MORE CONFIRMATION ON A POSSIBLE CSX-UP MERGER

[Anonymous]

NOW TO SOME WHO HAVE SAID THAT THESE ARE JUST ROUNDHOUSE RUMORS, I HAVE JUST A FEW MORE HINTS THAT ARE TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE TO LET GO. I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER DOWN IN JACKSONVILLE AND A SENIOR CLERK TOLD ME THAT UP HAS BEEN THERE FOR 2 MONTHS RUNNING INTEGRATION TESTS OF OUR PAPERWORK SYSTEM WITH THEIRS. UPPER LEVEL MANAGERS HAVE ALSO BEEN IN CLOSED DOOR TALKS WITH UP MANAGERS. KINDA INTERESTING,HUH.

[Anonymous]

NOW TO SOME WHO HAVE SAID THAT THESE ARE JUST ROUNDHOUSE RUMORS, I HAVE JUST A FEW MORE HINTS THAT ARE TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE TO LET GO. I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER DOWN IN JACKSONVILLE AND A SENIOR CLERK TOLD ME THAT UP HAS BEEN THERE FOR 2 MONTHS RUNNING INTEGRATION TESTS OF OUR PAPERWORK SYSTEM WITH THEIRS. UPPER LEVEL MANAGERS HAVE ALSO BEEN IN CLOSED DOOR TALKS WITH UP MANAGERS. KINDA INTERESTING,HUH.

[Anonymous]

You are still WAAAAY behind the curve. UP and CSX are working on certain proprietary technology together. That alone does not add up to merger. Still just a rumor. LOL, as though a clerk would know anything...

LC

[Anonymous]

You are still WAAAAY behind the curve. UP and CSX are working on certain proprietary technology together. That alone does not add up to merger. Still just a rumor. LOL, as though a clerk would know anything...

LC

[Anonymous]

http://www.ble.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=7814


One spark for the renewed rumors apparently was a prank by someone at Union Pacific who electronically altered a Union Pacific newsletter on the company's internal Web site to include a fake article about a merger. The altered document was then e-mailed to Union Pacific employees, spokesman John Bromley said.

"We know it was false," Bromley said. "My office writes the newsletter."

[Anonymous]

http://www.ble.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=7814


One spark for the renewed rumors apparently was a prank by someone at Union Pacific who electronically altered a Union Pacific newsletter on the company's internal Web site to include a fake article about a merger. The altered document was then e-mailed to Union Pacific employees, spokesman John Bromley said.

"We know it was false," Bromley said. "My office writes the newsletter."

[Anonymous]

NOT JUST A CLERK BUT THE SENIOR CLERK WHO WAS WORKING WITH THE UP MANAGER THAT NIGHT. WE ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THE 2 WORKING ON SIMILAR EQUIPMENT BECAUSE UP IS IMPLEMENTING THEIR NCAR TRACKING SYSTEM ON CSX. I THINK A SENIOR MANAGER AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER WITH OVER 30 YEARS HAS SOME CREDIBILITY. AND ALSO WHY WOULD BE CHANGING OUR SYSTEMS OVER TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THEIRS AND DOING IT IN QUITE HURRY. I REITERATE THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY COINCIDENTAL HAPPENNINGS TO BE JUST RUMOR. ESPECIALLY JUST FOR A COUPLE OF STACK TRAINS. WE WILL ASK THE TRAINMASTER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

[Anonymous]

NOT JUST A CLERK BUT THE SENIOR CLERK WHO WAS WORKING WITH THE UP MANAGER THAT NIGHT. WE ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THE 2 WORKING ON SIMILAR EQUIPMENT BECAUSE UP IS IMPLEMENTING THEIR NCAR TRACKING SYSTEM ON CSX. I THINK A SENIOR MANAGER AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER WITH OVER 30 YEARS HAS SOME CREDIBILITY. AND ALSO WHY WOULD BE CHANGING OUR SYSTEMS OVER TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THEIRS AND DOING IT IN QUITE HURRY. I REITERATE THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY COINCIDENTAL HAPPENNINGS TO BE JUST RUMOR. ESPECIALLY JUST FOR A COUPLE OF STACK TRAINS. WE WILL ASK THE TRAINMASTER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jchoochoo71

NOT JUST A CLERK BUT THE SENIOR CLERK WHO WAS WORKING WITH THE UP MANAGER THAT NIGHT. WE ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THE 2 WORKING ON SIMILAR EQUIPMENT BECAUSE UP IS IMPLEMENTING THEIR NCAR TRACKING SYSTEM ON CSX. I THINK A SENIOR MANAGER AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER WITH OVER 30 YEARS HAS SOME CREDIBILITY. AND ALSO WHY WOULD BE CHANGING OUR SYSTEMS OVER TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THEIRS AND DOING IT IN QUITE HURRY. I REITERATE THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY COINCIDENTAL HAPPENNINGS TO BE JUST RUMOR. ESPECIALLY JUST FOR A COUPLE OF STACK TRAINS. WE WILL ASK THE TRAINMASTER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

Ask whoever you want. It will change nothing. You need to take a look at the article pfrench pointed out. It discusses all of this. It's all rumors as far as I'm concerneds unless and until there is a transaction announced.

No clerk in HQ knows what the company will do. If it was the Exec. V.P.'s Sec'y I might look twice but a clerk working on matching computers, no matter how senior thinks he knows a LOT more than he does...sorry, but you'll have to do a lot better than that...as for the TM, are you sure he can even tie his shoes???

LOL...

LC

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jchoochoo71

NOT JUST A CLERK BUT THE SENIOR CLERK WHO WAS WORKING WITH THE UP MANAGER THAT NIGHT. WE ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THE 2 WORKING ON SIMILAR EQUIPMENT BECAUSE UP IS IMPLEMENTING THEIR NCAR TRACKING SYSTEM ON CSX. I THINK A SENIOR MANAGER AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER WITH OVER 30 YEARS HAS SOME CREDIBILITY. AND ALSO WHY WOULD BE CHANGING OUR SYSTEMS OVER TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THEIRS AND DOING IT IN QUITE HURRY. I REITERATE THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY COINCIDENTAL HAPPENNINGS TO BE JUST RUMOR. ESPECIALLY JUST FOR A COUPLE OF STACK TRAINS. WE WILL ASK THE TRAINMASTER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

Ask whoever you want. It will change nothing. You need to take a look at the article pfrench pointed out. It discusses all of this. It's all rumors as far as I'm concerneds unless and until there is a transaction announced.

No clerk in HQ knows what the company will do. If it was the Exec. V.P.'s Sec'y I might look twice but a clerk working on matching computers, no matter how senior thinks he knows a LOT more than he does...sorry, but you'll have to do a lot better than that...as for the TM, are you sure he can even tie his shoes???

LOL...

LC

[cabforward]

rumors about 2 r.r. giants in a super-merger.. why is this important?

the really weird elements about this:

people get all exercised hearing rumors and passing them on.. OOOOOO!! did you hear..? NO! where did you hear that?? OOOOOOOOO!

what if the rumors are true? what if the r.rs. merge? after the merger, everybody will be so upset that the merger went thru.. horrible, horrible! the r.rs. are too big! they care less than they used to! they are a monopoly! they hurt the economy! they are firing people right & left! cry, cry, cry!

after the merger, people will say things like, gee! the new r.r. can send cars from ______ to _____ w/o changing locos..

gee! they control X% of the total r.r. mileage in the u.s., what a r.r.!

i would like to know:

so what??

if you like to argue, you can argue a thousand different topics about why the merger is good or bad.. why this will help the r.r. industry or hurt it.. or help the economy.. or george bush, or the cal. recall or whether it will cause the mississippi to hit flood stage this year..

if you enjoying arguing about anything to do w/ r.r.-ing, you will find a lot to argue about on this issue..

myself, it doesn't matter to me.. r.rs. are a business.. they come & go.. they merge & split up..

i enjoy reading about how r.rs. operate and stories of crewmen on the job..

when it gets down to business, that's boring.. when pc & prr merged, did anyone get excited reading about it? how about when conrail took over--was that a knee-slapper? what about when csx & ns divvied up the assets, did you laugh or cry?

did you feel nostalgic reading about ownership of the r-o-w of the old d+h or west. maryland being sold from one holding co. to another?

wow! you really are sentimental! getting teary-eyed over a business decision is way over my head.. but, i never saw the appeal of 'boxcar willie' either..

[cabforward]

rumors about 2 r.r. giants in a super-merger.. why is this important?

the really weird elements about this:

people get all exercised hearing rumors and passing them on.. OOOOOO!! did you hear..? NO! where did you hear that?? OOOOOOOOO!

what if the rumors are true? what if the r.rs. merge? after the merger, everybody will be so upset that the merger went thru.. horrible, horrible! the r.rs. are too big! they care less than they used to! they are a monopoly! they hurt the economy! they are firing people right & left! cry, cry, cry!

after the merger, people will say things like, gee! the new r.r. can send cars from ______ to _____ w/o changing locos..

gee! they control X% of the total r.r. mileage in the u.s., what a r.r.!

i would like to know:

so what??

if you like to argue, you can argue a thousand different topics about why the merger is good or bad.. why this will help the r.r. industry or hurt it.. or help the economy.. or george bush, or the cal. recall or whether it will cause the mississippi to hit flood stage this year..

if you enjoying arguing about anything to do w/ r.r.-ing, you will find a lot to argue about on this issue..

myself, it doesn't matter to me.. r.rs. are a business.. they come & go.. they merge & split up..

i enjoy reading about how r.rs. operate and stories of crewmen on the job..

when it gets down to business, that's boring.. when pc & prr merged, did anyone get excited reading about it? how about when conrail took over--was that a knee-slapper? what about when csx & ns divvied up the assets, did you laugh or cry?

did you feel nostalgic reading about ownership of the r-o-w of the old d+h or west. maryland being sold from one holding co. to another?

wow! you really are sentimental! getting teary-eyed over a business decision is way over my head.. but, i never saw the appeal of 'boxcar willie' either..

[JoeKoh]

did you ever hear boxcar willie sing the wabash cannonball or boxcarblues?
stay safe
joe

[JoeKoh]

did you ever hear boxcar willie sing the wabash cannonball or boxcarblues?
stay safe
joe

[CShaveRR]

UP still has more to lose with a merger than it would gain by merging with either CSX or NS. So don't look for the UP executive team to be on the prowl. And don't be surprised if NS headquarters get visited, too.

I think that of the two western railroads, BNSF would be more likely to initiate merger talks...it would gain from an eastern merger everything that UP would lose.

[CShaveRR]

UP still has more to lose with a merger than it would gain by merging with either CSX or NS. So don't look for the UP executive team to be on the prowl. And don't be surprised if NS headquarters get visited, too.

I think that of the two western railroads, BNSF would be more likely to initiate merger talks...it would gain from an eastern merger everything that UP would lose.

[wabash1]

Dont count a clerck short on knowing what is happening. I will say this ive heard the rumors before and they will keep on going. The only reason ( logical or not) for up guys being in the csx clerck room is for the coast to coast service of stack trains. if a custmer wants to know where his goods are he calls the railroad ( up) but now the train is on the csx and they have no way of knowing where it is unless they call csx. and wait for a reply. if they use the same type system to check freight movement it is simpler for each as this is the way the csx has to do it to.

Now with this out of the way if this system is in place and it works this is one problem out of the way with a merger tracking trains and cars.and a merger can go thru as they already track each others trains. are mergers of the big roads close to happing . yes but it will be a few years off yet. they just doing now what they do after a merger once they have a system in place and they can show that the service wont be interupted the stb would be more likly to agree to a merger than what has happened in the past.

[wabash1]

Dont count a clerck short on knowing what is happening. I will say this ive heard the rumors before and they will keep on going. The only reason ( logical or not) for up guys being in the csx clerck room is for the coast to coast service of stack trains. if a custmer wants to know where his goods are he calls the railroad ( up) but now the train is on the csx and they have no way of knowing where it is unless they call csx. and wait for a reply. if they use the same type system to check freight movement it is simpler for each as this is the way the csx has to do it to.

Now with this out of the way if this system is in place and it works this is one problem out of the way with a merger tracking trains and cars.and a merger can go thru as they already track each others trains. are mergers of the big roads close to happing . yes but it will be a few years off yet. they just doing now what they do after a merger once they have a system in place and they can show that the service wont be interupted the stb would be more likly to agree to a merger than what has happened in the past.

[Anonymous]

It is a wonder how this comes about, I am sure ever person would like to see a merger, but it is a Business activity that can occur only if the time is right. Right now the major American Railroads are operating efficiently, and a merger would come as an unnecessay event. I would like to see nothing more that one, but it is time to get into the Business of Railroads, they are all very profitable, they are fine the way they are. Amtrak is the one that needs attention, not any of the freights, Amtrak needs some prayers!!

Also I am sure if there is a merger in the future (not any time soon) it will be with BNSF-CSX. The UP would take on NS. I will wager on this if anybody would like to take a risk.

[Anonymous]

It is a wonder how this comes about, I am sure ever person would like to see a merger, but it is a Business activity that can occur only if the time is right. Right now the major American Railroads are operating efficiently, and a merger would come as an unnecessay event. I would like to see nothing more that one, but it is time to get into the Business of Railroads, they are all very profitable, they are fine the way they are. Amtrak is the one that needs attention, not any of the freights, Amtrak needs some prayers!!

Also I am sure if there is a merger in the future (not any time soon) it will be with BNSF-CSX. The UP would take on NS. I will wager on this if anybody would like to take a risk.

[Anonymous]

Before anything happens with a merger they would have to apply to the Surface Transportation Board and have hearings

[Anonymous]

Before anything happens with a merger they would have to apply to the Surface Transportation Board and have hearings

[WM7471]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, and I may be. But, I seem to remember someone telling me that the billing and car handling software CSX uses was originally purchased from UP. If that is the case, then having UP's IT people around for an upgrade would not be unusual.

The word that has gone around for the past several years is that UP has more to lose than gain from more mergers, and won't be the one to start the next round. Of course, they may have a better idea than we do as to what their competition is up to. They may just be getting their ducks in a row.

[WM7471]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, and I may be. But, I seem to remember someone telling me that the billing and car handling software CSX uses was originally purchased from UP. If that is the case, then having UP's IT people around for an upgrade would not be unusual.

The word that has gone around for the past several years is that UP has more to lose than gain from more mergers, and won't be the one to start the next round. Of course, they may have a better idea than we do as to what their competition is up to. They may just be getting their ducks in a row.

[Anonymous]

It's all TRUE! UP and CSXT will merge by early '05. They plan on a whole new image and name. It will be CUSsUP! The initials don't really mean anything, of course, but with the right image, the whole nation will have CUSsUP on the tips of their tongues. I've heard they will tip their hat to the past by including the colors of all the predecessor roads in a "sediment scheme". The earlier roads like ACL; B&O; A&WP and D&RGW will be on the bottom of the hood in layers, with the widths of the bands of color depending on the age of that road. Consequently, B&O fairly wide. But as we get towards the top to the engine, we reach the CSX and lastly, the UP color bands, since they are the actual roads merging. All of this sediment paint scheme will be heavily weathered with either C&O dirt on ex-CSX engines, or SP grime on ex-UP stuff. I believe they plan to come up with their own natural weathering on new equipment. I can't wait to get a picture! A veritable color riot! :^I 8^( 8^O

[Anonymous]

It's all TRUE! UP and CSXT will merge by early '05. They plan on a whole new image and name. It will be CUSsUP! The initials don't really mean anything, of course, but with the right image, the whole nation will have CUSsUP on the tips of their tongues. I've heard they will tip their hat to the past by including the colors of all the predecessor roads in a "sediment scheme". The earlier roads like ACL; B&O; A&WP and D&RGW will be on the bottom of the hood in layers, with the widths of the bands of color depending on the age of that road. Consequently, B&O fairly wide. But as we get towards the top to the engine, we reach the CSX and lastly, the UP color bands, since they are the actual roads merging. All of this sediment paint scheme will be heavily weathered with either C&O dirt on ex-CSX engines, or SP grime on ex-UP stuff. I believe they plan to come up with their own natural weathering on new equipment. I can't wait to get a picture! A veritable color riot! :^I 8^( 8^O

[Mookie]

But will they come with porches?

da mook

[Mookie]

But will they come with porches?

da mook

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

But will they come with porches?

da mook

My name is skeets. Trust me. ;^)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

But will they come with porches?

da mook

My name is skeets. Trust me. ;^)