After hitting a high note nearly two decades ago, freight volume on railroads have stayed down - threatening the industry long-term. On this episode of The Intermodal Logistics Podcast, Trains.com writer Bill Stephens discusses the findings of a TD Cowen report he wrote about in a recent article (found here: www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/report-railroads-must-gain-volume-to-remain-relevant)
He tells us why volume dipped in the second part of the 2000s and has yet to bounce back, why investors tended not to care but do now, and how the report points to volume recovery as key to railroads' success. He goes over the prescription to get cargo back: the need for service improvements for product traveling exclusively by railcar (an issue intermodal has made greater strides on).
We also go over a potential outcome if things don't get better - the idea of mergers. Bill takes us through the policy history that makes such an outcome complicated to say the least, even with some in leadership open to the possibility.
Finally, we look to cross-border, where there's plenty of opportunity for railroads - and there are plenty initiatives to take advantage - but we discuss how (and why) that opportunity remains somewhat untapped.
Find more from Bill at Trains.com and by subscribing to the magazine www.trains.com/trn/subscription-plans. You can also follow him on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/bill-stephens-59692314.
Subscribe or follow now to catch new episodes as soon as they're out, and please do rate and review us. Have a question? Contact us at podcast@inteklogistics.com. And visit our website, www.inteklogistics.com to learn more.
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