Every now and then, the readers here get into little tifs about what constitutes a “good issue” compared to a “bad issue”.
In the fall out, the magazine staff has solicited suggestions from us as to what types of articles we would like to see more of. Which has often left me at a loss to determine what to even ask for.
Fred Frailey’s story on “The Haywire” pushed all of my buttons, blending the past, present, and future together from the perspective of the business’ strategists, and managed to be quite entertaining, too.
The more articles like this we have in the magazine, the better, in my opinion.
I will say that the explanation of the strategy on how the Meridian Speedway agreement with NS would impact the relations with CSX, UP, And BNSF was a bit murky, had to read it through a few times to sort out what they were really trying to say (can’t help but to think perhaps a paragraph might have hit the cutting floor that would have made it all much clearer).
But in the overall,this story was of the type that keep me buying the magazine. WELL DONE!
I noticed was how little was mentioned about the line down to New Orleans. This has become the 5th leg of a 5 leg railroad, and I think this would have occurred even without Katrina’s devastion. KCS needs to spend their cash where the growth is, and this line seems to be the one left out.
I always thought the IC line to New Orleans was a great thing, but the reality is much different. I think the CN runs about 4 trains in and out of NO…THAT’S IT. So much for north south traffic.
No doubt the same for the KCS. Lets face it…the heavy freight can get on a barge well up the river system and head to the Easy. And as we learned a year ago, New Orleans has it’s problems…it is not exactly a heavy manufacturing location.
I dont know how much import traffic enters at New Orleans, but my guess is not much container traffic. Could you imagine driving a container ship up the Mississippi?
I give Haverty credit as a visionary. Stitching together what he has to create the shortest route between the south east and a pacific port, is an admirable ambition. And I have been very curious for specifics for some time.
Would have liked more info on the cost differential in terms of the additional charge to have a container boated to Lazaro Cardenas vs Long Beach, as well as the associated cost savings in having that container brought ashore…just to see what the wash ends up being…
But, all in all, this installment was a welcome improvement over many of the other recent offerings. (IMO)
LOL, how would you ever turn it around? build a maritime wye at Cairo Ill?
CN/IC kept coming to mind as I read the article too, seems like a logical fit to the theme “NAFTA railroad” but don’t have any idea if the business would be there…wonder how the mileage compares for Toronto to the Pacific traveling west via transcon versus a possible KCSdM connection?
Because as I was reading the story, I couldn’t help thinking about how rewarding it must be to Mr Haverty to realize how he is helping to make the American worker even less competitive against foreign manufacturing, by making importation even more affordable for the outsourcers.
Particularly where using that $50 million in US taxpayer (loan) monies to spruce up the domestic portions of his new corridor. Must be frustrating for him to not have a deep pocket to tap that would permit upgrade the portions in Mexico? (Risk of nationalization would probably nix american taxpayer money being used as a loan)… SO what’s a guy to do?
Only one good solution…America has to go to war with Mexico…, that way our funds could be directed to Mr Haverty’s benefit as part of the inevitable post-conflict rebuilding phase, and then everybody will be happy? I’m sure that he’d love it.
Only one good solution…America has to go to war with Mexico…, that way our funds could be directed to Mr Haverty’s benefit as part of the inevitable post-conflict rebuilding phase, and then everybody will be happy? I’m sure that he’d love it.
AG;
You mean we are not already at war? Seems to me we have already been invaded by Mexico, isn’t Spanish now our second language? Bloodless COUP?
LOL, I’m thinking of moving to Mexico. The way I figure it, with all of them coming up here the way they are, it’s probably pretty nice down there now, not nearly so crowded… (J/K)
Well, how else do you expect KCS to get to a Pacific Coast port independently without having to sell it’s soul to the “[}:)]” BNSF or the Stoogesque UP? What, do you really think the STB is suddenly going to enforce those competitive caveats from Staggers and force UP and/or BNSF to allow KCS trackage rights to LA or LB?
So just because KCS is taking the only viable option available, you call that selling out American workers? Gee, you mean this expansion project of KCS’s won’t also create new jobs in the USA, you know, with that new Speedway and all?
BTW - where were you and your sudden concern for American workers when the rail oligarchy and STB were sanctioning the 1990’s mega-mergers? Remember all that? Out West, we went from four Class I’s to two, meaning we went from a
