The Blanchard Company--Week in Review First Quarter 2000

The Railroad Week in Review:
First Quarter 2000
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Week ending March 25, 2000
Scheduled service and the virtual railroad; RailAmerica and the New Economy.
Week ending March 18, 2000
A service guarantee horror story; STB merger moratorium; RailAmerica 4Q99 financials; more comment on scheduled service; take a ride on the Clue Train.
Week ending March 11, 2000
CN, BNSF stress commitment to service guarantees; why scheduled railroads could command higher rates; rail suppliers seek other markets as freight railroads shrink; more gloom for rail stocks.
Week ending March 4, 2000
What is B2B e-commerce, and what does it mean to the railroads? Oil prices, earnings estimates and the slide in rail stock prices; NIT League weighs in on BNSF/CN merger plans; more on the military metaphor.
Week ending February 26, 2000
4th quarter, year end results for Genesee & Wyoming, Emons; multiple-line freight rate calculator on Union Pacific site; putting the Class Is through the Rule Maker analysis; more reader feedback on ways to improve rail's competitive posture.
Week ending February 19, 2000
Traffic jams on the rails: long trains and short sidings; new rail merger jitters prompt STB hearings.
Week ending February 12, 2000
Earnings up, earnings down: FEC and CSX; RailTrack stock takes a hammering; RailAmerica's new board members; combat readiness and the rail warrior; e-commerce's mandate: move faster!
Week ending February 5, 2000
More on RailAmerica/RailTex merger; growth rates, stock prices, and the class 1s; rail safety programs at MRL and IMRL; BNSF boosts on-time performance; BNSF/CN merger update; Wisconsin Central earnings.
Week ending January 29, 2000
More on Earnings Week: BNSF growth story; CSX, NS project a better 2000; CN turns in strong performance. Shortline Extra: CSX/short line new business initiatives; service issues and loss of business.
Week ending January 22, 2000
Shipping in the age of consumer pull; Emons' new web site; UP's improved performance; earnings week forecast; rail safety improvements; reaction to BNSF/ CN merger talks. Shortline Extra: Online car leasing site.
Week ending January 15, 2000
NS announces a $750 mm capital program, cash flow projections; Fallout from BNSF+CN newspaper ad; FEC Chairman Robert Anestis interview available; freight car building likely to be down in 2000; Observations made at NIT League's Conrail Transaction Council meeting in Philadelphia; Leading Wall Street rail analyst says the railroad industry has not benefited from the booming economy; RailMatch web-based freight car trading floor opens for business.
Week ending January 8, 2000
BNSF-CN combo continues to take center stage; 1999 not a very good year for stocks of railroads and their vendors; Observers say improving global economy could favor heavy users of rail freight; Schedule trains or cars? The dialog continues; New UP calendar available.
Week ending January 1, 2000
Chemical Mfrs Assn says the see "no apparent end to their service difficulties" in the near future; Proposed merger of the BNSF and CN will "face a broader review" by the STB; Newark paper not pleased with progress in Conrail transaction; Shortlines continue to be affected by merger fallout; Railroads and customers gravitating toward Internet purchasing.

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