The topic has many sub-issues. But on the railroads, is the "PSR Bible" preventing them to pivot to new, emerging situations? Sometimes I wonder if companies really want customers, to their, and their stockholder, peril?
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That is really a good question , I wondered about that myself. If one of the problems with supply chain is truck drivers (which in turn makes me wonder if all the talk about 'self driving trucks' helped scare off people from driving, figuring the job would be gone soon), then rail would/should be an alternative that could pick up the slack, but from what little I have read on it, have heard 0 about rail traffic picking up the overflow or whatever you call it. Hopefully someone with knowledge has something to share with this.
There was a great article in Trains last month about how UP and BNSF were dealing with the onslaught of container traffic from the West Coast to Chicagoland. This included train embargos so they could clear out the terminals /storage tracks, and opening mothballed container terminals. The shortage of drayage drivers is a big problem, leaving containers sitting in the destination terminals. Drivers are waiting for very long times for their loads at the ramps, making less deliveries (and less money). There is also a chassis shortage.
Wow, I didn't even think about trains taking over where trucks are coming up short. That's an interesting idea. I would love to see some more rail traffic!
UP with their Sunrise project on the Sunset Route bought ACRES of land for a yard west of El Paso. Santa Teresa?
So, pave or al least put some gravel down, put Ft. Knox type fencing around it, and use it to hold containers. If needed, run ping pong trains too and from LA. It is close enought east so you can run stacks from there to KC, St. L, Chicago; the I20 Corridor through DFW, or the Sunset Corridor vis SA and Houston.
But will penny wise pound/dollar short Wall Street approve?
Actually, this situation was beginning to show up pre-Covid. The virus interrupted the timeline better than Marvel's Loki could.
Running most stuff LA to Windy City? What could possibly go wrong? A major wreck, fire, or terrorist situation on Cajon, or Sunset routes at the same time could bring the nation to its knees.
