RailTrends 2014: Top 10 takeaways

摘要

The 2014 edition of RailTrends~® (Nov. 20-21 in New York City), was our 10th and it was, well, fantastic. It wasn't just the speaker lineup; the attendee list, too, was superb. In addition to suppliers and rail finance execs, the audience comprised two Class I railroad CEOs, a head of rail domestic intermodal, a major rail treasurer, a chief rail strategist or two, the incoming head of the ASLRRA, the RAC's CEO and shippers. I cannot recreate the networking discussions (you had to be there), but the content and dialogue surrounding same were terrific. Here's my "Top 10" list of takeaways: 1. Service should improve by spring. Railroads get it: They see the problems and, if they address them, the opportunities; I expect significant trend-line improvement by spring, assuming a "normal" winter. We heard from Matt Rose on BNSF's big money allocations ($6 billion capex in 2015), as well as strategists and operating heads at CN, CSX, NS and CR They have plans to add capacity, purchase locomotives and bring on trained T&E employees. Overall, I expect Class I capex to be up about 5 percent in 2015.