Description:

Northwestern University Transportation Center Hagestad Sandhouse Rail Group invites you to attend: 

Burlington Northern Railroad's 1994 Texas Intermodal Business Withdrawal - The Bad, the Ugly and the Good

MARK CANE

Author / Former VP, Burlington Northern Railroad

Where: via Zoom Meeting

Summary:

BN Railroad’s prolonged debt-load induced locomotive shortage contributed to its Intermodal Business Unit’s withdrawal from the Texas market in 1994.  The presentation will review what occurred before and after the decision.  It will also emphasize timeless lessons retaught by this experience related to railroad industry growth, balance sheet leverage, operating leverage, financial vs. managerial accounting, operating ratios and return on assets that are as relevant today as ever.

Bio:

Mark Cane worked the bulk of his two-decade railroad career as an employee of Burlington Northern Railroad where his experiences included Vice President Service Design, VP Equipment Management and leader of BN’s Intermodal Business Unit, of which he was a founding member.  He served on the board of directors of TTX Corporation while he led BN’s Equipment and Intermodal divisions.   He was actively involved in the merger of Burlington Northern and the Santa Fe Railway, after which he served as President of Amtrak-Intercity where he led its last major route and service restructuring.  He then served as President of Menasha Material Handling Corporation.  He taught Global Logistics Strategy at Marquette University and authored Against All Odds – The History of Burlington Northern Railroad’s Innovative Intermodal Business and Wow!  Did We Ever Make a Difference – How Burlington Northern Railroad and Its Ex-Cons Revolutionized the North American Grain Supply Chain.  He has contributed articles to Trains Magazine as well the publications of the Burlington Northern and Union Pacific Historical Societies.