https://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=EmelldeeOnTrackNorthAmerica - User contributions [en]2026-04-09T09:43:04ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.41.0https://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=The_Case_for_Local_Rail:_Revitalizing_America%27s_Freight_Network&diff=5859The Case for Local Rail: Revitalizing America's Freight Network2025-06-04T22:12:02Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''The Declining American Rail Infrastructure'''<br />
<br />
Rail service in the United States is in crisis. Since 1990, the active rail network has shrunk by 25%, with much of that loss occurring in rural areas. This decline is particularly stark when viewed historically. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, there are currently fewer than 140,000 rail-route miles compared with a peak of 261,871 miles in 1925. The impact of this difference is evident in current transportation patterns. For example, the 2023 Bureau of Transportation Statistics indicate that 2.5 times more 2000-mile goods are moved by trucks as compared with railroads.<br />
<br />
'''The Problem With the Status Quo'''<br />
<br />
The current focus on higher-volume shipping lanes and large shippers has largely come at the expense of rural, urban, and direct rail service. In addition, the uptick in truck traffic represents a significant burden on the U.S. highway system's aging infrastructure by increasing traffic volume and weight, leading to faster deterioration and soaring congestion. Together, these factors have contributed to stagnant or declining economic growth in affected areas and present a significant barrier to revitalizing these economically challenged towns and regions across the United States.<br />
<br />
'''Factors Affecting Local Rail Service''' <br />
<br />
The loss of local rail freight transportation across in the United States can be attributed to several key factors:<br />
<br />
* Public policies that have consistently favored larger transportation projects and operations<br />
* Entrenched regulatory frameworks that create barriers for smaller rail operations<br />
* Financial metrics, incentives, and offers that prioritize large-scale transactions<br />
* Economic development approaches that overlook the value of local rail infrastructure<br />
* Systematic demarketing of branch-line rail service in favor of major corridors<br />
<br />
'''Challenges Facing Smaller Railroads'''<br />
<br />
Smaller railroads and shorter rail operations continue to face significant impediments due to:<br />
<br />
* Limited private-sector funding options<br />
* Government programs oriented toward larger projects<br />
* The misconception that local rail operations are too costly<br />
* Failure to account for the superior efficiency of rail car loading and unloading compared with trucks<br />
<br />
'''A New Vision for Rail Service'''<br />
<br />
To address this state of affairs, we need to embrace a new principle. We must acknowledge that every transaction matters, every community counts, and every small town, railroad, and shipper deserves attention. This vision challenges the common misconception that trucks are a more flexible means of transporting freight when compared with rail service. Just as trucks require roads, trains go wherever we build tracks. Now is the time to shift from ignoring or tearing up the existing rail infrastructure to improving and expanding the network and integrating it with each land transportation mode.<br />
<br />
'''Class I Railroads Can Lead the Change'''<br />
<br />
Major Class I railroads must collaborate with Class II and III operators to provide the local and direct rail service that rural communities need for resilient, sustainable economic development. This collaboration should include:<br />
<br />
* Facilitation of multi-rail–line access<br />
* Competitive pricing for multiple railroad routes<br />
* Rail car supply and service that encourages smaller and start-up rail shippers<br />
<br />
'''Beyond Competition: A Call for Collaboration'''<br />
<br />
The current challenges in rail infrastructure reveal a fundamental problem with capitalism's emphasis on commercial and political competition over collaboration. Competition alone is an insufficient regulatory principle for large infrastructure systems. We must reorient our commercial activity and public policy to support benefits for more stakeholders as opposed to individual winners.<br />
<br />
'''The Path Forward'''<br />
<br />
Creating comprehensive growth for freight rail transportation requires:<br />
<br />
* Coordinated government support for infrastructure projects<br />
* Improved access to funding for private-sector equipment and growth<br />
* More equitable distribution of capital throughout the entire rail system<br />
* Reversal of branch-line network decline<br />
* A commitment to provide rail service for all communities, regardless of size<br />
<br />
Only by incorporating all regions and shipment sizes can we achieve a stable, lasting expansion of rail service that benefits everyone. The future of North American rail depends on our ability to embrace this vision and make a commitment to serve as many towns, cities, and shippers as possible.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=The_Case_for_Local_Rail:_Revitalizing_America%27s_Freight_Network&diff=5858The Case for Local Rail: Revitalizing America's Freight Network2025-06-04T20:16:08Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''The Decline of American Rail Infrastructure'''<br />
<br />
Rail service in the United States is in crisis. Since 1990, the active rail network has shrunk by 25%, with much of that loss occurring in rural areas. This decline is particularly stark when viewed historically. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, there are currently fewer than 140,000 rail-route miles compared with a peak of 261,871 miles in 1925. The impact of this difference is evident in current transportation patterns. For example, the 2023 Bureau of Transportation Statistics indicate that 2.5 times more 2000-mile goods are moved by trucks as compared with rail.<br />
<br />
'''Root Causes of Local Rail Service Decline'''<br />
<br />
The loss of local rail service across in the United States can be attributed to several key factors:<br />
<br />
* Public policies that have consistently favored larger transportation projects and operations<br />
* Regulatory frameworks that create barriers for smaller rail operations<br />
* Financial metrics, incentives, and offers that prioritize large-scale transactions<br />
* Economic development approaches that overlook the value of local rail infrastructure<br />
* Systematic demarketing of branch-line rail service in favor of major corridors<br />
<br />
'''Challenging the Status Quo'''<br />
<br />
The current focus on higher-volume shipping lanes and large shippers has largely come at the expense of rural, urban, and direct rail service as well as increased local truck traffic, all of which have contributed to stagnant or declining economic growth in affected areas. Moreover, this situation presents a significant barrier to revitalizing these economically challenged towns and regions across the United States.<br />
<br />
'''A New Vision for Rail Service'''<br />
<br />
To address this state of affairs, we need to embrace a new principle. We must acknowledge that every transaction matters, every community counts, and that every small town, railroad, and shipper deserves attention. This principle challenges the common misconception that trucks are a more flexible means of transporting freight when compared with rail service. Just as trucks require roads, trains go wherever we build tracks. Now is the time to shift from ignoring or tearing up existing infrastructure to improving and expanding the network and integrating each land transportation mode.<br />
<br />
'''The Economic Case for Smaller Railroads'''<br />
<br />
Smaller railroads and shorter rail movements are more relevant than ever in today's economy. However, these operations face significant challenges due to:<br />
<br />
* Limited private-sector funding options<br />
* Government programs oriented toward larger projects<br />
* The misconception that local rail operations are too costly<br />
* Failure to account for the superior efficiency of rail car loading and unloading versus trucks<br />
<br />
'''The Role of Class I Railroads'''<br />
<br />
Major railroads must collaborate with Class II and III operators to provide the local and direct rail service that rural communities need for resilient, sustainable economic development. This collaboration should include:<br />
<br />
* Facilitation of multi-rail line access<br />
* Competitive pricing for multi-railroad routes<br />
* Car supply and service that encourages smaller and start-up rail shippers<br />
<br />
'''Beyond Competition: A Call for Collaboration'''<br />
<br />
The current challenges in rail infrastructure reveal a fundamental problem with capitalism's emphasis on commercial and political competition over collaboration. Competition alone is an insufficient regulatory principle for large infrastructure systems. We must reorient our commercial activity and public policy to support benefits for more stakeholders rather than just individual winners.<br />
<br />
'''A Path Forward'''<br />
<br />
Creating comprehensive growth for freight rail transportation requires:<br />
<br />
* Coordinated government support for infrastructure projects<br />
* Improved access to funding for private-sector equipment and growth<br />
* Equal distribution of capital throughout the entire rail system<br />
* Reversal of branch line network decline<br />
* Commitment to serving all communities, regardless of size<br />
<br />
Only by incorporating all regions and shipment sizes can we achieve a stable, lasting expansion of rail service that benefits everyone. The future of North American rail depends on our ability to return to serving as many towns, cities, and shippers as possible.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=The_Case_for_Local_Rail:_Revitalizing_America%27s_Freight_Network&diff=5857The Case for Local Rail: Revitalizing America's Freight Network2025-06-04T20:02:16Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''The Decline of American Rail Infrastructure'''<br />
<br />
Rail service in the United States is in crisis. Since 1990, the active rail network has shrunk by 25%, with much of that loss occurring in rural areas. This decline is particularly stark when viewed historically. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, there are currently fewer than 140,000 rail-route miles compared with a peak of 261,871 miles in 1925. The impact of this difference is evident in current transportation patterns. For example, the 2023 Bureau of Transportation Statistics indicate that 2.5 times more 2000-mile goods are moved by trucks as compared with rail.<br />
<br />
'''Root Causes of Local Rail Service Decline'''<br />
<br />
The loss of local rail service across in the United States can be attributed to several key factors:<br />
<br />
* Public policies that have consistently favored larger transportation projects and operations<br />
* Regulatory frameworks that create barriers for smaller rail operations<br />
* Financial metrics, incentives, and offers that prioritize large-scale transactions<br />
* Economic development approaches that overlook the value of local rail infrastructure<br />
* Systematic demarketing of branch-line rail service in favor of major corridors<br />
<br />
'''Challenging the Status Quo'''<br />
<br />
The current focus on higher-volume shipping lanes and large shippers has created a false dichotomy. This emphasis need not come at the expense of rural, urban, and direct rail service, nor should it result in increased local truck traffic. The present situation merely adds a significant barrier to revitalizing economically challenged towns and regions across North America.<br />
<br />
'''A New Vision for Rail Service'''<br />
<br />
We need to embrace a new principle. Every transaction matters, every community counts, and every small town, railroad, and shipper deserves attention. This principle challenges the common misconception that transporting freight by rail is less flexible when compared with trucks. Just as trucks require roads, trains go where we build tracks. Now is the time to shift from ignoring or tearing up existing infrastructure to improving and expanding the network and integrate each land transportation mode.<br />
<br />
'''The Economic Case for Smaller Railroads'''<br />
<br />
Smaller railroads and shorter rail movements are more relevant than ever in today's economy. However, these operations face significant challenges due to:<br />
<br />
* Limited private-sector funding options<br />
* Government programs oriented toward larger projects<br />
* The misconception that local rail operations are too costly<br />
* Failure to account for the superior efficiency of rail car loading and unloading versus trucks<br />
<br />
'''The Role of Class I Railroads'''<br />
<br />
Major railroads must collaborate with Class II and III operators to provide the local and direct rail service that rural communities need for resilient, sustainable economic development. This collaboration should include:<br />
<br />
* Facilitation of multi-rail line access<br />
* Competitive pricing for multi-railroad routes<br />
* Car supply and service that encourages smaller and start-up rail shippers<br />
<br />
'''Beyond Competition: A Call for Collaboration'''<br />
<br />
The current challenges in rail infrastructure reveal a fundamental problem with capitalism's emphasis on commercial and political competition over collaboration. Competition alone is an insufficient regulatory principle for large infrastructure systems. We must reorient our commercial activity and public policy to support benefits for more stakeholders rather than just individual winners.<br />
<br />
'''A Path Forward'''<br />
<br />
Creating comprehensive growth for freight rail transportation requires:<br />
<br />
* Coordinated government support for infrastructure projects<br />
* Improved access to funding for private-sector equipment and growth<br />
* Equal distribution of capital throughout the entire rail system<br />
* Reversal of branch line network decline<br />
* Commitment to serving all communities, regardless of size<br />
<br />
Only by incorporating all regions and shipment sizes can we achieve a stable, lasting expansion of rail service that benefits everyone. The future of North American rail depends on our ability to return to serving as many towns, cities, and shippers as possible.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Bridging_the_Rail_Growth_Capitalization_Gap&diff=5852Bridging the Rail Growth Capitalization Gap2025-06-01T05:15:11Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>===== '''VitalRail Finance Innovation: Three Decades of Revitalizing America's Railroad Infrastructure''' =====<br />
'''by Michael Sussman, CAPSI Founder'''<br />
<br />
'''Professional Experience and Philosophy''' <br />
<br />
I have specialized in rail-related business solutions, with an emphasis on financing, since 1994. In those 30 years, I have overseen the financial turnaround of rail operations by bridging gaps in understanding between rail companies, banks, and government funding agencies. By orchestrating collaborative private and public-sector funding structures, I have expanded access to growth capital for several rail companies, including the Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western, Iowa Interstate, Progressive Rail, Iowa Pacific, Laurinburg & Southern, and Iowa Northern. <br />
<br />
For each case, I identify that railroad's unique characteristics and service, underscoring how that specific section of the rail network contributes to local, state, and regional vitality. I then create unique financial presentations that educate private and public funding entities about the underlying sources of stability and growth on which they can base expanded capitalization. I have also overseen the growth capitalization of rail suppliers, contractors, and service providers. As part of these efforts, I have advised the U.S. Congress, the Executive Branch, and state and local governments on rail finance. <br />
<br />
Under contract with the Nevada DOT, I wrote the [[Nevada’s 2021 State Rail Plan|2021 Nevada State Rail Plan]], which underscored the value of single rail lines to an the industrial systems and economy of an entire state. The template for this innovative, statewide, rail-enabled economic development action plan can now be applied to the entire North American continent through [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative|VitalRail]].<br />
<br />
'''Personal Journey and Industry Introduction'''<br />
<br />
In 1995, I remember standing alongside a General Motors electro-motive diesel switcher locomotive with a client, who told me that the locomotive's engine generated 1000 horsepower. I asked how an engine only 2.5 times the horsepower of the Oldsmobile 442 "muscle car" of my youth was able to pull 20 fully loaded railcars. He explained that steel wheels gliding on steel rails create very little friction, enabling the engine's horsepower to be efficiently transferred into the train's pulling power. I was immediately struck by the realization that railroads, with such energy efficiency at the core of their business model, were significantly undercapitalized and underappreciated by lenders, investors, citizens, shippers, and elected leaders.<br />
<br />
'''Historical Context and Industry Challenge'''<br />
<br />
This experience prompted me to conduct an extensive study of the North American rail industry. By 1916, the U.S. rail network reached a peak of 254,000 miles, which was one of the main reasons why capital had flowed into North America from around the world during the preceding century. By 2020, the active network hd steadily declined to less than 140,000 miles, so that today, trucks are the primary mode of surface freight transportation for nearly 80% of the nation. <br />
<br />
Understanding why and how our society has evolved to drive capital toward highways and trucks, a dramatically less efficient mode of land freight transportation, tells us everything we need to know to revive freight rail service in North America.<br />
<br />
Railroads continue to serve the nation much more than most people realize. As an economically and environmentally preferable solution to transporting massive amounts of raw materials and finished goods, our rail industry has withstood the test of time. It is an essential element in North America's economic and social well-being. Railroads will continue to operate for decades. To contribute to growth and lasting improvement, we must address a critical unmet need: financing new rail infrastructure, loading facilities, and equipment.<br />
<br />
Lenders have misunderstood and underserved the North American railroad industry as a lending marketplace for decades. In the aftermath of U.S. bank deregulation in the 1980s, many local banks moved commercial lending to their regional or national offices. Very few of these banks employed lending officers with rail expertise. The few banks still interested in rail finance refocused on the largest transactions, which were primarily earmarked for equipment rather than projects. At the same time, the Staggers Act of 1980 significantly deregulated the U.S. rail industry, which led to the expansion of regional and shortline railroads—from 190 in 1980 to 600 in 2000. <br />
<br />
By 1995, minimum loan thresholds had increased to $5 million, and most local lenders had lost touch with railroads' contribution to their marketplace. This produced a profoundly unhelpful situation for railroads and society. It is vastly easier for a young person to borrow money to buy a backhoe than for a seasoned rail operator to finance a locomotive, even though a locomotive’s longer useful life and more stable market value make it far more secure as collateral.<br />
<br />
The banking community during the 1990s shifted almost entirely away from lending for rolling stock purchases. Operating leases, where lenders and leasing companies retain asset ownership, became an embedded feature of the rail industry. Local rail operators no longer benefited financially from the use or maintenance of these long-lived, income producing assets.<br />
<br />
As the industry has evolved during the 45 years since the enactment of the Staggers Act, the remaining rail lenders have not adapted to the needs of the Shortline railroad entities, which are characterized by smaller transactions, unique financial statement elements, and used equipment. And with limited capital availability for customers’ rail-loading facilities and equipment, the path to increased rail service includes a significant funding challenge.<br />
<br />
Options were further limited by the 1997 termination of the highly successful USDOT Local Rail Freight Assistance program for small loans. The subsequently instituted Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program (RRIF) lacked a simplified application process for smaller loans.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, though smaller railroads and rail shipper projects are often short on funding options, they have a long record of financial reliability and creditworthiness. In 2016, my research revealed that state DOT revolving loan programs and the Small Business Administration approved 692 rail project loans, totaling $419,448,052, over the prior 20 years. Of these, only three resulted in a default of their obligation.<br />
<br />
Shortline railroads handle 50% of all rail shipments but account for only 10% of all rail revenue. This statistic underscores the productivity of Class II regional and Class III shortline railroads. Railroad owners are brilliant at working with limited capital. Still, many owners have had to preserve their limited capital by leasing their rail lines, rolling stock, and property. As a result of the limited ownership and equity gain from asset appreciation, many operators have lacked access to the significant growth capital required for new facilities, property, equipment, personnel, and market development.<br />
<br />
This gap presents a significant opportunity to increase the capacity of our freight rail system. We can gain a significant return by placing more equipment and development funding into the hands of local rail management, transload operators, and shippers. Doing so will produce economic value. Focusing first on the remaining independent shortlines, which private equity groups do not own, will allow them to own rather than rent their equipment via operating leases. They invest too much of their resources in maintaining these units not to reap the benefits.<br />
<br />
'''Case Study: Iowa Interstate Railroad Financial Innovation'''<br />
<br />
In 1996, the owners of Iowa Interstate Railroad asked me to find a means of saving a close-to-expiring $10.5 million net operating loss carryforward. They also needed more capital to upgrade track. Even experienced railroad leaders require outside-the-box thinking to fund their growth plans.<br />
<br />
I began by studying everything about their financials and history. The key financial statement item that caught my attention was a $3.5 million loan Iowa Interstate had received from the state of Iowa that had been retained on the railroad's financial statements as a long-term liability. In studying the loan documentation, I read that the loan was 100% forgivable once a Maytag manufacturing plant, for which a rail line was funded and constructed. By 1996, the plant had been in operation for 10 years. Therefore, we were able to shift this $3.5 million from a long-term liability to a contingent liability, significantly improving the company's financial position.<br />
<br />
I then discovered that Archer-Daniels-Midland, Iowa Interstate's largest customer, had acquired a 3% option alongside its recent purchase of 48% of Iowa Interstate stock. Upon further investigation, I learned that as a result Class I railroad mergers in the mid-1990s, ADM was concerned that they could be left with only Union Pacific service. Therefore, they wanted the ability to gain a controlling interest in Iowa Interstate, their only other remaining service provider. This discovery was a eureka moment. I directed my client to ask ADM to guarantee the new financing because, with such a significant commitment already, they would undoubtedly want to maintain track and service quality by guaranteeing the new funding. With ADM's guarantee in hand, I knew closer to having a New York bank approve a $10.5 million sale-leaseback of Iowa Interstate's 550 miles of track and right-of-way. Track upgrade was able to proceed, and this innovative solution saved the net loss carryforward.<br />
<br />
'''Approach to VitalRail Capitalization''' <br />
<br />
Rail finance requires that each railroad or project has to be understood in its own light. It defies cookie-cutter approaches. The lack of this focus is a key reason why railroads and rail projects, particularly the smaller ones, have been undercapitalized. As a networked system, the entire rail network will be able to grow from capitalization of local branch lines as well as higher-volume trunk lines. That is why VitalRail illuminates the value and potential of every mile and foot of track, whether active or inactive.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Bridging_the_Rail_Growth_Capitalization_Gap&diff=5851Bridging the Rail Growth Capitalization Gap2025-05-31T22:59:12Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>===== '''VitalRail Finance Innovation: Three Decades of Revitalizing America's Railroad Infrastructure''' =====<br />
'''Professional Experience and Philosophy, by Michael Sussman, CAPSI Founder'''<br />
<br />
I have specialized in rail-related business solutions, with an emphasis on financing, since 1994. In those 30 years, I have overseen the financial turnaround of rail operations by bridging gaps in understanding between rail companies, banks, and government funding agencies. By orchestrating collaborative private and public-sector funding structures, I expanded access to growth capital for several rail companies, including the Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western, Iowa Interstate, Progressive Rail, Iowa Pacific, Laurinburg & Southern, and Iowa Northern. <br />
<br />
For each case, I identify that railroad's unique characteristics and service, underscoring how that specific section of the rail network contributes to local, state, and regional vitality. I then create unique financial presentations that educate private and public funding entities about the underlying sources of stability and growth on which they can base expanded capitalization. I have also overseen the growth capitalization of rail suppliers, contractors, and service providers. As part of these efforts, I have advised the U.S. Congress, the Executive Branch, and state and local governments on rail finance. <br />
<br />
Under contract with the Nevada DOT, I wrote the [[Nevada’s 2021 State Rail Plan|2021 Nevada State Rail Plan]], which underscored the value of single rail lines to an the industrial systems and economy of an entire state. The template for this innovative, statewide, rail-enabled economic development action plan can now be applied to the entire North American continent through [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative|VitalRail]].<br />
<br />
'''Personal Journey and Industry Introduction'''<br />
<br />
In 1995, I remember standing alongside a General Motors electro-motive diesel switcher locomotive with a client, who told me that the locomotive's engine generated 1000 horsepower. I asked how an engine only 2.5 times the horsepower of the Oldsmobile 442 "muscle car" of my youth was able to pull 20 fully loaded railcars. He explained that steel wheels gliding on steel rails create very little friction, enabling the engine's horsepower to be efficiently transferred into the train's pulling power. I was immediately struck by the realization that railroads, with such energy efficiency at the core of their business model, were significantly undercapitalized and underappreciated by lenders, investors, citizens, shippers, and elected leaders.<br />
<br />
'''Historical Context and Industry Challenge'''<br />
<br />
This experience prompted me to conduct an extensive study of the North American rail service industry. By 1916, the U.S. rail network reached a peak of 254,000 miles, which was one of the main reasons why capital had flowed into North America from around the world during the preceding century. By 2020, steady decline had reduced the active network to less than 140,000 miles, so that today, trucks are the primary mode of surface freight transportation for nearly 80% of the nation. <br />
<br />
Understanding why and how our society has evolved to drive capital toward highways and trucks, a dramatically less efficient mode of land freight transportation, tells us everything we need to know to revive freight rail service in North America.<br />
<br />
Railroads continue to serve the nation much more than most people realize. As an economically and environmentally preferable solution to transporting massive amounts of raw materials and finished goods, our rail industry has withstood the test of time. It is an essential element in North America's economic and social well-being. Railroads will continue to operate for decades. To contribute to growth and lasting improvement, we must address a critical unmet need: financing new rail infrastructure, loading facilities, and equipment.<br />
<br />
Lenders have misunderstood and underserved the North American railroad industry as a lending marketplace for decades. In the aftermath of U.S. bank deregulation in the 1980s, many local banks moved commercial lending to their regional or national offices. Very few of these banks employed lending officers with rail expertise. The few banks still interested in rail finance refocused on the largest transactions, and primarily for equipment rather than projects. At the same time, railroad deregulation led to the expansion of Regional and Shortline railroads—from 190 in 1980 to 600 in 2000. <br />
<br />
By 1995, the minimum loan thresholds had increased to $5 million, and most local lenders had lost touch with railroads' contribution to their marketplace. This produced a profoundly unhelpful situation for railroads and society. It is vastly easier for a young person to borrow money to buy a backhoe than for a seasoned rail operator to finance a locomotive, even though a locomotive’s longer useful life and more stable market value make it far more secure as collateral.<br />
<br />
The banking community during the 1990's shifted almost entirely away from lending for rolling stock purchases. Operating leases, where lenders and leasing companies retain asset ownership became an embedded feature of the rail industry. Local rail operators no longer benefited financially from their use and maintenance of these long-lived, income producing assets.<br />
<br />
As the industry has evolved during the 44 years since the enactment of the Staggers Act, the remaining rail lenders did not adapt to the needs of the Shortline railroad entities, characterized by smaller transactions, unique financial statement elements, and used equipment. And with limited capital availability for customers’ rail loading facilities and equipment, the path to increased rail service includes a significant funding challenge.<br />
<br />
Options were further limited by the 1997 termination of the highly successful USDOT Local Rail Freight Assistance program for small loans. The subsequently instituted Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program (RRIF) lacked a simplified application process for smaller loans.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, while often short on funding options, smaller railroads and rail shipper projects have a long record of financial reliability and creditworthiness. As we learned through research in 2016, 692 rail project loans approved over the prior 20 years by State DOT revolving loan programs and by the SBA, totaling $419,448,052, resulted in only three defaults.<br />
<br />
Shortline railroads account for 10% of all rail revenue while handling 50% of rail freight shipments. This statistic underscores the productivity of Class II Regional and Class III Shortline railroads. Railroad owners are brilliant at working with limited capital. Still, many owners have had to preserve their limited capital by leasing their rail lines, rolling stock, and property. As a result of the limited ownership and equity gain from asset appreciation, many operators have lacked access to the significant growth capital required for new facilities, property, equipment, personnel, and market development.<br />
<br />
This gap presents a significant opportunity for increasing our freight rail system's capacity. We can gain a significant return by putting more equipment and development funding into the hands of local rail management, transload operators, and shippers. Doing so will produce economic value. Focusing first on the remaining independent Shortlines, which private equity groups do not own, will allow them to own rather than rent their equipment via operating leases. They invest too much of their resources in maintaining these units not to reap the benefits.<br />
<br />
'''Case Study: Iowa Interstate Railroad Financial Innovation'''<br />
<br />
In 1996, the owners of Iowa Interstate Railroad asked me for a solution to save a close-to-expiring $10.5MM Net Operating Loss Carryforward. They also needed more capital to upgrade track. Even experienced railroad leaders require outside-the-box thinking to fund their growth plans. I started by studying everything about their financials and history.<br />
<br />
The key financial statement item I zeroed in on was a $3.5MM loan they had received from the state of Iowa that their accountants had retained on their financial statements as a Long-Term Liability. In studying the loan documentation, I read that it was 100% forgivable once a Maytag manufacturing plant, for which a rail line was funded and constructed, had operated for 10 years. We were, therefore, able to shift this $3.5MM to a Contingent Liability, significantly improving the company's financial position.<br />
<br />
I was then struck by the fact that Archer-Daniels-Midland, Iowa Interstate's largest customer, had acquired a 3% option alongside its recent purchase of 48% of Iowa Interstate stock. Upon further investigation, I learned that due to mid-90s Class I railroad mergers, ADM was concerned that they could be left with only Union Pacific service and wanted the ability to gain a controlling interest in the Iowa Interstate, their only other remaining service provider. Eureka! I directed my client to ask ADM to guarantee the new financing because, with such a significant commitment already, they would undoubtedly want to maintain track and service quality by guaranteeing the new funding. With ADM's guarantee in hand, I knew we were heading toward a New York bank approving a $10.5MM sale-leaseback of Iowa Interstate's 550 miles of track and right-of-way. Track upgrade could proceed, and this innovative solution saved the Net Loss Carryforward.<br />
<br />
'''The VitalRail Capitalization Approach'''<br />
<br />
Rail finance requires understanding each railroad or project in its own light. It defies cookie-cutter approaches. Lacking this focus is a key reason why railroads and rail projects, particularly the smaller ones, have been undercapitalized. As a networked system, the entire rail network will grow from capitalization of local branch lines as well as higher-volume trunk lines. That is why VitalRail illuminates the value and potential of every mile and foot of track, whether active or inactive.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Bridging_the_Rail_Growth_Capitalization_Gap&diff=5850Bridging the Rail Growth Capitalization Gap2025-05-31T22:58:15Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>===== '''VitalRail Finance Innovation: Three Decades of Revitalizing America's Railroad Infrastructure''' =====<br />
'''Professional Experience and Philosophy, by Michael Sussman, CAPSI Founder'''<br />
<br />
I have specialized in rail-related business solutions, with an emphasis on financing, since 1994. In those 30 years, I have overseen the financial turnaround of rail operations by bridging gaps in understanding between rail companies, banks, and government funding agencies. By orchestrating collaborative private and public-sector funding structures, I expanded access to growth capital for several rail companies, including the Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western, Iowa Interstate, Progressive Rail, Iowa Pacific, Laurinburg & Southern, and Iowa Northern. <br />
<br />
For each case, I identify that railroad's unique characteristics and service, underscoring how that specific section of the rail network contributes to local, state, and regional vitality. I then create unique financial presentations that educate private and public funding entities about the underlying sources of stability and growth on which they can base expanded capitalization. I have also overseen the growth capitalization of rail suppliers, contractors, and service providers. As part of these efforts, I have advised the U.S. Congress, the Executive Branch, and state and local governments on rail finance. <br />
<br />
Under contract with the Nevada DOT, I wrote the [[Nevada’s 2021 State Rail Plan|2021 Nevada State Rail Plan]], which underscored the value of single rail lines to an the industrial systems and economy of an entire state. The template for this innovative, statewide, rail-enabled economic development action plan can now be applied to the entire North American continent through [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative|VitalRail]].<br />
<br />
'''Personal Journey and Industry Introduction'''<br />
<br />
In 1995, I remember standing alongside a General Motors electro-motive diesel switcher locomotive with a client, who told me that the locomotive's engine generated 1000 horsepower. I asked how an engine only 2.5 times the horsepower of the Oldsmobile 442 "muscle car" of my youth was able to pull 20 fully loaded railcars. He explained that steel wheels gliding on steel rails create very little friction, enabling the engine's horsepower to be efficiently transferred into the train's pulling power. I was immediately struck by the realization that railroads, with such energy efficiency at the core of their business model, were significantly undercapitalized and underappreciated by lenders, investors, citizens, shippers, and elected leaders.<br />
<br />
'''Historical Context and Industry Challenge'''<br />
<br />
This experience prompted me to conduct an extensive study of the North American rail service industry. By 1916, the U.S. rail network reached a peak of 254,000 miles, which was one of the main reasons why capital had flowed into North America from around the world during the preceding century. By 2020, steady decline had reduced the active network to less than 140,000 miles, so that today, trucks are the primary mode of surface freight transportation for nearly 80% of the nation. <br />
<br />
Understanding why and how our society has evolved to drive capital toward highways and trucks, a dramatically less efficient mode of land freight transportation, tells us everything we need to know to shepherd the revive freight rail service in North America.<br />
<br />
Railroads continue to serve the nation much more than most people realize. As an economically and environmentally preferable solution to transporting massive amounts of raw materials and finished goods, our rail industry has withstood the test of time. It is an essential element in North America's economic and social well-being. Railroads will continue to operate for decades. To contribute to growth and lasting improvement, we must address a critical unmet need: financing new rail infrastructure, loading facilities, and equipment.<br />
<br />
Lenders have misunderstood and underserved the North American railroad industry as a lending marketplace for decades. In the aftermath of U.S. bank deregulation in the 1980s, many local banks moved commercial lending to their regional or national offices. Very few of these banks employed lending officers with rail expertise. The few banks still interested in rail finance refocused on the largest transactions, and primarily for equipment rather than projects. At the same time, railroad deregulation led to the expansion of Regional and Shortline railroads—from 190 in 1980 to 600 in 2000. <br />
<br />
By 1995, the minimum loan thresholds had increased to $5 million, and most local lenders had lost touch with railroads' contribution to their marketplace. This produced a profoundly unhelpful situation for railroads and society. It is vastly easier for a young person to borrow money to buy a backhoe than for a seasoned rail operator to finance a locomotive, even though a locomotive’s longer useful life and more stable market value make it far more secure as collateral.<br />
<br />
The banking community during the 1990's shifted almost entirely away from lending for rolling stock purchases. Operating leases, where lenders and leasing companies retain asset ownership became an embedded feature of the rail industry. Local rail operators no longer benefited financially from their use and maintenance of these long-lived, income producing assets.<br />
<br />
As the industry has evolved during the 44 years since the enactment of the Staggers Act, the remaining rail lenders did not adapt to the needs of the Shortline railroad entities, characterized by smaller transactions, unique financial statement elements, and used equipment. And with limited capital availability for customers’ rail loading facilities and equipment, the path to increased rail service includes a significant funding challenge.<br />
<br />
Options were further limited by the 1997 termination of the highly successful USDOT Local Rail Freight Assistance program for small loans. The subsequently instituted Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program (RRIF) lacked a simplified application process for smaller loans.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, while often short on funding options, smaller railroads and rail shipper projects have a long record of financial reliability and creditworthiness. As we learned through research in 2016, 692 rail project loans approved over the prior 20 years by State DOT revolving loan programs and by the SBA, totaling $419,448,052, resulted in only three defaults.<br />
<br />
Shortline railroads account for 10% of all rail revenue while handling 50% of rail freight shipments. This statistic underscores the productivity of Class II Regional and Class III Shortline railroads. Railroad owners are brilliant at working with limited capital. Still, many owners have had to preserve their limited capital by leasing their rail lines, rolling stock, and property. As a result of the limited ownership and equity gain from asset appreciation, many operators have lacked access to the significant growth capital required for new facilities, property, equipment, personnel, and market development.<br />
<br />
This gap presents a significant opportunity for increasing our freight rail system's capacity. We can gain a significant return by putting more equipment and development funding into the hands of local rail management, transload operators, and shippers. Doing so will produce economic value. Focusing first on the remaining independent Shortlines, which private equity groups do not own, will allow them to own rather than rent their equipment via operating leases. They invest too much of their resources in maintaining these units not to reap the benefits.<br />
<br />
'''Case Study: Iowa Interstate Railroad Financial Innovation'''<br />
<br />
In 1996, the owners of Iowa Interstate Railroad asked me for a solution to save a close-to-expiring $10.5MM Net Operating Loss Carryforward. They also needed more capital to upgrade track. Even experienced railroad leaders require outside-the-box thinking to fund their growth plans. I started by studying everything about their financials and history.<br />
<br />
The key financial statement item I zeroed in on was a $3.5MM loan they had received from the state of Iowa that their accountants had retained on their financial statements as a Long-Term Liability. In studying the loan documentation, I read that it was 100% forgivable once a Maytag manufacturing plant, for which a rail line was funded and constructed, had operated for 10 years. We were, therefore, able to shift this $3.5MM to a Contingent Liability, significantly improving the company's financial position.<br />
<br />
I was then struck by the fact that Archer-Daniels-Midland, Iowa Interstate's largest customer, had acquired a 3% option alongside its recent purchase of 48% of Iowa Interstate stock. Upon further investigation, I learned that due to mid-90s Class I railroad mergers, ADM was concerned that they could be left with only Union Pacific service and wanted the ability to gain a controlling interest in the Iowa Interstate, their only other remaining service provider. Eureka! I directed my client to ask ADM to guarantee the new financing because, with such a significant commitment already, they would undoubtedly want to maintain track and service quality by guaranteeing the new funding. With ADM's guarantee in hand, I knew we were heading toward a New York bank approving a $10.5MM sale-leaseback of Iowa Interstate's 550 miles of track and right-of-way. Track upgrade could proceed, and this innovative solution saved the Net Loss Carryforward.<br />
<br />
'''The VitalRail Capitalization Approach'''<br />
<br />
Rail finance requires understanding each railroad or project in its own light. It defies cookie-cutter approaches. Lacking this focus is a key reason why railroads and rail projects, particularly the smaller ones, have been undercapitalized. As a networked system, the entire rail network will grow from capitalization of local branch lines as well as higher-volume trunk lines. That is why VitalRail illuminates the value and potential of every mile and foot of track, whether active or inactive.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Bridging_the_Rail_Growth_Capitalization_Gap&diff=5849Bridging the Rail Growth Capitalization Gap2025-05-31T22:53:44Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>===== '''VitalRail Finance Innovation: Three Decades of Revitalizing America's Railroad Infrastructure''' =====<br />
'''Professional Experience and Philosophy, by Michael Sussman, CAPSI Founder'''<br />
<br />
I have specialized in rail-related business solutions, with an emphasis on financing, since 1994. In those 30 years, I have overseen the financial turnaround of rail operations by bridging gaps in understanding between rail companies, banks, and government funding agencies. By orchestrating collaborative private and public-sector funding structures, I expanded access to growth capital for several rail companies, including the Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western, Iowa Interstate, Progressive Rail, Iowa Pacific, Laurinburg & Southern, and Iowa Northern. <br />
<br />
For each case, I identify that railroad's unique characteristics and service, underscoring how that specific section of the rail network contributes to local, state, and regional vitality. I then create unique financial presentations that educate private and public funding entities about the underlying sources of stability and growth on which they can base expanded capitalization. I have also overseen the growth capitalization of rail suppliers, contractors, and service providers. As part of these efforts, I have advised the U.S. Congress, the Executive Branch, and state and local governments on rail finance. <br />
<br />
Under contract with the Nevada DOT, I wrote the [[Nevada’s 2021 State Rail Plan|2021 Nevada State Rail Plan]], which underscored the value of single rail lines to an the industrial systems and economy of an entire state. The template for this innovative, statewide, rail-enabled economic development action plan can now be applied to the entire North American continent through [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative|VitalRail]].<br />
<br />
'''Personal Journey and Industry Introduction'''<br />
<br />
In 1995, I remember standing alongside a General Motors electro-motive diesel switcher locomotive with a client, who told me that the locomotive's engine generated 1000 horsepower. I asked how an engine only 2.5 times the horsepower of the Oldsmobile 442 "muscle car" of my youth was able to pull 20 fully loaded railcars. He explained that steel wheels gliding on steel rails create very little friction, enabling the engine's horsepower to be efficiently transferred into the train's pulling power. I was immediately struck by the realization that railroads, with such energy efficiency at the core of their business model, were significantly undercapitalized and underappreciated by lenders, investors, citizens, shippers, and elected leaders.<br />
<br />
'''Historical Context and Industry Challenge'''<br />
<br />
This experience prompted me to conduct an extensive study of the North American rail service industry. By 1916, the U.S. rail network reached a peak of 254,000 miles, which was one of the main reasons why capital had flowed into North America from around the world during the preceding century. By 2020, steady decline had reduced the active network to less than 140,000 miles, so that today, trucks are the primary mode of surface freight transportation for nearly 80% of the nation. <br />
<br />
Understanding why and how our society has evolved to drive capital toward highways and trucks, a dramatically less efficient mode of land freight transportation, tells us everything we need to know to shepherd the revive freight rail service in North America.<br />
<br />
Railroads continue to serve the nation much more than most people realize. As an economical and environmentally preferable solution to transporting massive amounts of raw materials and finished goods, our rail industry has withstood the test of time. It is an essential element in North America's economic and social well-being. Railroads will continue to operate for decades. To contribute to growth and lasting improvement, we must address a critical unmet need: financing new rail infrastructure, loading facilities, and equipment.<br />
<br />
Lenders have misunderstood and underserved the North American railroad industry as a lending marketplace for decades. In the aftermath of U.S. bank deregulation in the 1980s, many local banks moved commercial lending to their regional or national offices. Very few of these banks employed lending officers with rail expertise. The few banks still interested in rail finance refocused on the largest transactions, and primarily for equipment rather than projects. At the same time, railroad deregulation led to the expansion of Regional and Shortline railroads—from 190 in 1980 to 600 in 2000. <br />
<br />
By 1995, the minimum loan thresholds had increased to $5 million, and most local lenders had lost touch with railroads' contribution to their marketplace. This produced a profoundly unhelpful situation for railroads and society. It is vastly easier for a young person to borrow money to buy a backhoe than for a seasoned rail operator to finance a locomotive, even though a locomotive’s longer useful life and more stable market value make it far more secure as collateral.<br />
<br />
The banking community during the 1990's shifted almost entirely away from lending for rolling stock purchases. Operating leases, where lenders and leasing companies retain asset ownership became an embedded feature of the rail industry. Local rail operators no longer benefited financially from their use and maintenance of these long-lived, income producing assets.<br />
<br />
As the industry has evolved during the 44 years since the enactment of the Staggers Act, the remaining rail lenders did not adapt to the needs of the Shortline railroad entities, characterized by smaller transactions, unique financial statement elements, and used equipment. And with limited capital availability for customers’ rail loading facilities and equipment, the path to increased rail service includes a significant funding challenge.<br />
<br />
Options were further limited by the 1997 termination of the highly successful USDOT Local Rail Freight Assistance program for small loans. The subsequently instituted Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program (RRIF) lacked a simplified application process for smaller loans.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, while often short on funding options, smaller railroads and rail shipper projects have a long record of financial reliability and creditworthiness. As we learned through research in 2016, 692 rail project loans approved over the prior 20 years by State DOT revolving loan programs and by the SBA, totaling $419,448,052, resulted in only three defaults.<br />
<br />
Shortline railroads account for 10% of all rail revenue while handling 50% of rail freight shipments. This statistic underscores the productivity of Class II Regional and Class III Shortline railroads. Railroad owners are brilliant at working with limited capital. Still, many owners have had to preserve their limited capital by leasing their rail lines, rolling stock, and property. As a result of the limited ownership and equity gain from asset appreciation, many operators have lacked access to the significant growth capital required for new facilities, property, equipment, personnel, and market development.<br />
<br />
This gap presents a significant opportunity for increasing our freight rail system's capacity. We can gain a significant return by putting more equipment and development funding into the hands of local rail management, transload operators, and shippers. Doing so will produce economic value. Focusing first on the remaining independent Shortlines, which private equity groups do not own, will allow them to own rather than rent their equipment via operating leases. They invest too much of their resources in maintaining these units not to reap the benefits.<br />
<br />
'''Case Study: Iowa Interstate Railroad Financial Innovation'''<br />
<br />
In 1996, the owners of Iowa Interstate Railroad asked me for a solution to save a close-to-expiring $10.5MM Net Operating Loss Carryforward. They also needed more capital to upgrade track. Even experienced railroad leaders require outside-the-box thinking to fund their growth plans. I started by studying everything about their financials and history.<br />
<br />
The key financial statement item I zeroed in on was a $3.5MM loan they had received from the state of Iowa that their accountants had retained on their financial statements as a Long-Term Liability. In studying the loan documentation, I read that it was 100% forgivable once a Maytag manufacturing plant, for which a rail line was funded and constructed, had operated for 10 years. We were, therefore, able to shift this $3.5MM to a Contingent Liability, significantly improving the company's financial position.<br />
<br />
I was then struck by the fact that Archer-Daniels-Midland, Iowa Interstate's largest customer, had acquired a 3% option alongside its recent purchase of 48% of Iowa Interstate stock. Upon further investigation, I learned that due to mid-90s Class I railroad mergers, ADM was concerned that they could be left with only Union Pacific service and wanted the ability to gain a controlling interest in the Iowa Interstate, their only other remaining service provider. Eureka! I directed my client to ask ADM to guarantee the new financing because, with such a significant commitment already, they would undoubtedly want to maintain track and service quality by guaranteeing the new funding. With ADM's guarantee in hand, I knew we were heading toward a New York bank approving a $10.5MM sale-leaseback of Iowa Interstate's 550 miles of track and right-of-way. Track upgrade could proceed, and this innovative solution saved the Net Loss Carryforward.<br />
<br />
'''The VitalRail Capitalization Approach'''<br />
<br />
Rail finance requires understanding each railroad or project in its own light. It defies cookie-cutter approaches. Lacking this focus is a key reason why railroads and rail projects, particularly the smaller ones, have been undercapitalized. As a networked system, the entire rail network will grow from capitalization of local branch lines as well as higher-volume trunk lines. That is why VitalRail illuminates the value and potential of every mile and foot of track, whether active or inactive.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Bridging_the_Rail_Growth_Capitalization_Gap&diff=5848Bridging the Rail Growth Capitalization Gap2025-05-31T22:28:44Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>===== '''VitalRail Finance Innovation: Three Decades of Revitalizing America's Railroad Infrastructure''' =====<br />
'''Professional Experience and Philosophy, by Michael Sussman, CAPSI Founder'''<br />
<br />
I have specialized in rail-related business solutions, with an emphasis on financing, since 1994. In those 30 years, I have overseen the financial turnaround of rail operations by bridging gaps in understanding between rail companies, banks, and government funding agencies. By orchestrating collaborative private and public-sector funding structures, I expanded access to growth capital for several rail companies, including the Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western, Iowa Interstate, Progressive Rail, Iowa Pacific, Laurinburg & Southern, and Iowa Northern. <br />
<br />
For each case, I identify that railroad's unique characteristics and service, underscoring how that specific section of the rail network contributes to local, state, and regional vitality. I then create unique financial presentations that educate private and public funding entities about the underlying sources of stability and growth on which they can base expanded capitalization. I have also overseen the growth capitalization of rail suppliers, contractors, and service providers. As part of these efforts, I have advised the U.S. Congress, the Executive Branch, and state and local governments on rail finance. <br />
<br />
Under contract with the Nevada DOT, I wrote the [[Nevada’s 2021 State Rail Plan|2021 Nevada State Rail Plan]], which underscored the value of single rail lines to an the industrial systems and economy of an entire state. The template for this innovative, statewide, rail-enabled economic development action plan can now be applied to the entire North American continent through [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative|VitalRail]].<br />
<br />
'''Personal Journey and Industry Introduction'''<br />
<br />
I remember standing with a client alongside a General Motors electro-motive diesel switcher locomotive in 1995 who, in answer to my question, said that the locomotive generated 1000 horsepower. I asked how an engine only 2.5 times the horsepower of the Oldsmobile 442 "muscle car" of my youth was able to pull 20 fully loaded railcars. He explained that steel wheels gliding on steel rails create very little friction, enabling the engine's horsepower to be efficiently transferred into the train's pulling power. I was immediately struck by the realization that railroads, with such energy efficiency at the core of their business model, were significantly undercapitalized and underappreciated by lenders, investors, citizens, shippers, and elected leaders.<br />
<br />
'''Historical Context and Industry Challenge'''<br />
<br />
This experience prompted me to conduct an extensive study the North American rail service industry. By 1916, the U.S. rail network reached a peak of 254,000 miles, which was one of the main reasons why capital flowed into North America from around the world in that era. By the end of the 20th century, that network reduced to less than 140,000 miles. Understanding why and how our society has evolved to drive capital toward highways and trucks, a dramatically less efficient mode of land freight transportation, tells us everything we need to know to steward the re-growth of freight rail service.<br />
<br />
Railroads continue to serve the nation much more than most people realize. As an economical and environmentally preferable solution to transporting massive amounts of raw materials and finished goods, our rail industry has withstood the test of time. It is an essential element in North America's economic and social well-being. Railroads will continue to operate for decades. To contribute to growth and lasting improvement, we must address a critical unmet need: financing new rail infrastructure, loading facilities, and equipment.<br />
<br />
Lenders have misunderstood and underserved the North American railroad industry as a lending marketplace for decades. In the aftermath of U.S. bank deregulation in the 1980s, many local banks moved commercial lending to their regional or national offices. Very few of these banks employed lending officers with rail expertise. The few banks still interested in rail finance refocused on the largest transactions, and primarily for equipment rather than projects. At the same time, railroad deregulation led to the expansion of Regional and Shortline railroads—from 190 in 1980 to 600 in 2000. <br />
<br />
By 1995, the minimum loan thresholds had increased to $5 million, and most local lenders had lost touch with railroads' contribution to their marketplace. This produced a profoundly unhelpful situation for railroads and society. It is vastly easier for a young person to borrow money to buy a backhoe than for a seasoned rail operator to finance a locomotive, even though a locomotive’s longer useful life and more stable market value make it far more secure as collateral.<br />
<br />
The banking community during the 1990's shifted almost entirely away from lending for rolling stock purchases. Operating leases, where lenders and leasing companies retain asset ownership became an embedded feature of the rail industry. Local rail operators no longer benefited financially from their use and maintenance of these long-lived, income producing assets.<br />
<br />
As the industry has evolved during the 44 years since the enactment of the Staggers Act, the remaining rail lenders did not adapt to the needs of the Shortline railroad entities, characterized by smaller transactions, unique financial statement elements, and used equipment. And with limited capital availability for customers’ rail loading facilities and equipment, the path to increased rail service includes a significant funding challenge.<br />
<br />
Options were further limited by the 1997 termination of the highly successful USDOT Local Rail Freight Assistance program for small loans. The subsequently instituted Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program (RRIF) lacked a simplified application process for smaller loans.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, while often short on funding options, smaller railroads and rail shipper projects have a long record of financial reliability and creditworthiness. As we learned through research in 2016, 692 rail project loans approved over the prior 20 years by State DOT revolving loan programs and by the SBA, totaling $419,448,052, resulted in only three defaults.<br />
<br />
Shortline railroads account for 10% of all rail revenue while handling 50% of rail freight shipments. This statistic underscores the productivity of Class II Regional and Class III Shortline railroads. Railroad owners are brilliant at working with limited capital. Still, many owners have had to preserve their limited capital by leasing their rail lines, rolling stock, and property. As a result of the limited ownership and equity gain from asset appreciation, many operators have lacked access to the significant growth capital required for new facilities, property, equipment, personnel, and market development.<br />
<br />
This gap presents a significant opportunity for increasing our freight rail system's capacity. We can gain a significant return by putting more equipment and development funding into the hands of local rail management, transload operators, and shippers. Doing so will produce economic value. Focusing first on the remaining independent Shortlines, which private equity groups do not own, will allow them to own rather than rent their equipment via operating leases. They invest too much of their resources in maintaining these units not to reap the benefits.<br />
<br />
'''Case Study: Iowa Interstate Railroad Financial Innovation'''<br />
<br />
In 1996, the owners of Iowa Interstate Railroad asked me for a solution to save a close-to-expiring $10.5MM Net Operating Loss Carryforward. They also needed more capital to upgrade track. Even experienced railroad leaders require outside-the-box thinking to fund their growth plans. I started by studying everything about their financials and history.<br />
<br />
The key financial statement item I zeroed in on was a $3.5MM loan they had received from the state of Iowa that their accountants had retained on their financial statements as a Long-Term Liability. In studying the loan documentation, I read that it was 100% forgivable once a Maytag manufacturing plant, for which a rail line was funded and constructed, had operated for 10 years. We were, therefore, able to shift this $3.5MM to a Contingent Liability, significantly improving the company's financial position.<br />
<br />
I was then struck by the fact that Archer-Daniels-Midland, Iowa Interstate's largest customer, had acquired a 3% option alongside its recent purchase of 48% of Iowa Interstate stock. Upon further investigation, I learned that due to mid-90s Class I railroad mergers, ADM was concerned that they could be left with only Union Pacific service and wanted the ability to gain a controlling interest in the Iowa Interstate, their only other remaining service provider. Eureka! I directed my client to ask ADM to guarantee the new financing because, with such a significant commitment already, they would undoubtedly want to maintain track and service quality by guaranteeing the new funding. With ADM's guarantee in hand, I knew we were heading toward a New York bank approving a $10.5MM sale-leaseback of Iowa Interstate's 550 miles of track and right-of-way. Track upgrade could proceed, and this innovative solution saved the Net Loss Carryforward.<br />
<br />
'''The VitalRail Capitalization Approach'''<br />
<br />
Rail finance requires understanding each railroad or project in its own light. It defies cookie-cutter approaches. Lacking this focus is a key reason why railroads and rail projects, particularly the smaller ones, have been undercapitalized. As a networked system, the entire rail network will grow from capitalization of local branch lines as well as higher-volume trunk lines. That is why VitalRail illuminates the value and potential of every mile and foot of track, whether active or inactive.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=VitalRail/IntelliConferences/Rail_Regulatory_Excellence&diff=5716VitalRail/IntelliConferences/Rail Regulatory Excellence2025-05-08T04:38:37Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rail Regulatory Excellence IntelliConference}}<br />
=== Background Statement ===<br />
Rules and regulations are promulgated in reaction to various events and experiences. These rules and regulations often develop a life of their own, untethered to the original intent without any awareness of system consequences, frustrating stakeholders. Improvements are often challenging as individual industries and companies beseech government from vested-interest points of view. A robust set of recommendations informed objectively by all perspectives is critical to meet urgent safety, productivity, financial, and environmental goals.<br />
<br />
<h3>Core question</h3><br />
Are there regulations that stakeholders can agree are either outdated, insignificant or trivial, redundant, or counterproductive? Can they be improved or replaced in support of the growth and safety of railroads and their service?<br />
<br />
=== Dialogue Questions ===<br />
<span style = color:#477F97;><big><u><i><b>Round One</b></i></u></br><b>Completing the Framework</b></big></span><br />
<br />
# In addition to the following, what other areas do regulations apply in owning and operating railroads?<br />
## Financial reporting<br />
##Service reporting<br />
##Licenses and permits<br />
##Employee Management<br />
##Train Operations<br />
##Maintenance of right-of-way<br />
##Taxes<br />
##Insurance and liability<br />
##Locomotive emissions<br />
##Rolling stock design/equipment requirements<br />
##Inspection, track, and rolling stock<br />
##Equipment supplier country of origin<br />
##Cybersecurity<br />
##National security/DoD functions<br />
##Common carrier responsibilities(e.g., must haul high-risk, high-liability hazmat commodities)<br />
##Interchange rules (e.g., receiving railroads are responsible for safe railcar conditions)<br />
#Pertaining to each regulatory area, what regulations: <br />
##Are counterproductive?<br />
##Are redundant, and is another regulation or procedure handling the issue?<br />
##Should be eliminated because the issue they target is inconsequential?<br />
##Should be improved in some way? How?<br />
##Have a positive impact that is outweighed by the costs?<br />
##Impact customers’ shipping mode decisions in a way that is counterproductive to the overall policy goal?<br />
#What activities or relationships need new regulations to be optimally realized? Examples:<br />
##Railcar defect detection<br />
##Trackage defect detection<br />
##Train control safety technology (e.g., electronically controlled braking, positive train control II)<br />
##Directed service<br />
##Degree of inter- and intra-modal competition<br />
##Reciprocal switching<br />
<br />
<span style="color:#477F97;"><big><u><i><b>Round Two</b></i></u><br><b>Identifying Impacted Parties and Establishing Measures</b></big></span><br />
<br />
# For each of the regulations identified in Round One: Who are the impacted parties?<br />
## What data measures have been used to spotlight the need for that regulation?<br />
##What data have been used to quantify the benefits of each regulation for each impacted party?<br />
##How is the cost of implementing a regulation allocated and funded relative to each impacted party?<br />
<br />
<span style = color:#477F97;><big><u><i><b>Round Three</b></i></u></br><b>Developing Regulations that Fit</b></br></big></span><br />
<br />
# How do we need to think about regulations to best fit various characteristics of rail operations?<br />
## Which regulations governing larger railroads require adjustment for smaller railroads?<br />
##Which regulations should be further distinguished for line haul routes of varying characteristics? Examples:<br />
###Lines that host passenger trains<br />
###Lines that host hazardous commodities<br />
###Federal Railroad Administration track classification levels<br />
###Traffic levels by tonnage or train frequency<br />
###Service quality metrics (train velocity, re-crew rates, etimated time of arrival failures)<br />
##Which regulations should be further distinguished for different terminals and railyards? Examples:<br />
###Degree of automated operations<br />
###Degree of automated inspection capability<br />
###Provision of yard air<br />
###Local service quality metrics (switching volume, terminal dwell, first-mile/last-mile failure rate)<br />
#What regulations should be further distinguished by the commodity hauled or railcar type?<br />
##Hazmat and placarding<br />
##Classification by gross weight per car <br />
##Excess railcar length and/or height <br />
##Dimensional loads<br />
##Community emergency response notification<br />
##Train consist-oriented characteristics:<br />
###Train length and weight<br />
###Railcar placement in consist<br />
###Locomotive placement in consist<br />
###Container/trailer placement per railcar<br />
###Buffer car requirements<br />
#What performance metrics should be established for each regulatory objective?<br />
<br />
<span style = color:#477F97;><big><u><i><b>Round Four</b></i></u></br><b>Prioritization and Process</b></big></span><br />
<br />
# 1. What regulatory issues are most urgent to address?<br />
## Should the regulatory landscape and policy favor one mode over another?<br />
##Why?<br />
##What process should be established for reviewing and/or sunsetting rules and regulations at intervals or upon a change in circumstances?<br />
##How frequently should a regulation undergo review to understand changes in benefits and costs?<br />
##What monitoring or reporting improvements can be identified?<br />
#How should hard and soft costs of regulations be calculated and recognized?<br />
##Who are the impacted parties?<br />
## What data measures have been used to illuminate the need for that regulation?<br />
## How is the cost of implementing a regulation apportioned and funded relative to each stakeholder group?<br />
# What factors should be weighed in regulatory execution decisions and implementation timing?<br />
## Technology maturity<br />
## Pragmatic deployment timing<br />
## Costs and benefits to impacted parties<br />
## Effectiveness of the regulation toward achieving the objective<br />
# What types of changes should be made to rulemaking and regulatory processes?<br />
## Does the regulation account for all impacted parties?<br />
## Does the regulation shift the modal balance in a way that negates the overall benefit?<br />
## Examples for evaluation: Hours of service limitations to promote safe operation<br />
## Total GHG/particulate/NOx emissions per shipment unit<br />
## Toxic material emissions per accident<br />
## Equipment inspection intervals<br />
# How can the need for rules and regulations be mitigated with trust and cooperation?<br />
## What transformation in principles and culture among impacted parties can lead to the presence of trust as expected and delivered?<br />
## What transparent and comparable Key Performance Measures empower trust and cooperation, and how are they collected, registered, and interpreted?<br></div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=VitalRail/IntelliConferences/Rail_Growth_Capitalization&diff=5715VitalRail/IntelliConferences/Rail Growth Capitalization2025-05-08T04:18:57Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rail Growth Capitalization IntelliConference}}<br />
<br />
=== Background Statement ===<br />
North American freight railroads require significant capital investments and strategic alignment among multiple stakeholders. Intelligent collaboration between the private sector investment community, rail management, and government will foster a rail growth strategy that strengthens a multimodal network, incentivizes public and private investment, and optimally serves supply chains. The key to facilitating this long-term growth strategy is to broaden investors’ valuation horizons, integrate public policies, and empower rail management.<br />
<br />
=== Core Question ===<br />
What performance measures, financial incentives, and public policy adjustments can investors, rail management, and government reconceive to expand capitalization of the modernization and growth of North American freight railroads and enhance their strategic value to supply chain efficiency?<br />
<br />
=== Dialogue Questions ===<br />
<span style = color:#477F97;><big><u><i><b>Round 1</b></i></u><br><b>Current Freight Rail Capitalization</b></big></span><br />
<br />
# What level of annual capital investment does the railroad industry reinvest in as a percentage of operating income:<br />
## State of good repair?<br />
## Capacity expansion?<br />
## Modernization?<br />
# What are the investment factors that investors, policymakers, and senior rail management consider when determining base rewards and penalties within the current Class I business model?<br />
## What are the expected return-on-investment (ROI) levels and timelines?<br />
## What are the expected operating income levels and timelines?<br />
## How are sustainability results factored into rewards?<br />
# How do these stakeholder groups currently relate to rail growth's influence on supply chain optimization?<br />
# What substantive, realistic rail service growth plans have rail management, investors, and policymakers adopted?<br />
# When rail growth projections are communicated by these stakeholder groups, what drives those goals?<br />
# How do the ROI levels and timelines for privately <!-- Note: "privately owned" is generally not hyphenated. The adverb "privately" modifies the adjective "owned" and does not require a hyphen when used in this way. The rule is that adverbs ending in "-ly" do not typically require hyphens when they modify adjectives. -->owned rail infrastructure projects compare with publicly owned infrastructure projects in other modes?<br />
<br />
<span style = color:#477F97;><big><u><i><b>Round 2</b></i></u><br><b>Freight Rail Capitalization to Support Growth</b></big></span><br />
<br />
# Why should rail management, investors, and policymakers collaborate to empower rail service modernization and growth?<br />
# What are current barriers to collaboration on the part of rail management, investors, and policymakers? How can these barriers be addressed?<br />
# What goals do these stakeholder groups want to align on as part of a bold growth initiative?<br />
# Within this rail service growth strategy, how should the levels of annual capital investment change for:<br />
## State of good repair?<br />
## Capacity expansion?<br />
## Modernization?<br />
# What opportunities and risks are created by modifying investment time horizons?<br />
## How can these risks be mitigated?<br />
# What other risks need to be addressed to stimulate growth investment?<br />
## How can these risks be mitigated?<br />
# How should compensation programs and performance incentives for rail management be adjusted to facilitate long-term rail service growth?<br />
# What public-sector policies and funding programs could be modified to seed or incentivize private-sector capitalization?<br />
# What needs to be addressed differently so that Class II and III railroads, smaller rail shippers, and other transportation providers gain greater access to capital for expansion and modernization?</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=VitalRail&diff=5714VitalRail2025-05-08T04:09:28Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:VitalRail: A Comprehensive Growth Plan for Rail-Enabled Industrial Productivity}}<br />
<div id="test">__FORCETOC__<br />
==== Why is VitalRail Needed? ====<br />
Though North America enjoys perhaps the world's most productive freight rail system, the industry’s $115 billion annual revenue is in stark contrast with the freight trucking industry’s $1 trillion yearly revenue. <br />
<br />
Railroads offer irreplaceable space, energy, and capital efficiencies. Increasing freight rail service will contribute cascading benefits to all stakeholders:<br />
<br />
* A one-mile-long train moves the same goods as a 27-mile convoy of trucks<br />
* Its energy efficiency allows it to move that freight on one-quarter to one-half of the fuel required as well as the resulting emissions<br />
<br />
VitalRail serves at the heart of CAPSI as a comprehensive strategy for enhancing the productivity of our industrial systems by expanding freight rail service. <br />
<br />
There has never been a greater need or more opportunity for capitalizing railroad development to address transportation efficiency and environmental challenges. Rather than emotional critiques and general calls for a so-called rail renaissance, VitalRail is informed by the real challenges and benefits of growing an industry as integral as railroads.<br />
<br />
At the same time, we need more from railroad companies than they can accomplish on their own. Fortunately, railroads do not need a government bailout, and they outperform many other industries. That stability—combined with rail technology’s inherent efficiencies—delivers a high return on investment when the involved stakeholder groups work together.<br />
<p style="padding:2px;"></p><br />
==== Join Us! ====<br />
Let's work together right now. Go to [[Participation Options]] to enter this world of positive change collaboration. The OTNA staff looks forward to meeting you.<br />
<br />
==== VitalRail Stakeholders ====<br />
Collaboration among stakeholders is fundamental to achieving the tremendous growth opportunity for: <br />
<br />
* Railroads<br />
* Rail-related companies<br />
* The industries and communities they serve<br />
<br />
VitalRail engages 14 interdependent stakeholder groups:<br />
<br />
* Class I, II, and III railroad leaders<!-- Sometimes the 3 railroad classes are cited as Class I, II, and III, as in this instance, and sometimes they're cited as Class 1,2, and 3. Please choose a style and use it consistently throughout all publications (including emails, white papers, press releases, etc). Please note that the trend in the past years is to use Arabic, rather than Roman, numerals, so Class 1, 2, and 3 would be more modern. --><br />
* Investors, banks, and economic developers<br />
* Rail employees, customers, suppliers, and citizens<br />
* Transportation planners, land developers, realtors, and site selectors<br />
* Researchers, other transportation services and modes, and government leaders<br />
<br />
Learn more about [[VitalRail/VitalRail Stakeholders|VitalRail Stakeholders]]. <br />
<p style="padding:2px;"></p><br />
==== IntelliConference Series ====<br />
The VitalRail IAP begins with an important series of dialogues about expanding North America’s freight rail service. These dialogs were conceived during IntelliConferences using the input of key participants in each domain. VitalRail's topics are fluid, not static, and can change based on input from stakeholders. [[IntelliConferences and IntelliSynthesis|IntelliConference and IntelliSynthesis]] is the anchor methodology we use to advance these dialogues and goals. <br />
<br />
* [[VitalRail/Rail Growth Capitalization IntelliConference|Rail Growth Capitalization]]<br />
* [[VitalRail/Rail Regulatory Excellence IntelliConference|Rail Regulatory Excellence]]<br />
* [[VitalRail/Rail Business Culture Transformation IntelliConference|Rail Business Culture Transformation]]<br />
*[[VitalRail/Rail Management – Rail Labor IntelliConference|Rail Management – Rail Labor]]<br />
* [[VitalRail/Containerized International Freight IntelliConference|Containerized International Freight]]<br />
*[[VitalRail/Revitalizing the Rail Carload System IntelliConference|Revitalizing the Rail Carload System]]<br />
*[[VitalRail/Rail Energy Efficiency IntelliConference|Rail Energy Efficiency]]<br />
*[[VitalRail/Freight Transportation Land Use IntelliConference|Freight Transportation Land Use]]<br />
*[[VitalRail/Rail Technology Adoption IntelliConference|Rail Technology Adoption]]<br />
*[[VitalRail/Rail Trucking Coordination IntelliConference|Rail Trucking Coordination]]<br />
<p style="padding:2px;"></p><br />
<br />
==== VitalRail Value Proposition ====<br />
Expanding freight rail service is crucial for sustainable industrial growth across North America. <br />
<br />
As the continent pursues reshoring and reindustrialization, railroads need to serve as the backbone of supply chain transportation. Like high-speed internet, robust rail service is fundamental to community prosperity; its absence creates economic barriers and has environmental costs. However, neither marketplace dynamics nor vested-interest lobbying lead to smart supply chains. For North America’s future prosperity, they must be reconceived with the thoughtful input of all stakeholder groups.<br />
<br />
The challenge is not a lack of intelligence; there are many smart and committed people in industry, government, and the community. What we have been lacking are the effective forums and methods for gathering this intelligence into smart policy, programs, and marketplace improvements. CAPSI provides that platform. <br />
<br />
Learn more about the [[VitalRail/VitalRail Value Proposition|VitalRail Value Proposition]].<br />
<p style="padding:2px;"></p><br />
==== VitalRail FAQs ====<br />
Go to the [[VitalRail/VitalRail FAQs|VitalRail FAQs]] page to get your early questions answered.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Home_Page&diff=5713Home Page2025-05-08T03:59:04Z<p>Emelldee: /* What do we mean by industrial systems? */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:Welcome to OnTrackNorthAmerica's Industry Action Plans}}<br />
<center><span style="color:orange;"><h3>Where stakeholders in Canada, the United States, and Mexico redesign our industrial systems for sustainable life.</h3></span></center><br />
<br />
We invite you to collaborate on transformative industrial solutions that expand economic vitality while preserving our environment. Our first Industry Action Plan (IAP) is VitalRail, which focuses on optimizing railroads as the backbone of an integrated multimodal transportation network that serves all industries. Together we will redesign our fragmented industrial systems from natural resources, agriculture, and raw materials through production, distribution, consumption, and recycling. <br />
<br />
== What do we mean by industrial systems? ==<br />
Industrial systems comprise the complete set of commercial, policy, and planning activities involved in delivering materials and products for modern civilization’s survival and fulfillment. This encompasses all inputs and impacts, including land use, transportation, recycling, and disposal. What occurs between properties is often as significant as what happens at a property.<h2>What do we mean by redesign?</h2><br />
Redesigning industrial systems means working together to find and utilize ways to increase efficiency and reduce negative impacts. It begins with stakeholders establishing collective goals and pragmatic measures while recognizing the reality of prior strategies and investments. Redesigning may require judicious reconstruction, repurposing, and/or relocating some facilities. For instance, to create the most effective strategic mineral supply chain, we would intentionally position lithium mines, battery plants, vehicle factories, and recycling facilities to optimize systemwide logistics. We call this design process "Collaborative Industrial Optimization." Redesigning also calls for a paradigm shift wherein organizations and individuals are incentivized to contribute to systemwide sustainability. <br />
<br />
<h2>Who are the stakeholders?</h2><br />
You are all stakeholders, along with everyone involved in or affected by our industrial systems. Developing IAPs for sustainable industries requires complete stakeholder representation. OnTrackNorthAmerica has already cataloged more than 32,000 stakeholders across North America’s industrial, political, and geographic landscape. For each IAP process we initiate, we will invite additional stakeholders to work toward complete representation from all sectors, including academia, advocacy organizations, business, community, funders, government, labor, and media. <br />
<br />
<h2>How do we work together as stakeholders?</h2><br />
We convene stakeholders in IntelliConference® forums that apply IntelliSynthesis®, our breakthrough question-and-response dialogue method, to foster efficient input from large groups of diverse stakeholders. We invite participants from all relevant sectors in a given system or region to ensure that all perspectives are represented and have a voice. Each stakeholder agrees to read and respond to rounds of questions within seven days. The facilitation team creates and shares a digest of each round of responses, saving participants time. Outlier perspectives are considered for the value they may offer the group. The IntelliConference and IntelliSynthesis processes are explained in greater detail elsewhere on this website. <br />
<br />
<h2>What do we mean by sustainable life?</h2><br />
Sustainable life is the long-lasting, harmonious co-existence of humans and nature within an abundantly resourced, yet finite ecosystem. <h2>Why include Canada, the United States, and Mexico?</h2><br />
Though Canada, the United States, and Mexico already engage in extensive cross-border commerce, it can significantly benefit from the improved coordination facilitated by our IAPs. They are crafted for specific industrial systems and geographic regions, while still maintaining vital connections to all related plans, rather than merely producing isolated solutions. Unlike conventional studies that typically sit on a shelf, our dynamic process generates immediate, tangible outcomes through ongoing stakeholder engagement. <br />
<br />
<h2 style="border-bottom:none;"><center><big><b>[[Continental Action Plan for Sustainable Industry|Industry Action Plans]]</b></big></h2></div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Home_Page&diff=5712Home Page2025-05-07T22:22:26Z<p>Emelldee: /* What do we mean by industrial systems? */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:Welcome to OnTrackNorthAmerica's Industry Action Plans}}<br />
<center><span style="color:orange;"><h3>Where stakeholders in Canada, the United States, and Mexico redesign our industrial systems for sustainable life.</h3></span></center><br />
<br />
We invite you to collaborate on transformative industrial solutions that expand economic vitality while preserving our environment. Our first Industry Action Plan (IAP) is VitalRail, which focuses on optimizing railroads as the backbone of an integrated multimodal transportation network that serves all industries. Together, we will redesign our fragmented industrial systems from natural resources, agriculture, and raw materials through production, distribution, consumption, and recycling. <br />
<br />
== What do we mean by industrial systems? ==<br />
Industrial systems comprise the complete set of commercial, policy, and planning activities involved in delivering materials and products for modern civilization’s survival and fulfillment. This includes all inputs and impacts, including land use, transportation, recycling, and disposal. What occurs between properties is often as significant as what happens at a property.<h2>What do we mean by redesign?</h2><br />
Redesigning industrial systems means working together to find and utilize ways to increase efficiency and reduce negative impacts. It begins with stakeholders establishing collective goals and pragmatic measures while recognizing the reality of prior strategies and investments. Redesigning may require judicious reconstruction, repurposing, and/or relocating some facilities. For instance, to create the most effective strategic mineral supply chain, we would intentionally position lithium mines, battery plants, vehicle factories, and recycling facilities to optimize systemwide logistics. We call this design process "Collaborative Industrial Optimization." Redesigning also calls for a paradigm shift wherein organizations and individuals are incentivized to contribute to systemwide sustainability. <br />
<br />
<h2>Who are the stakeholders?</h2><br />
You are all stakeholders, along with everyone involved in or affected by our industrial systems. Developing IAPs for sustainable industries requires complete stakeholder representation. OnTrackNorthAmerica has already cataloged more than 32,000 stakeholders across North America’s industrial, political, and geographic landscape. For each IAP process we initiate, we will invite additional stakeholders to work toward complete representation from all sectors, including academia, advocacy, business, community, funders, government, labor, and media. <br />
<br />
<h2>How do we work together as stakeholders?</h2><br />
We convene stakeholders in IntelliConference® forums that apply IntelliSynthesis®, our breakthrough question-and-response dialogue method, to foster efficient input from large groups of diverse stakeholders. We invite participants from all relevant sectors in a given system or region to ensure representation of all perspectives. Each participant agrees to read and respond to rounds of questions within seven days. The facilitation team creates and shares a digest of each round of responses, saving participants time. Outlier perspectives are considered for the value they may offer the group. The IntelliConference and IntelliSynthesis processes are explained in greater detail elsewhere on this website. <br />
<br />
<h2>What do we mean by sustainable life?</h2><br />
Sustainable life is the long-lasting, harmonious co-existence of humans and nature within an abundantly resourced, yet finite ecosystem. <h2>Why include Canada, the United States, and Mexico?</h2><br />
Though Canada, the United States, and Mexico already engage in extensive cross-border commerce, it can significantly benefit from the improved coordination facilitated by our IAPs. They are crafted for specific industrial systems and geographic regions, while maintaining vital connections to all related plans, rather than merely producing isolated solutions. Unlike conventional studies that typically sit on a shelf, our dynamic process generates immediate, tangible outcomes through ongoing stakeholder engagement. <br />
<br />
<h2 style="border-bottom:none;"><center><big><b>[[Continental Action Plan for Sustainable Industry|Industry Action Plans]]</b></big></h2></div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Industrial_Systems_Initiatives&diff=5688Industrial Systems Initiatives2025-05-07T00:10:15Z<p>Emelldee: /* Introduction */</p>
<hr />
<div>__TOC__<br />
<br />
= This Is Where The Work Begins! =<br />
<br />
== '''Introduction''' ==<br />
You have entered the interactive space of Industry Action Plans. When you register as a Stakeholder on the [[Participation Options]] page you can join the Team in designing new Industry Action Plans (IAP) or work directly on our first initiative, [[VitalRail: A Comprehensive Growth Plan for Rail-Enabled Industrial Productivity/VitalRail Stakeholders|VitalRail]]. <br />
<br />
== '''Scope''' <small>What industrial systems do we want Industry Action Plans to address?</small><!--former link-->==<br />
<br />
==== Agriculture ====<br />
* Inputs<br />
** Land<br />
** Soil<br />
** Soil Enhancements<br />
** Water<br />
*Processing<br />
* Outputs<br />
** Food<br />
** Energy<br />
** Nutrient material<br />
====Forestry====<br />
*[[North American Sustainable Forestry Business Plan]]<br />
** Wood<br />
** Pulp<br />
** Paper<br />
==== Mining====<br />
* Minerals<br />
**[[RE-STEM Industrial Systems Initiative|RE-STEM, Rail-Enabled Sustainable Transportation of Essential Minerals]]<br />
* Metals<br />
* Coal<br />
* Oil and Gas<br />
====Manufacturing====<br />
*Metals<br />
*Chemicals<br />
*Equipment<br />
*Textiles<br />
====Materials====<br />
*Containers and Packaging<br />
*Construction Materials<br />
**Cement and Aggregates<br />
***RE-CARD, Cement and Aggregates Regional Distribution<!--former link--><br />
**Refractory<br />
**Lumber<br />
*Metals<br />
*Plastics<br />
*Paper<br />
====Construction====<br />
*Factories<br />
*Warehouses<br />
*Powerplants<br />
*Mechanical and structural components<br />
==== Energy ====<br />
*RE-POWER, Rail Enabled Power Distribution<!--former link--><br />
====Transportation====<br />
*Rail<br />
**[[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative|VitalRail, Driving a Sustainable Economy]]<br />
*Truck<br />
*Air<br />
*Ports<br />
*Ocean<br />
*River Barge<br />
*Pipelines<br />
<br />
==== Waste ====<br />
*Industrial<br />
*Commercial<br />
* Municipal<br />
** Glass<br />
***RE-GLASS, Rail Enabled Glass Logistics and Sustainable Supply<!--former link--><br />
* Construction and demolition waste<br />
*Agricultural <br />
* Wood waste<br />
==== Natural Resources ====<br />
When deciding how best to streamline an existing industrial system, stakeholders must evaluate all elements within and affected by that system.<br />
* Water<br />
* Air<br />
* Land<br />
** FTLUS, Freight Transportation Land Use Strategy<!--former link--><br />
** RE-BAR, Rail Enabled Brownfield Asset Redevelopment<!--former link--><br />
=='''Design''' <small>What design criteria do we want to set for CAPSI?</small><!--former link-->==<br />
Staff Organizers, Facilitators and Participating Stakeholders use [[IntelliConferences and IntelliSynthesis]] to uncover breakthrough information on goals and make decisions about next steps. If you would like to help us improve our methods and processes or learn more, and are not yet a registered visitor or registered stakeholder, please visit the the [[Participation Options]]. <br />
<br />
If you are already registered you can use the Discussion Tab on this page to make your comments on the following questions. Staff will follow-up with you ASAP.<br />
<br />
* What do stakeholders want to add to the CAPSI Ethics and Principles?<br />
* How do you think stakeholders should address CAPSI and Industry Action Plan goals?<br />
* What Planning Protocols do stakeholders agree on?<br />
* What Outcomes do stakeholders envision?<br />
* What outcomes do we want for the environment?<br />
* What outcomes do we want for citizens?<br />
* What outcomes do we want for business?<br />
* What outcomes do we want for investors?<br />
* What resources does society need and want to optimize?<br />
* What goods does society need and want to have available?<br />
* What Measures of progress do stakeholders want to apply?<br />
<br />
=='''Public-Private Planning''' <!--former link-->==<br />
Providing your input to these questions will be very valuable to all participants. You can answer questions anonymously by sending staff an email. See the [[Participation Options]] page. <br />
* How do we want planning to support sustainable industrial systems?<br />
* What benefits do stakeholders want [[Collaborative Industrial Optimization]] to deliver?<br />
* How do we want public-sector economic development to contribute to sustainable industrial systems?<br />
* How do we want private-sector commercial activity to align with sustainable industrial systems?<br />
* How do we want land use decisions to contribute to sustainable industrial systems?<br />
* How do we want transportation planning to evolve to support sustainable industrial systems?<br />
* How can academic and commercial research support sustainable industrial systems?<br />
* What factors do we want to include in assessing the full impact of industrial systems?<br />
* How must interactions among public and private sector entities evolve to support systemwide sustainability?<br />
<br />
=='''Capital Deployment''' ==<br />
As we address these broader questions we drill down into more detailed questions.<br />
* How do we want capital deployment to support sustainable industrial systems?<br />
* How do we want investors’ decisions on capital deployment to evolve?<br />
* How do we want business stakeholders’ approach to capital deployment to evolve?<br />
* How do we want lenders’ approach to capital deployment to evolve?<br />
* How do we want public agencies’ approach to capital deployment to evolve?<br />
* What advantages will Sustainable Systems Capitalization deliver?<br />
<br />
== '''Geographic Planning Regions'''==<br />
The geography of CAPSI plans is local, corridor, state/province, regional/multi-state, national, and continental. Initiatives are cataloged here as they are conceived and advanced by stakeholder groups. You can go to the [[GIS Planning Tools]] page for related information.<br />
<br />
==== Local ====<br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential''</h6></span><br />
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;"><br />
<li>OnTrackPhiladelphia</li><br />
<li>OnTrackNevada</li><br />
<li>OnTrackPennsylvania</li><br />
</ul><br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span><br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span><br />
<br />
==== Corridor ====<br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential''</h6></span><br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development'' </h6></span><br />
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;"><br />
<li>Dallas to Texarkana I30 Corridor Strategy</li><br />
<li>San Francisco Bay ports to Salt Lake City I80 Corridor Strategy</li><br />
<li>San Pedro Bay ports to Salt Lake City I15 Corridor</li><br />
</ul><br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span><br />
<br />
==== State/Province ====<br />
{{CollapseState}}<br />
<br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span><br />
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;"><br />
<li>OnTrackNevada</li><br />
<li>OnTrackPennsylvania</li><br />
</ul><br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span><br />
<br />
====Regional/Multi-state====<br />
<br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential'' </h6></span><br />
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;"><br />
<li>Southeast Supply Chain Coalition</li><br />
</ul><br />
<br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span><br />
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;"><br />
<li>Southwest Supply Chain Coalition</li><br />
</ul><br />
<br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span><br />
<br />
==== National ====<br />
<br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential''</h6></span><br />
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;"><br />
<li>OnTrackMexico</li><br />
<li>OnTrackCanada</li><br />
<li>OnTrackUS</li><br />
</ul><br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span><br />
<br />
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span><br />
<br />
==== Continental ====<br />
<br />
* OnTrackNorthAmerica<br />
<br />
=='''Timeline''' ==<br />
April 8, 2025 - CAPSI and VitalRail public introduction<br />
<br />
May to July 2025 - VitalRail Launch<br />
<br />
April 2026 - New Industry Action Plans launched<br />
<br />
April 2027 - Continued launch of Industry Action Plans and introduction of new CAPSI collaboration tools and methods.<br />
<br />
== '''CAPSI FAQs''' ==<br />
<br />
====== Introduction ======<br />
If you have new questions and you are a registered Stakeholder or registered Participating Stakeholder, see [[Participation Options]], please enter these on the Discussion Tab page at the top of this page.<br />
<br />
====== Questions ======<br />
* '''What is the distinction between CAPSI and OnTrackNorthAmerica?''' OTNA is the non-profit entity that operates CAPSI. OTNA staff produce [[Industry Action Plan|Industry Action Plans]] such as VitalRail and companion IntelliConference Series. CAPSI is the strategic thinking community that designs the work. The site that contains progress on the work is called CAPSI.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Home_Page&diff=5687Home Page2025-05-07T00:02:10Z<p>Emelldee: /* What do we mean by industrial systems? */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:Welcome to OnTrackNorthAmerica's Industry Action Plans}}<br />
<center><span style="color:orange;"><h3>Where stakeholders in Canada, the United States, and Mexico redesign our industrial systems for sustainable life.</h3></span></center><br />
<br />
We invite you to collaborate on transformative industrial solutions that expand economic vitality while preserving our environment. Our first Industry Action Plan is VitalRail, which focuses on optimizing railroads as the backbone of an integrated, balanced multimodal transportation network that serves all industries. Together, we will redesign our fragmented industrial systems from natural resources, agriculture, and raw materials through production, distribution, consumption, and recycling. <br />
<br />
== What do we mean by industrial systems? ==<br />
Industrial systems comprise the complete set of commercial, policy, and planning activities involved in delivering materials and products for modern civilization’s survival and fulfillment. This includes all inputs and impacts, including land use, transportation, recycling, and disposal. What occurs between properties is often as significant as what happens at a property.<h2>What do we mean by redesign?</h2><br />
Redesigning industrial systems means working together to find and utilize ways to increase efficiency and reduce negative impacts. It begins with stakeholders establishing collective goals and pragmatic measures while recognizing the reality of prior strategies and investments. Redesigning may require judicious reconstruction, repurposing, and/or relocating some facilities. For instance, to create the most effective strategic mineral supply chain, we would intentionally position lithium mines, battery plants, vehicle factories, and recycling facilities to optimize systemwide logistics. We call this design process "Collaborative Industrial Optimization." Redesigning also calls for a paradigm shift wherein organizations and individuals are incentivized to contribute to systemwide sustainability. <br />
<br />
<h2>Who are the stakeholders?</h2><br />
You are all stakeholders, along with everyone involved in or affected by our industrial systems. Developing action plans for sustainable industries requires complete stakeholder representation. OnTrackNorthAmerica has already cataloged more than 32,000 stakeholders across North America’s industrial, political, and geographic landscape. For each Action Plan process we initiate, we will invite additional stakeholders to work toward complete representation from all sectors, including academia, advocacy, business, community, funders, government, labor, and media. <br />
<br />
<h2>How do we work together as stakeholders?</h2><br />
We convene stakeholders in IntelliConference® forums that apply IntelliSynthesis®, our breakthrough question-and-response dialogue method, to foster efficient input from large groups of diverse stakeholders. We invite participants from all relevant sectors in a given system or region to ensure representation of all perspectives. Each participant agrees to read and respond to rounds of questions within seven days. The facilitation team creates and shares a digest of each round of responses, saving participants time. Outlier perspectives are considered for the value they may offer the group. The IntelliConference and IntelliSynthesis processes are explained in greater detail elsewhere on this website. <br />
<br />
<h2>What do we mean by sustainable life?</h2><br />
Sustainable life is the long-lasting, harmonious co-existence of humans and nature within an abundantly resourced, yet finite ecosystem. <h2>Why include Canada, the United States, and Mexico?</h2><br />
Though Canada, the United States, and Mexico already engage in extensive cross-border commerce, it can significantly benefit from the improved coordination facilitated by our Industry Action Plans. They are crafted for specific industrial systems and geographic regions, while maintaining vital connections to all related plans, rather than merely producing isolated solutions. Unlike conventional studies that typically sit on a shelf, our dynamic process generates immediate, tangible outcomes through ongoing stakeholder engagement. <br />
<br />
<h2 style="border-bottom:none;"><center><big><b>[[Continental Action Plan for Sustainable Industry|Industry Action Plans]]</b></big></h2></div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Home_Page&diff=5686Home Page2025-05-07T00:00:38Z<p>Emelldee: </p>
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<div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:Welcome to OnTrackNorthAmerica's Industry Action Plans}}<br />
<center><span style="color:orange;"><h3>Where stakeholders in Canada, the United States, and Mexico redesign our industrial systems for sustainable life.</h3></span></center><br />
<br />
We invite you to collaborate on transformative industrial solutions that expand economic vitality while preserving our environment. Our first Industry Action Plan is VitalRail, which focuses on optimizing railroads as the backbone of an integrated, balanced multimodal transportation network that serves all industries. Together, we will redesign our fragmented industrial systems from natural resources, agriculture, and raw materials through production, distribution, consumption, and recycling. <br />
<br />
== What do we mean by industrial systems? ==<br />
Industrial systems comprise the complete set of commercial, policy, and planning activities involved in delivering materials and products for modern civilization’s survival and fulfillment. This includes all inputs and impacts, including land use, transportation, recycling, and disposal. What occurs between properties is often as significant as what happens at a property.<h2>What do we mean by redesign?</h2><br />
Redesigning industrial systems means working together to find and utilize ways to increase efficiency and reduce negative impacts. It begins with stakeholders establishing collective goals and pragmatic measures while recognizing the reality of prior strategies and investments. Redesigning may require judicious reconstruction, repurposing, and/or relocating some facilities. For instance, to create the most effective strategic mineral supply chain, we would intentionally position lithium mines, battery plants, vehicle factories, and recycling facilities to optimize systemwide logistics. We call this design process "Collaborative Industrial Optimization." Redesigning also calls for a paradigm shift wherein organizations and individuals are incentivized to contribute to systemwide sustainability. <br />
<br />
<h2>Who are the stakeholders?</h2><br />
You are all stakeholders, along with everyone involved in or affected by our industrial systems. Developing action plans for sustainable industries requires complete stakeholder representation. OnTrackNorthAmerica has already cataloged more than 32,000 stakeholders across North America’s industrial, political, and geographic landscape. For each Action Plan process we initiate, we will invite additional stakeholders to work toward complete representation from all sectors, including academia, advocacy, business, community, funders, government, labor, and media. <br />
<br />
<h2>How do we work together as stakeholders?</h2><br />
We convene stakeholders in IntelliConference® forums that apply IntelliSynthesis®, our breakthrough question-and-response dialogue method, to foster efficient input from large groups of diverse stakeholders. We invite participants from all relevant sectors in a given system or region to ensure representation of all perspectives. Each participant agrees to read and respond to rounds of questions within seven days. The facilitation team creates and shares a digest of each round of responses, saving participants time. Outlier perspectives are considered for the value they may offer the group. The IntelliConference and IntelliSynthesis processes are explained in greater detail elsewhere on this website. <br />
<br />
<h2>What do we mean by sustainable life?</h2><br />
Sustainable life is the long-lasting, harmonious co-existence of humans and nature within an abundantly resourced, yet finite ecosystem. <h2>Why include Canada, the United States, and Mexico?</h2><br />
Though Canada, the United States, and Mexico already engage in extensive cross-border commerce, it can significantly benefit from the from improved coordination facilitated by our Industry Action Plans. They are crafted for specific industrial systems and geographic regions, while maintaining vital connections to all related plans, rather than producing isolated solutions. Unlike conventional studies that typically sit on a shelf, our dynamic process generates immediate, tangible outcomes through ongoing stakeholder engagement. <br />
<br />
<h2 style="border-bottom:none;"><center><big><b>[[Continental Action Plan for Sustainable Industry|Industry Action Plans]]</b></big></h2></div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=IntelliConferences&diff=5657IntelliConferences2025-05-05T14:49:38Z<p>Emelldee: Added comment "-"</p>
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<div>IntelliConference Series are the heart of our work. They are designed to support our Staff Facilitators and Participating Stakeholders in the process of capturing and cataloging all perspectives, conversation details, and thinking in a transparent, continuously evolving record that becomes action plans. <br />
<br />
[[File:IC Series Overview Public.png|thumb|564x564px|center]]We are initiate a four to six month IntelliConference Series for each of the following VitalRail goals/dialogues. This allows us to efficiently accumulate actionable knowledge and establish robust discussions for problem solving. Approximately 200 to 500 stakeholders will take part in each Series.<br />
<br />
* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative/Rail Growth Capitalization IntelliConference|Rail Growth Capitalization]]<br />
* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative/Rail Regulatory Excellence IntelliConference|Rail Regulatory Excellence]]<br />
* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative/Rail Business Culture Transformation IntelliConference|Rail Business Culture Transformation]]<br />
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* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative/Rail Management – Rail Labor IntelliConference|Rail Management – Rail Labor]]<br />
* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative/Containerized International Freight IntelliConference|Containerized International Freight]]<br />
* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative/Revitalizing the Rail Carload System IntelliConference|Revitalizing the Rail Carload System]]<br />
* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative/Rail Energy Efficiency IntelliConference|Rail Energy Efficiency]]<br />
* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative/Freight Transportation Land Use IntelliConference|Freight Transportation Land Use]]<br />
* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative/Rail Technology Adoption IntelliConference|Rail Technology Adoption]]<br />
* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative/Rail Trucking Coordination IntelliConference|Rail Trucking Coordination]]<br />
[[File:IC Series Kickoff Event Public.png|thumb|368x368px|center]]The Kickoff establishes understanding and relationships among stakeholders addressing a dialogue.<br />
<br />
[[File:IC Series Exploratory IC Public-new.png|thumb|575x575px|center]]The Exploratory IntelliConference uses IntelliSynthesis to guide inquiry by the VitalRail Facilitation Team to elicit and expand each participant's thinking.<br />
<br />
[[File:IC Series Summary IC Public-new.png|thumb|579x579px|center]]<br />
<br />
Here we discuss the progress of our collaboration and learn how to use the VitalRail Multilogue to bring it home to colleagues.<br />
[[File:IC Series Action IC Public.png|none|thumb|583x583px]]<br />
Collective action is one of the biggest hurdles in implementing collaborative, cross-sector plans. Our Action IntelliConferences bring it all home. The mission of CAPSI Industry Action Plans such as VitalRail is to bring sustainable economic and environmental breakthrough to industries as quickly and safely as possible, not just share good ideas.</div>Emelldeehttps://relaxed-feynman.74-208-238-145.plesk.page/index.php?title=Home_Page&diff=5640Home Page2025-05-03T19:21:14Z<p>Emelldee: Added comment ","</p>
<hr />
<div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:Welcome to OnTrackNorthAmerica's Industry Action Plans}}<br />
<center><span style="color:orange;"><h3>Where stakeholders in Canada, the United States, and Mexico redesign our industrial systems for sustainable life.</h3></span></center><br />
<br />
We invite you to collaborate on transformative industrial solutions that expand economic vitality while preserving our environment. Our first Industry Action Plan is VitalRail, which focuses on optimizing railroads as the backbone of an integrated, balanced multimodal transportation network that serves all industries. Together, we will redesign our fragmented industrial systems from natural resources, agriculture, and raw materials through production, distribution, consumption, and recycling. <br />
<br />
== What do we mean by industrial systems? ==<br />
Industrial systems comprise the complete set of commercial, policy, and planning activities involved in delivering materials and products for modern civilization’s survival and fulfillment. This includes all inputs and impacts, including land use, transportation, recycling, and disposal. What occurs between properties is often as significant as what happens at a property.<h2>What do we mean by redesign?</h2><br />
Redesigning industrial systems means working together to find and employ ways to increase efficiency and reduce negative impacts. It begins with stakeholders establishing collective goals and pragmatic measures while recognizing the reality of prior strategies and investments. Redesigning may require judicious reconstruction, repurposing, and/or relocating some facilities. For instance, to create the most effective strategic mineral supply chain, we would intentionally locate lithium mines, battery plants, vehicle factories, and recycling facilities to optimize systemwide logistics. We call this design process "Collaborative Industrial Optimization." Redesigning also calls for a paradigm shift wherein organizations and individuals are incentivized to contribute to systemwide sustainability. <br />
<br />
<h2>Who are the stakeholders?</h2><br />
You are all stakeholders, along with everyone involved in or affected by our industrial systems. Developing action plans for sustainable industries requires complete stakeholder representation. OnTrackNorthAmerica has already cataloged more than 32,000 stakeholders across North America’s industrial, political, and geographic landscape. For each Action Plan process we initiate, we will invite additional stakeholders to work toward complete representation from all sectors, including academia, advocacy, business, community, funders, government, labor, and media. <br />
<br />
<h2>How do we work together as stakeholders?</h2><br />
We convene stakeholders in IntelliConference® forums that apply IntelliSynthesis®, our breakthrough question-and-response dialogue method, for efficient input from large groups of diverse stakeholders. We invite participants from all relevant sectors in a given system or region to ensure representation of all perspectives. Each participant agrees to read and respond to rounds of questions within seven days. The facilitation team creates and shares a digest of each round of responses, saving participants time. Outlier perspectives are considered for the value they may offer the group. The IntelliConference and IntelliSynthesis processes are explained in greater detail elsewhere on this website. <br />
<br />
<h2>What do we mean by sustainable life?</h2><br />
Sustainable life is the long-lasting, harmonious co-existence of humans and nature within an abundantly resourced, yet finite ecosystem. <h2>Why include Canada, the United States, and Mexico?</h2><br />
Canada, the United States, and Mexico already engage in extensive cross-border commerce and can significantly benefit from improved coordination. Industry Action Plans are crafted for specific industrial systems and geographic regions while maintaining vital connections to all related plans, rather than producing isolated solutions. Unlike conventional studies that typically sit on a shelf, our dynamic process generates immediate, tangible outcomes through ongoing stakeholder engagement. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2 style="border-bottom:none;"><center><big><b>[[Continental Action Plan for Sustainable Industry|Industry Action Plans]]</b></big></h2></div>Emelldee