Dear Santa/2021

Mon Nov 30, 2020 9:10 am
Dear Santa-
Yes, I know it's early, but I'll try to keep it short.
I'd like Covid to be a just memory for Christmas 2021, however painful that memory might be.
However painful it might have been, I'd like the present PAR ownership to also be a just a memory for Christmas 2021, especially if the new ownership is committed to and capable of doing the job of transportation well.
Thanks!
Ever the optimist, however guarded,
s/
jaymac

Dear Santa-
Yes, I know this is an italicized copy-and-paste of last year's wish list, but I resubmitted it because 1) not much has changed in the interval and 2) the supply chain "issues" we -- and particularly you -- have all faced over the last year-plus require attention.
Less optimistic and more guarded,
s/
jaymac

Just because CSX is in the bag, I don't believe that Santa can deliver a responsible carrier to replace PAR and Co. For those customers who are eagerly awaiting CSX as a positive instrument for change in rail in northern New England, good luck with that. CSX is a master at blocking out competitors, while providing monopolistic service patterns, and related exorbitant pricing. Sad to say, but I'm willing to bet that three years from now there's going to be a lot of New England shippers longing for the good old days in the evil melon patch. Why there might even be a go fund me campaign to bring back Dave Fink Sr.

Careful now, you might upset the CSX fan group with that wording.

No CSX fan group here, just folks (and several like myself who have worked for PAR) that simply recognize an 8 year old moving cars on an HO 4 x 8 piece of plywood would be a better custodian than Billerica. If someone fails to recognize that they have not been following New England railroading for the past 30 years or have the curtains drawn.

Dear Santa - please make sure the entire Pan Am OCS goes to a good home (eg, Reading & Northern)!

ditto to that!

Safetee wrote: ↑Wed Dec 01, 2021 2:26 pm Just because CSX is in the bag, I don't believe that Santa can deliver a responsible carrier to replace PAR and Co. For those customers who are eagerly awaiting CSX as a positive instrument for change in rail in northern New England, good luck with that. CSX is a master at blocking out competitors, while providing monopolistic service patterns, and related exorbitant pricing. Sad to say, but I'm willing to bet that three years from now there's going to be a lot of New England shippers longing for the good old days in the evil melon patch. Why there might even be a go fund me campaign to bring back Dave Fink Sr.

I can't speak for Mass., but in Maine there's basically no competition between Pittsfield and Berwick anyway, especially since SLR stopped running south of Danville. If rates have been low it's because PAR's service levels couldn't keep up with a paper boat floating down a gutter.

How do PAR rates compare with CSX's?

That info can't be disclosed.
Anyhow it's different for a lot of cars and railroads. Usually charges by ton per mile etc. I remember in 1998 it was a couple hundred bucks to get a loaded plastic pellets hopper into Tyco at Portsmouth NH.

Oh come on, there is lots of research being done, I'm sure there are many surveys. Railroads must quote prices every day. I'm sure these are open secrets. As an observant customer I can tell you about supermarkets: As of a few years ago, Shaw's/Star (Albertsons) seems to charge a little more than Stop & Shop (Ahold Delhaize), resulting in way fewer customers where they are located next to each other. Market Basket charges up to 20% less than Shaws or S&S, resulting in Market Basket's sales booming, with other supermarkets closing stores in some areas. Market Basket, Walmart, and PriceRite have similar prices on-average, but very different prices in certain segments and items and wildly different business models, customer experiences. Food distribution and railroads aren't that much different I think.