More bad news, China to Europe via train
 

Just saw this in the Sunday New York times. :(

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/21/bu...ml?src=me&_r=0

FIRST CLASS train with wifi might be OK ... (maybe the negotiating committee can make that happen?)

Its not about deadheading, its about mode shift. And its happening. Other industries were not going to just sit back and watch air freight make all the profit. When wars break out and borders get closed, airplanes have some distinct advantages. When nations can play nice and share the profits aEuropean/Asian rail line sounds like a huge competitor.

Most of the freight going on the train would have gone by ship, not by air and it does cut 30 days off the ship time with a two week each way journey.

High value production using just on time inventory will mostly still go by air.


http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9590GH20130610

We should worry more about things like pilotless airplanes and/or reduced crew airplanes due to technological advancements rather than the rail competition. Give it another 10 years and there will at least be a "threat" from management on this one, even if they cant do it yet...

I'm not very smart, but...before we have pilotless aircraft I think we'll have some other technological advance like 3D printing or some such to worry about. The obstacles to pilotless aircraft are pretty daunting and tech advances continue at such a rapid pace its hard to predict.

3d printing and more electronic documents will affect our operation much much sooner than drone aircraft.

This company needs another innovator to take the helm and give it some more vision, instead of the current MBA crowd that has taken over in place of Fred.

Maybe its time to start thinking about carrying people again, either with Combis or people up top and freight in the belly. This company needs something to replace the bread and butter product (the overnight envelope).

Whichever MBA grad thought to turn the passengers profitable by charging for bags is genius. They carry you from a to b to make money off your bags. Basically a freighter.

We just reverse the process.

They'll be able to do it in 10 years, at least on some routes. Never doubt the pace of innovation and technology, especially when large corporations stand to gain significantly.

Think back 20 years ago... drones were still a fantasy.

10 years is a long time.