Railcar Tracking... Critically Important When Service Is Challenging! When I started in the railroad world several decades ago, big data for railcar maintenance was collected by railroads through readers that…
Darell LutherMay 31, 2022
There are several current on-going events that potentially pack a wallop for rail transportation providers. Although we won’t discuss them all, I’ve highlighted a few that we think are important…
Darell LutherApril 18, 2022
Do You Lease or Own Private Railcars? Imagine spending thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars per month to lease or hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars…
Darell LutherMarch 14, 2022
When moving a private empty freight railcar (non-tank car), there are several options. If that private railcar moves off a loaded “revenue move” (paid, loaded move) then the return trip…
Darell LutherFebruary 1, 2022
Railcar leasing rates are predicated on several factors. While all of them influence railcar leasing rates, three key variables really set the pricing stage: Railcar Utilization: How many trips per…
Darell LutherJanuary 1, 2022
We’re seeing that shippers of all transportation modes (rail, truck, barge, etc.) dealing with COVID-19 aftermath are establishing their company’s logistics plan and taking a front seat at the table…
Darell LutherDecember 7, 2021
The pent-up demand for rail freight and the movement of goods is incredibly high right now. All around the country, North America and really around the globe demand for freight…
Darell LutherNovember 24, 2021
When it comes to rail origins and destinations, railroad hauling service providers can be characterized in two basic classifications: 1) Class I railroads and 2) Shortline railroads. The Class I…
Darell LutherNovember 10, 2021
Written by Darell Luther & Shannon Rodgers Onboarding or bringing private railcars online should be a strategic process. Private railcars can be acquired by purchasing or leasing used railcars or…
Darell LutherSeptember 24, 2021
This month we’ve put together a high-level quantification checklist to help you determine the cost of railroad service issues to your company and give you some insights on what you…
Darell LutherSeptember 9, 2021
The weather outside is frightful, let it… And the song goes on about snow, snow and more snow. Back when I was a grain marketing rail rate maker on the…
Darell LutherAugust 25, 2021