The Pacific Northwest Association of Rail Shippers (PNWARS) recently held their annual conference in Portland. Conference attendees are the biggest movers and shakers in the train industry. The railroads were well represented by executives from Union Pacific Railroad, CSX Railroad, Norfolk Southern Railroad, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. A handful of regional shippers faced off against the railroads: Longview Fibre, Lafarge, and Weyerhaeuser. Three railcar leasing companies presented their observations: CIT Rail Resources, TTX …showed first 75 words of 1204 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1204 total…last longer. Some common issues were raised throughout the conference by both railroads and shippers. The overall fleet of railcars and train crews are quickly nearing retirement without the replacements necessary to continue growing. Better management is the key to squeezing more capacity from railroads: standardized railcars, standardized computer systems, more frequent and tighter schedules, better maintenance, reduced idle time, and improved forecasting. Efficiencies will be created by collaboration between the railroads and their customers.