Anyone who works for a RR, how is business in your area??

Question

I work for NS and business is slow where I am at...Ford is our main customer and we all know how they are doing!!

Answer 1

It's a bit slow here in Texas but nobody is cut off.Coal and grain shipments are still going strong here.I think we're seeing the calm before the storm.Anyone remember back in the 70's(i know i'm dating myself lol) when we had the last gas crisis?Railroad business went crazy on the Southern Pacific with new shippers wanting rail service.Then in the 80's the SP ran a lot of them off because all they wanted was intermodal business.I think when the fuel prices stick with us(as i think they will) we are going to get busy again.We run alongside of a major highway for many miles and the truck traffic has dropped a bunch.I feel for the independant truckers.

Answer 2

I' m a Dispatcher and still see plenty of traffic on my Territory (TX)  (before you trainmen start hissing at me I started as an engineer and never forgot where I came from).  I have seen less short line locals but the same amount of rock, Coal, Grain, and Merchandise/Hi-wides.

Answer 3

a bit slow right now, no one furloughed though.

we usually ship a LOT of grain this time of year to the west coast for export

the floods in the Midwest are slowing things down, I really cant complain though, a lot of people lost everything so a minor inconvineince here is nothing.

Coal is still moving good.

mixed freight is so so.

Answer 4

Really, really bad.  60 people are cutoff here, our superintendent cut off about 20 yard jobs, and they keep the extra boards paper thin.  The big auto plant here in town is actually closing for three months, and they are a big part of what we do.  On top of that, our union reps pretty much all work on one regular pool, and it's in their best interest to keep those boards thin also (no guarantee on those boards), so that is what they do, to h**l with the rest of us.  The younger guys here are not only having to deal with the economy kicking our tail, but our union guys only look out for #1, so they can make the most money.  Sorry about the rant, yes business is slow here, and it doesn't look like there will be relief any time soon.