I was recently reading a blog on the Progressive Railroading site that was both interesting and funny at the same time. It is titled "Rail-car supply more of a concern to shippers than the economy, informal poll shows."

The author has an interesting point to make which in and of itself makes some sense. Then you get into the comments that follow.

They really

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made the article even more interesting and amusing.

The majority of the gentlemen that have commented on the blog are all very well known to people that read the various railroad periodicals and articles. And they definitely have a lot of experience between them.

The arguement seems to go back and forth between them as to whether there really is a car shortage. One says there is a shortage of grain cars. Hello folks, this is grain harvest season. Cars are always in short supply at harvest. That is a fact of life!

What was the most amusing though is how polite these guys were with their come backs, insults, and corrections. That was probably the most amusing of all! The battle of the word!

Do we really have a shortage? Right now I don't think it is any more of an issue than we ever have. In fact there seem to be a lot of cars that are being stored on various branch lines and short lines.

Someone I was just talking to was complaining about how a track near their house that really never has any trains running on it, all of a sudden has flatcars stored on it. The nerve of that railroad using their own tracks to store their own cars. This person were complaining about the view, how it was bringing down the value. Um, folks. I hate to break it to you, but that is a valid use for those tracks. Just be glad you don't have a train going along there every day or night at an inconvenient time.

So do we have a problem? Maybe in a few segments but not to the extent that these guys are talking. Right now I think the banter back and forth is much more interesting to watch.

Personally, I really hope that the economy starts to turn around and things start moving again. Then we all can relax and really enjoy ourselves.