John M.

Let's Hope the Auto Bailout Has Failed for Good

We didn't bailout the former Big Three locomotive manufactures (Baldwin, American and Lima) when the railroad industry made the transition from steam power to diesel power. These firms had the same outdated management style as our current Big Three car manufacturer, i.e. "we will built, what we want to built", when we want to built it", and the hell with "customer demand", the "EPA", or fuel mileage, and especially QUALITY.
Remember Lily Tomplim's "Maw Bell" skit? "We are the telephone company and we don't care." This was the attitude of several industries that, as my grandfather used to say"...got too big for its bitches and got into trouble." These included the steamboat industry before the railroads. Then it was the railroads, Then it was the telephone company, Then it was Standard Oil. Now it is the automotive industry.

Unfortunately for labor, this negative management attitude has also infected the UAW.

One of things that is also brewing is the financial arms of the foreign auto manufacturers, i.e. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and others. Their owners (stockholders) have invested their plants with no bail-outs.
I am sure they are asking "Why should they permit the Big Three to continue to compete against their firms, using government bail outs?

We have not hear the last from this group, and they will play an ever increasing role in determining the out- come of the former "Big Three". They are playing their cards..."very close to their vest", because they have trump hands, better plants & labor agreements, better management, better financial position, better marketing, and an "Ace High"...better "Quality"

Titan International, Inc. Q3 2008 Earnings Call Transcript

Thank you.

Blasphemy: Burlington Northern Shouldn't Be Held

I have been attending State Department of Transportation Conferences for the last several years. The message is the same whether it is from Texas or Tennessee. The demand for all modes of transportation will either double or triple by 2020 (12 years from now). This is just to meet every everyday demand required to keep our nation growing population fed, clothed and housed.

Reality is that that the nation's infrastructure is not ready to meet tomorrow's increased freight demand. This situation is just as serious as Global Warming or the high cost of oil, but no one wants to admitted it.

Some modes will be better suited than others to meet this demand. Adding additional rail infrastructure will be much less costly than that of new or expanded highways or inland marine waterways. Rail is more fuel effective and greener than trucks. Nevertheless trucks are still required. It is felt that there will a large shift to multi-modal solutions. Trucking will be used for local pick-up and delivery, while rail will be used (inter-modal or trans-load) for longer distance movements. Nevertheless, rail percentage of the nation's total freight shipments will increase while truck will decrease.