railroads

Commentary: What are best practices for private railcar storage?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.  

Here are things the regulators don’t tell you about marshaling and storing freight cars.

Such as how to detect rail head wear. Most railroad executives would not know how to do this

Jim Blaze rail accident investigation PowerPoint notes  1999-2015

This commentary will include a few pointers that your favorite Class 1 railroad salesperson won’t typically pass on as...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary-what-are-best-practices-for-private-railcar-storage

Intermodal Markets: Starting to look cheap again

Intermodal volumes and rates are weak compared to 2019, which was weak compared to 2018. That fundamental picture hasn’t changed, but it now appears that activity in trucking markets is providing some lift to intermodal. Intermodal volumes last week were down just 7.3% year-over-year (y/y), substantially better than the four-week moving average of -11.4%.

As further evidence that trucking tightness and pricing are affecting shipper mode selection, intermodal volumes and rates are strongest where...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/intermodal-markets:-starting-to-look-cheap-again

Commentary: Do you want to build a freight railroad?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

The physical basics of a railway route company come down to:

  • The track/right-of-way structure
  •  The rolling stock train set equipment
  • The route you are connecting (origin and destination).
Tank cars sit on two of three tracks visible in this photoTank cars sit on two of three tracks visible in this photo.
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

This is what is required in regard to the engineering fundamentals for the railway’s...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary-do-you-want-to-build-a-freight-railroad

Commentary: Should we fear mega-railroad mergers?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.  

About once a year, someone pens a North American rail merger column.  Why not one from a rail economist? This is not a “will happen” projection. It’s a strategic scenario question.

If a merger proposal is announced, here is a quick checklist of what you will want to examine as to details.

Suggested railroad M&A process checklist

Source: Lots of M&A post-review case...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/commentary-should-we-fear-mega-railroad-mergers

Commentary: Making a tough best guess market forecast

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.  

Forecasting is hard enough to do when you have accurate and timely data. It’s almost impossible when your data is not up-to-date. 

There is an old adage: Forecasting is like driving blindfolded while your partner looks rearward and telegraphs the next turn based on what you recently passed. That is tough to do on a curved road. It is mpossible on a road never...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary:-making-a-tough-best-guess-market-forecast

Commentary: Does rebuilding locomotives beat buying new?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

Ever check out the list prices of brand-new main line diesel-electric locomotives? They are expensive – about $3 million each.

People get mesmerized by the horsepower quoted. Nah! You want pulling power – and less top-end speed. Speed is what you require horsepower for. But dragging heavy long freight trains is the North American business model. You need to...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary:-is-rebuilding-locomotives-better-than-buying-new?

Passport Research: PSR’s past and future

The modern operating strategies known collectively as precision scheduled railroading (PSR) have driven profound changes in the way railroads think about their workforces, revenue growth, assets, facilities, networks and customer service.

In this piece, we explore the past, present and future of PSR through two decades of railroad industry financial and operating data.

First, we define what we believe are the core features of PSR. Because railroads’ networks and customer portfolios differ, and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/passport-research-psrs-past-and-future

Commentary: When will PSR-driven volume and service growth emerge?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

This week’s strategic question is “What are the bold new benefits shippers can expect now that the freight railways are super-efficient?”

It is May, and freight carriers – including the railroads – have issued their first quarter 2020 report cards. Simultaneously, it is a time of considerable economic uncertainty.

Previously in such crises, certain companies and...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary:-when-will-psr-driven-volume-and-service-growth-emerge?

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