I expect continued improvement in the East and real, quantifiable gains from the alliances and partnerships being rapidly formed throughout North America. The other two areas beyond the Class 1s control offer a less pretty picture, unfortunately. The economy, as seen in carloadings, has been slowing all fall and although most experts seem to anticipate fuel prices dropping, there is no immediate sign of that happening. The latter is a question mark as of this writing, of course, with STB and FRA appointments, and thus policy, up in the air. Finally, in the backround, a new mindset appears to be forming.
Evidence comes from the aforementioned alliances and from early efforts in the e-commmerce arena.
The opportunities for rails to exploit ebusiness in the 21 st Century are virtually limitless. I look for encouraging signs next year. The Journal of Commerce. All rights reserved.