The Blanchard Company--Week in Review Third Quarter 2000

The Railroad Week in Review:
Third Quarter 2000
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Week ending September 30
Shippers argue for more rail competition; STB issues ruling that could affect shortline financial accounting; NS issues earnings alert and sells timber assets; BNSF offers no-strings service guarantees; FreightWise debuts at BNSF; CNs new car ordering system for center-beams.
Week ending September 23
NS continues to shrink its base; a potpourri of reader responses; short interest in rail stocks declines; CSXT implements "fuel cost recovery" charge; WC's Tom Power on delivery shareholder value.
Week ending September 16
The new paradigm for service industries; Yet another reason why rail stocks lag the broader indices; NS reports improved on-time departures from yards; Comments on CSX Oversight Report to the STB; Bikes on trains, good and bad experiences.
Week ending September 9
Carl Icahn buying a chunk of Trinity Industries; BNSF expands on-time service guarantees to six Intermodal lanes; RailAmerica sells two lines for $4.7 mm; DuPont sues NS over service issues; UP sees 3% freight rate hikes; CSX spins off logistics unit for $650 mm
Week ending September 2
Readers responses on short frequent freight trains; GNWR leads the pack in YTD stock price gains; Restructuring the financial base for shareholder value.
Week ending August 26
The role of proper staffing in making schedules work...Wisconsin Central wins 12th consecutive top rail carrier award from Logistics Management & Distribution Report magazine...Union Pacific launches e-commerce "Yard Sale" program...Rail stocks continue to lag the averages...NS "Oversight Filing" encouraging...Shortline safety award winners.
Week ending August 19
KCS kicks it up a notch...NS schedules working in Phila area...GNWR stock on the move...Point-to-point transit times available at www.bnsf.com ...Opening salvo in the continuing short, frequent train thread.
Week ending August 12
Why railroad e-commerce efforts are not widely embraced...Can an "e-saver" program replace contract rates?...Larry Kauffman on who's the real competition to the rails...Short list of qualified bidders for Australia's WestRail announced... RailAmerica quarterly report shows gains while shares lag.
Week ending August 5
UP quarterly earnings up 26% on solid revenue growth and continued service improvement...KCS split finally happens...Earnings presentation conference call reports for WC, GNWR...The economies of web-based supply chains.
Week ending July 29
Earning reports begin. Canadian National net up 18% on 3% sales increase and operating expenses up less than a point...CP sales were up 9% for the quarter while expenses were up 4%...BNSF sales up, expenses firm, expanding web offerings, coping with 40% of carloads offline at some point...NS and CSX sales jump at Split Date, remain flat thereafter; NS has positive cash flow.
Week ending July 22
BNSF/CN merger called off...CN, CP announce facilities swaps to access Sarnia tunnel, northeastern markets...Truckers doing better at the expense of rails...GE acquires Harmon...World Views from World Bank's Lou Thompson... Where did Starbuck's get its name? Not from Oregon timber railroad founder.
Week ending July 15
Norfolk Southern carloads grow quarter to quarter...CN taps i2 Technologies to improve and sped up response time to customer service requests...Federal Appeals Court upholds STB merger moratorium...Notes from the Cooperstown Conference...EWS announces UK government will embark upon the biggest rail investment program in 100 years.
Week ending July 8
WSJ's Machalaba says rail stocks underpriced...Fuel prices and their effect on rail futures...Customers as concerned about the information regarding a shipment as they are about the goods themselves...Further observations on the KCS split...Emons expands in Maine.
Week ending July 1
Customers and shippers say car supply a mess...Consistency and competition are lacking...Australian reader's sketch of FreightCorp...Carl Ichan nose under CSX tent
Index for Apr - Jun 2000
Index for Jan - Mar 2000
Index for Oct - Dec 1999
Index for Jul - Sep 1999
Index for Apr - Jun 1999
Index for Jan - Mar 1999
Index for Oct - Dec 1998
Index for Jul - Sep 1998
Index for Apr - Jun 1998
Index for Jan - Mar 1998
Index for April - Dec 1997
Index for Dec 1996 - Mar 1997

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