A rhetorical search for a rail 'policy' (Pat Foran, Context, June 2008)

By Pat Foran, Editor

Mike Haverty was one of the first people I interviewed when I joined this magazine in late 1996. Kansas City Southern’s chairman and CEO also was one of the first big-picture thinkers I connected with for this, our 50th anniversary issue, which afforded us an opportunity to look back and, more important, ahead. Like many of the execs we spoke with, Haverty cited the Staggers Rail Act of 1980 — the stretch leading up to it, actually — as the biggest freight-rail milestone of the past five decades.

“I saw an industry that was on the verge of nationalization,” said Haverty, who broke in as a brakeman in 1967. “I had people asking me, ‘Why are you working for a railroad? The government’s going to take over the railroads.’ That’s how bad it was.”

Twenty-eight years into the Staggers era, Haverty, his Class I counterparts, freight transportation stakeholders, and more and more policymakers can’t say enough about how good it is, how solid freight-rail’s prospects look. Passenger-rail proponents, too, talk about stars being in alignment as U.S. transit rail rolls toward becoming the mode for mobility. This, for a mode that, “in 1958 when your magazine was founded, had pretty well been give up for dead,” as American Public Transportation Association President Bill Millar told Associate Editor Angela Cotey.

Even freight-rail folks are talking up transit rail. “We have to figure out a way to work with people who believe passenger rail is important because it is important,” said Association of American Railroads President and CEO Ed Hamberger.

The aim, rail strategists tell us, isn’t to get there by default — to get there despite themselves, a path some acknowledge they’ve been on for far too long — but to plan it that way. To chart a rational course that ensures rail doesn’t regress, and that there’s enough rail infrastructure to meet our freight and passenger mobility needs. Developing such a plan/approach — call it a “national transportation policy” — will be the biggest issue the rail industry must address for the foreseeable future, big-picture thinkers told us time and again.

Some say the scope implied by the “national transportation policy” phrase misses the global competition boat (“It should be ‘North American transportation policy,’” Haverty said). To others, what’s past is prologue; they dread the words “national” and “policy” in the same sentence (“Smacks of too much government involvement,” said United Transportation Union spokesman Frank Wilner). “Vision” might make more sense, others added. A few wonder if “transportation” is even the right word, suggesting “mobility” instead.

Word choice matters, particularly if you’re trying to persuade policymakers to commit to crafting and funding a policy/vision. I’m not sure “North American mobility vision” has the right (or any) ring to it, but it’s a start. Refreshingly, rail stakeholders know they’ve got some editing work of their own to do before the course charting can begin. As MARTA General Manager and CEO Beverly Scott told Cotey: “We, as an industry have to become much less inwardly focused and figure out how we can paint the picture for the rest of America.”

Grappling with imagery is a good thing in this context. It’s encouraging to see that the industry we’ve talked with/written about for the past 50 years is preparing for the next 50 and then some. It’s been (and will continue to be) a privilege to record their progress.

LRIW seeks ‘Outstanding’ nominees

The League of Railway Industry Women (LRIW) is seeking nominations for its 2008 “Outstanding Woman of the Year” award. Any woman who works in the North American rail industry is eligible to receive the award, which is co-sponsored by Progressive Railroading.

What is LRIW looking for, nomination information-wise? The person’s name, railroad affiliation, address and phone number; your name (as nominator), address and phone number; your reason(s) for nominating the individual; the nominee’s background information (including the year she began working in the rail industry, plus other rail background information of hers that you can share); and any additional industry affiliations.

The award recognizes an individual’s dedication, commitment, and contribution to the railroad industry. Last year, LRIW presented the award to Donna Acors, CSX Transportation’s general manager of customer service.

Applications can be downloaded from the group’s Web site and emailed to LRIW President Kathy Keeney. You also can fax nominations to her at 410-788-0746 or mail them to: Kathy Keeney, Publisher, Rail Group, Commonwealth Business Media, 702 White Oaks Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21228. For more information, call 410-788-0376. The LRIW will accept nominations through Aug. 1. The winner will be recognized during the League’s 11th Annual Luncheon in Chicago Sept. 23 during the Railway Supply Institute Inc.’s Annual Convention and Technical Conference of the Coordinated Mechanical Committees.