2 for water treatmet . Orlando utilities requesting residents to cut back on water useage. Probably for at less several weeks.
Orlando residents urged to cut back on water use amid shortage of liquid oxygen as Covid increases in Florida - LOVEBYLIFE
More supply chain problems. Orlando is running short of liquid oxygen for the hospitals . It also uses liquid o2 for water treatmet . Orlando utilities requesting residents to cut back on water useage. Probably for at least several weeks.
Orlando Residents Asked to Limit Water Usage as Virus Surges - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Electroliner 1935 Convicted One But lately I've found those metal roofing systems quite attractive. Thanks for adding a practical dimension. What happens when they start to rust?
Electroliner 1935What happens when they start to rust?
Blame it on your customers, like everything else.
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