jstagl - All Comments

re: Not trying to get your goat

Larry Kaufman — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:46:04 GMT

Oh, that's good, DaveB

re: Not trying to get your goat

DaveB — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:34:56 GMT

LK, maybe the goats cast their votes by a baaa-lot?

re: Not trying to get your goat

Larry Kaufman — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:50:12 GMT

Curt: According to the Railway Labor Act of 1926 all members of a class and craft must be represented by a union, and the union shall be chosen by the workers to be represented. How do we get the goats to cast their votes?

Larry

re: Not trying to get your goat

shipperguy55 — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:56:25 GMT

Larry:

The goat handling job would logically fall under the purview of the IBGH, the International Brotherhood of Goat Handlers for those not in "the know".

Curt

re: Not trying to get your goat

Larry Kaufman — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:59:26 GMT

Golly, DHEIS, do you think the union leadership wants to have the work of crawling around on its hands and kneed eting weeds? Or maybe the just want the work of handling the goats?

re: Not trying to get your goat

DHEIS — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:50:07 GMT

This sure sounds like a good idea and the right thing to do. But I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't draw negative attention from some animal activist group or even some labor union. After reading a storey like this it usally is the next one to follow.

re: Not trying to get your goat

anmccaff — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:41:01 GMT

This can actually be a good idea outside of most rail applications, but as RSteveb mentions, you need a place that has some downtime. When you have an area with limited equipment access just far too far from the track that provides a launching point for brambles, this could actually makes sense.

I've seen goats used to mow sensitive areas -weapons holding areas, ammunition bunkers, and so forth, where the terrain might be uneven, and sparking machinery might not be the best idea..and where a typical landscaping crew might not be the best choice, either.

I've also seen them used for eliminating non-native blackberries on hillsides. These guys can eat stuff that looks and feels an awful lot like greenish-brown barbed wire, on terrain that looks closer to vertical than horizontal.

re: Not trying to get your goat

Rsteveb — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:05:28 GMT

Gee Jeff, it's not like you to feel sheepish.

Interesting concept but I can't see a practical use on a regular high-density freight right-of-way.

re: A case of color blindness

Rsteveb — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:03:08 GMT

JS>"Man, American/Ethic group(s) and the rest of those thinskinned whiners have to cut this crapola out."

I tend to agree the Atlanta complaint is a bit weak but I defend every "American/Ethic (sic) group(s)" right to speak out when they feel threatened or when they believe an injustice has been done. For too long, White, male culture (I'm a married WM) has dictated what other cultures/genders should say/believe/do. Now yo' good ol' boys feel threatened and ya don' much like it. Times change - welcome to the 21st century.

Enough of ideology. As LK asks, "Can we get back to rail issues?"

re: A case of color blindness

James Swidergal — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:44:29 GMT

Man, American/Ethic group(s) and the rest of those thinskinned whiners have to cut this crapola out.

And maybe the american lawyers who bring these kind of suits into existance need to go back to law school, or get some other kinda' work.

What ever happened to "Sticks and stones may break my bones and names will never hurt me".

Pray America, Pray and let your higher power judge whats' right and what's wrong.

Oh!!! did I say higher power ....oh boy! I wonder will GOD take offense?

re: No economic hex on Class Is' capex

Larry Kaufman — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:47:07 GMT

The ability of the railroads to continue to invest in plant and equipment is under attack by a segment of the shipper world that has price-sensitive but not service-sensitive commodities. These are the shippers who would stimulate artificial competition, ignoring the historical fact that when there is too much competition for the business at hand, no one makes a reasonable return on investment. This is the heart and soul of the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act, Sen. Rockefeller's bill reported out of the Senate Commerce Committee in December. That bill may become even more onerous if Sen. Kohl's antitrust provisions are appended. Railroading is a high fixed cost industry that requires steady and ready access to capital. If these shippers prevail, access to capital will be in doubt for the railroads. Studies show railroads will be called upon to handle twice as much traffic in the next two decades as they handle now. Absent access to capital, they will not achieve the capacity expansion needed. This doesn't bother the shipper lobby. They are taking a short-term approach, wanting lower rates and knowing they only will get them if Congress screws around on their behalf. Twenty years from now? No problem. They will have achieved their incentive compensation goals and their traffic manager successors can worry about moving freight in a world of constrained capacity. It is my fond hope that the lines that do not get needed investment are those lines most relied upon by the hypocrites of the shipping world. Meanwhile, let's all hope the railroads continue to succeed at converting as much of their fixed costs to variable costs as possible. That way, the 180% of variable cost threshhold for regulation will be considerably higher and the shippers will have even less access to regulation than at present.

re: A case of color blindness

DaveB — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:10:37 GMT

A little more research with regard to my previous comment. Atlanta does indeed have a Chinatown. You get there by getting off at the Chamblee stop on - wait for it - the Yellow line. (The Chinatown Web site says 'Take the Doraville train.") So, it appears that Marta, accidentally or on purpose, gave the Atlanta Chinese-Americans' chain a yank, and got a good yank back.

re: A case of color blindness

BacktotheFuture — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:12:35 GMT

What colors should be used so as to not offend??

White

Black

Red

Yellow

Brown

Green (martians)

Blue (avatars)

Grey (elders)

Pink (*** cancer survivors/awareness)

Purple (think Prince owns the right to this name and color)

Maybe foods should be used, but I'm sure someone would get offended.

Rice (white or brown)

Avocado (black)

Peppers (red/yellow/green/orange)

Blueberry

I must be board if I'm posting on this....sorry.

re: A case of color blindness

Larry Kaufman — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:21:11 GMT

Just be sure you "know your place," Back, and stay behind the white line.

re: A case of color blindness

BacktotheFuture — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:51:49 GMT

I'm getting on the internet right now to look at all the commuter operations in this country...if I find a SINGLE "White" line

I'M GOING OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!