The Blanchard Company--Week in Review First Quarter 1999

The Railroad Week in Review:
First Quarter 1999

Week ending March 27, 1999
STB approves CN-IC merger...Comment on shortline benefit of that merger... More readers weigh in on Amtrak accident...The sad story of an actual FELA case...Tom Davis and his Station Inn along the CR main at Cresson, PA.

Week ending March 20, 1999
Initial implications of Amtrak accident outside Chicago apparently caused by truck driver driving around crossing gates...CN's Paul Tellier warns Washington on the dire effects of reregulation...RailAmerica release 1998 results...RailTex comments on 'same store' carloadings...Pennsylvania continues to lead the way in shortline and regional railroad support... Neptune Orient Lines to will sell interest in Land Transport Services... Conrail cookbook in memory of Pat Behe.

Week ending March 13, 1999
Burlington Northern Santa Fe to spend approximately $2.5 bn in its 1999 capex program...Canadian National - Illinois Central merger passes STB environmental hurdle...STB issues the final scope of study for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for DME's externsion to the PRB...February carloads for RailTex...RailAmerica issues more stock to pay for Australian venture...OmniTrax buys 25% of Canada's RaiLink...EuroTunnel profits triple.

Week ending March 6, 1999
Moody's outlook for Union Pacific changed to stable from negative...Florida East Coast imports another New Englander, Robert F. MacSwain... Providence & Worcester reports quarterly and year-end results...Wisconsin Central in Jordan redux...finding companies most likely to perform well by looking at liquidity and trends.

Week ending February 27, 1999
RailAmerica consortium wins bid for Australia's for V/Line Freight Corporation (V/Line Freight)...Caveats to this business...Randy Resor on Y2K non-problems...Commentary on "Railroad Performance Measures" and average train speed...Charting railroad shareholder value.

Week ending February 20, 1999
Genesee & Wyoming reports record results for the fourth quarter and year ending December 31, 1998...Observations regarding traffic growth on the Wisconsin Central... Using "Dogs of the Dow" measures to pick railroad stocks...MotivePower Industries signs five-year $48.6 mm contract with Ferrocarril Mexicano.

Week ending February 13, 1999
Wisconsin Central posts record 4Q98 income from North American operations, up 40% to $25.5 mm...Kansas City Southern's 4Q98 railroad division earnings improve to a plus seven cents a share from a negative buck twenty-nine in 4Q97 and to a positive 34 cents from a negative $1.23 a year ago...Emons Transportation reports a 27% operating revenue increase to $5.2 mm for its fiscal 2Q99 ending 12/31/98 and a 26% hike in YTD revenues to $10.3 mm... RailTex reports 4Q98 carloadings up by 14%...Report on a visit to the UP (old SP) in southern Arizona.

Week ending February 6, 1999: No issue; vacation

Week ending January 30, 1999
NS and BNSF post quarterly and year-end results; UP progress and asset utilization commentary; CSX proactive in the northeast.
Week ending January 23, 1999
Quarterly and annual results for UP, CSX, CN; Conrail split date set for June 1, 1999; AAR carloads and commodities report for 1999; IG holdings moves on FEC; Vendors to watch.
Week ending January 16, 1999
Earnings week foretastes...Introducing RaiLink (RLK.TO), the only publicly traded Canadian shortline railroad holding company...NS finds a berth in Bethlehem...L. B. Foster role in DM&E expansion...FEC rejects unsolicited offer...CN Line Sale program moves ahead...Yet another MPO acquisition.
Week ending January 9, 1999
BNSF and Tex-Mex agree on routes between Texas and Mexico...RAIL buys CP line...WC growth stalled?...RTEX appointments and December carloadings...UP announces rewards for suggestions program...CP starts "Iron Highway on St. Lawrence & Hudson unit...Intermodal scheduling challenges.
Index for Oct - Dec 98
Index for Jul - Sep 98
Index for Apr - Jun 98
Index for Jan - Mar 98
Index for April - Dec 97
Index for Dec 96 - Mar 97

Tell Us What You Think!
The goal of this site is to help short line managers, railroad investors, and students of the industry find the tools necessary in their respective areas of interest. The beauty of this medium lies in its ability to educate and inform as it communicates. Send comments to rblanchard@aol.com