Alternative Energy Blues

Rail Insider-RailUSA sets out to start up, turn around short lines, regionals. Information For Rail Career Professionals From Progressive Railroading Magazine : Progressive Railroading - A locomotive moves along the Florida rail line that RailUSA took over from CSX on June 1.

I recommend joining and viewing the videos of American Rail Club. https://youtu.be/-O0Kf1IHFkQ https://youtu.be/03gA1xrnXWs I disagree with the host's solution to the problems of US railroads.  He believes that the answer is the free market. So why do I recommend American Rail Club? I like the host of the YouTube channel.  He cares.  He's also one of the few people out there who's knowledgeable about the railroad industry and he's willing to share his knowledge with the public.  He isn't a "trolley jolly" train buff. He's as critical of the railroads shortcomings as I am, maybe even more so. He's no corporate shill.  He genuinely wants better transportation for everyone. Thank you! Now, let me spend a little time trashing my new friend.  I don't really want to trash him.  I only want to trash the free market idea. The more time he spends looking at who's paying the bills for railroads, the more I think that he'll proba...

From the Black Agenda Report, a discussion of China's Belt and Road Initiative and American Imperial Decline . https://www.blackagendareport.com/us-imperial-decline-and-belt-and-road-initiative-most-important-global-struggle-century?fbclid=IwAR1J3SejYr38XTn3MPl-DSBA_V8K1-eB8dHsbgnifF9tNNx7YDj3DF-Tzbg

https://youtu.be/hs392e7z99Y The most useful and relevant information about building railroads is towards the middle of this video. China has standardized numerous parts and supplies for their railroad construction, such as tracks and embankments.  This speeds up the ordering of components for bridges and lowers costs.  Most supplies are locally sourced along the new routes which help local industry.  Temporary factories along the route reduce transportation costs of the building components.  Allegedly, no supplies need to be transported more than 8 kilometers (five miles). Viaduct designs are limited.  Using numerous viaducts preserves farmland, cross rivers  reduces the number of at grade crossings, and eliminates interference with other roads and highways.  That grade seperation is what allows the trains to go high speed. Bridge beems for viaducts are either 24 meters (78 feet) or 32 meters 104 feet) long.  No other choices are av...

Solutionary Rail Video http://solutionaryrail.org/video

https://youtu.be/0JDoll8OEFE This is the best and most succinct YouTube video that I've seen which points out the political motivations behind China's high speed rail development. Basically it makes no economic sense as a for profit enterprise.  But it make every bit of sense as a political operation to overwhelm both ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet and democracy leaning Han Chinese in Hong Kong. Like everywhere else, private enterprise won't build infrastructure in China because it's not profitable.  But with massive government subsidies to lower the cost of travel by rail and Beijing shouldering the debt from construction, then private companies are quite happy to apply themselves to high speed rail. By Wendover Productions

Can, and should, a Houston to Dallas high speed rail be built?  Absolutely! Can it be financed privately, entirely without funding or debt from the state of Texas?  Definitely! When will it happen? When he** freezes over! Infrastructure, like railroads or passenger mass transit, don't get built or maintained without massive government investment.  None of those above are independently profitable as businesses.  They require government paid contracts, subsidies, and direct investment. The Texas state legislature is in session until May 27, 2019.  It's hoped that pro-high speed rail laws will be passed. Hoped for by people other than me.  Previous state legislatures have specifically said no state money.  I doubt there will be any startup without both state and federal funds. The phrase from the Film Flam business is, "They give good meeting."  We've been waiting for decades for a high speed rail operation to start functioning in Texas. ...

Not too bad review of privatization versus nationalization of the United Kingdom railways from Financial Times. No clarification of the underfunding of railways prior to privatization. https://youtu.be/U6V-HDbX9A8

https://youtu.be/Qaf6baEu0_w A Decent Video About the Hurdles for High Speed Rail in the US A not too bad YouTube from CNBC about the hurdles to build high speed rail in the US.  They still mildly blame environmental rules, labor rules, and voters.  In essence they blame democracy for America's backwards railroad situation.  No mention of the backwards freight railroad corporations helping to hold down progress. At least they casually mentioned highway construction, auto, and airline industry lobbies as also ganging up against progress. https://youtu.be/Qaf6baEu0_w

Home / News / News Wire / So, I ask the same question that I've been asking , 'If this railroad, and others, are so profitable, then why are they shrinking?' Alfred Molison    CSX shuts Kentucky shop; reduces Georgia locomotive repair facility 0 CSX shuts Kentucky shop; reduces Georgia locomotive repair facility By  Chase Gunnoe   | April 5, 2019 RELATED TOPICS:   CSX  |  LOCOMOTIVES Trains Industry Newsletter Get a weekly roundup of the industry news you need. Sign up By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine. View our  privacy policy . An eastbound CSX freight train departs Russell, Ky., headed for Hinton, W.Va. CSX is closing its Russell locomotive shops in eastern Kentucky, citing a decrease in locomotive work at the former Chesapeake & Ohio facility. Chase Gunnoe JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation is closi...

https://youtu.be/_5X_42WasvM The Keiser Report on RT has a good or in depth view of lots of Finance.  They have a gonzo style of reporting that can grow on you. In this episode they're doing a lot of reading and have a very good historic and political study background.  They're pulling up a lot of good sources. I disagree with a lot of what they say.   But they seem careful and deeply engaged in the study of their subjects.  We can't get this on mainstream commercial media.  Their libertarian biases in favor of gold and cryptocurrencies seem personal rather than driven by financial self interest or careerism. https://youtu.be/_5X_42WasvM

From SerpentZA on YouTube 1400 Miles by Train in One Day Published May 10, 2018 Come and find out how it's possible to travel 2300 kms/1400 miles in a single day by train, all the way from the South of China near Hong Kong to the capital, Beijing. https://youtu.be/3uZtRPlUbkA I like this.  The host of the video doesn't varnish the truth.  It's crowded!  But it reminds me of my most recent trip on a plane on a low cost airline in the US.  Chinese travelers seemed to be dressed as well or better than Americans at an airport.  The video host was uncomfortable, but I think I'd be okay. And just a brief glimpse of Beijing.  It actually looks nicer than places near home, immediately around the airports in Houston.  That little area shown of Beijing, (and South China's rail station) definitely looks better than anything you'd see around a bus station in Houston and most cities in Texas or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I'm favorably impressed...

I've noticed many critics of China's Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the New Silk Road.  I'm one of them.    So far, I've seen three different themes critical of China's plans to link the entirety of the Eurasian continent from Beijing to Moscow, from Siberia to Egypt, then throughout Africa by railroads,  highways, and seaports. The standard opposition showing up in mainstream commercial media is one of jealousy of a rising, non-Western, power that's not completely dominated by the United States or a European power. They point out legitimate concerns about bad underlying finance and corruption.  And they write, maybe a little, very little, about bad construction. (Perhaps there's some financial self  interest lurking in that muted criticism?) These mainstream media writers point out the massive, long term, economic and political power grab by the Chinese Communist Party's Sun King, Xi Jinping.  He's spreading the soft power of Chin...

To publish this blog I access a number of sources. The following are my most commonly accessed information sources Trains Magazine Progressive Railroading The Surface Transportation Board Seeking Alpha Google News Solutionary Rail Friends and allies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Class_I_railroads https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_classes https://www.stb.gov/stb/faqs.html# econ How are railroads classified? Answer. Class I railroads are regulated by the STB and subject to the Uniform System of Accounts ( 49 CFR 1201 ). These carriers are also required to file annual and periodic financial and statistical reports. Railroads are classified based on their annual operating revenues. The class to which a carrier belongs is determined in accordance with the following revenue thresholds: Class I - $447,621,226 or more Class II - Less than $447,621,226 but in excess of $35,809,698 Class III - $35,809,698 or less These revenue thresholds are ...

The trend at CN, CP, then CSX has spread to Union Pacific.  Pursuit of an earnings ratio/profit margin mirage shrinks railroad service and roads across the entire country.  The resulting job cuts leads to rejoicing in the stock market.  Economic criminals reap the rewards.  We've already learned of this free market perversion at CSX.  Let's find out the sadistic story at Union Pacific.  First there were the usual 750 layoffs in 2017. Then there was the change in philosophy in favor of E. Hunter Harrison's Precision Scheduled Railroading (PCS)  Then there were the 675 layoffs and firings of contract workers in 2018. Now, the corporation is laying off 475 workers and again, another 200 contract workers in 2019. Now, just like at CSX, an E. Hunter Harrison clone becomes Chief Operating Officer . Check out Unified Plan 2020 .  This will result in a 30 percent reduction in employment by 2020 at Union Pacific. The firings ...