As a semi-retired majority owner of a small group of shortlines, Ding Dong's Shortlines are driving me crazy post caused me to take a look at some of the operations I'm invested in and I found much of what was posted to be happening on my operations. I started out as a go get 'em shortline buyer operator when the movement started, I grew tired and ill health forced me into semi-retirment and caused me to turn over much of day to day operations to a trusted relative, who, as it turned out, decided to take the easy way out of most things and attempted to run a 9 to 5 railroad, no weekends, no overtime, no nothing, too far away from interchange, you were lucky to get once a week service (no matter the need). Many of my good employees left as did many customers, but things looked fairly good on paper so no red flags really popped up until this recent post got me to checking things out. A lousy golf game or two with shippers revealed what was really going on and to say the least, some managers have now recieved their walking papers, and for now, I'm back at the helm. I have already secured several new car orders and have some nice loads coming my way too. I urge anybody that has been allowing others to manage their railroads to take a good look at what's been going on. I was shocked and horrified at some of the things I found. Much to much of Ding Dong's post hit home. I'm embarrassed to say I was tempted to join the fellow shortliners posts saying it wasn't so and to make my own set of excuses---glad that I, instead, took a look at my operations.
Thanks again for the wake up call.