New Mass Rail Car Builder! (or not) - Vertex Rail Mfg

[daylight4449]

Ray, I'd say retry that line about R&D... It sounds a bit presumptuous. Maybe something along the lines of "Why choose Worcester for secondary production facilities, and can you share anything on the location of this facility?" As far as the supply chains, it might be just a bit cleaner to ask it like "What sort of supply lines are being established to supply production?" Just my two cents...

[Sir Ray]

Ray, I'd say retry that line about R&D... It sounds a bit presumptuous. Maybe something along the lines of "Why choose Worcester for secondary production facilities, and can you share anything on the location of this facility?" As far as the supply chains, it might be just a bit cleaner to ask it like "What sort of supply lines are being established to supply production?" Just my two cents...

Fair enough, I agree. I will update the e-mail to incorporate your suggestions.
Probably send it this evening.

[daylight4449]

The T&G appears to have picked up the story...
http://www.telegram.com/article/2014022 ... 2/BUSINESS" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Boxcar Services LLC, a freight car lessor based in West Brookfield, has merged with Vertex Rail Technologies LLC to form Vertex Rail Manufacturing. Beginning in second-quarter, Vertex Rail will manufacture tank cars, boxcars and covered hoppers at facilities located in Worcester and Wilmington, N.C.

[bostontrainguy]

You might also ask him about his plans and any progress on the North Brookfield rebirth.

[Sir Ray]

The beast being that e-mail, which I have just sent to Mr. Bigda at his Vertex Rail e-mail address. I took the suggestions made, and made it a bit less nosy.
Let's see what happens, but don't hold your breath.

You might also ask him about his plans and any progress on the North Brookfield rebirth.

'Fraid I left this question out, as I did not want to muddy the e-mail with a different topic. That could go as a separate e-mail, but lets see if I get any response first...

[Sir Ray]

Update
Mr Bigda did respond to the e-mail, kind of the way I predicted above (except I predicted in a joking manner):

"Mr. -- My Real name --

Thanks for your interest in Vertex Rail Technologies. You must have seen the recent press release in Railway Age magazine. Before I can answer your questions, I need a couple answered from you as I have had many inquiries regarding the press release and I want to weed out the emails and calls that will or are just going to waste my time. I hope you appreciate the above because I have nda's with the company I have to abide by.
who are you with?
Supplier?
End user?
Where are you from? (State)
I'll send along an nda as that is company policy and once signed, I'll go back, review your questions and answer them.
Thanks,
Dan"

Well, obviously I am not going to sign a legally binding non-disclosure agreement for this, so I am planning to be honest and respond that basically I am asking on behalf of a bunch of rail fans on a railfan board - OK, not exactly worded that way, but because I am neither a supplier, nor an end-user, nor even a legitimate Railroad press reporter, and I am not going to lead Vertex on. Heck, I'm even tempted to mention this thread. At any rate, my response will give him an out, and maybe he'll even mention some details about non-critical items, who knows?
Oh well, it was worth a shot...

[CN9634]

Update
Mr Bigda did respond to the e-mail, kind of the way I predicted above (except I predicted in a joking manner):

"Mr. -- My Real name --

Thanks for your interest in Vertex Rail Technologies. You must have seen the recent press release in Railway Age magazine. Before I can answer your questions, I need a couple answered from you as I have had many inquiries regarding the press release and I want to weed out the emails and calls that will or are just going to waste my time. I hope you appreciate the above because I have nda's with the company I have to abide by.
who are you with?
Supplier?
End user?
Where are you from? (State)
I'll send along an nda as that is company policy and once signed, I'll go back, review your questions and answer them.
Thanks,
Dan"

Well, obviously I am not going to sign a legally binding non-disclosure agreement for this, so I am planning to be honest and respond that basically I am asking on behalf of a bunch of rail fans on a railfan board - OK, not exactly worded that way, but because I am neither a supplier, nor an end-user, nor even a legitimate Railroad press reporter, and I am not going to lead Vertex on. Heck, I'm even tempted to mention this thread. At any rate, my response will give him an out, and maybe he'll even mention some details about non-critical items, who knows?
Oh well, it was worth a shot...

Wonder who gave him the idea for the NDA

He really only needs an NDA if he fears that this info would somehow help his competitors... something I doubt. Even still, I would be interested in seeing the NDA, it is most likely a very generic form.

[Sir Ray]

Wonder who gave him the idea for the NDA

He really only needs an NDA if he fears that this info would somehow help his competitors... something I doubt. Even still, I would be interested in seeing the NDA, it is most likely a very generic form.

Well, I'll never see that NDA, as I explained the situation and requested that he not send the NDA (because it kind of defeats the whole purpose in resolving these rumors, and I am NOT going to be liable for corporate leaks).
I did ask if he could send any non-proprietary info not already in the Rail Press about the Vertex venture, but I'm not getting my hopes up on that.

Oh well, it was worth a shot.

[daylight4449]

Wonder who gave him the idea for the NDA

He really only needs an NDA if he fears that this info would somehow help his competitors... something I doubt. Even still, I would be interested in seeing the NDA, it is most likely a very generic form.

Well, I'll never see that NDA, as I explained the situation and requested that he not send the NDA (because it kind of defeats the whole purpose in resolving these rumors, and I am NOT going to be liable for corporate leaks).
I did ask if he could send any non-proprietary info not already in the Rail Press about the Vertex venture, but I'm not getting my hopes up on that.

Oh well, it was worth a shot.

But here's the thing Ray, you got a response. Might we all have to wait and see how everything works out? Absolutely! But the fact that Bigda took the time to at least communicate with you shows (in my belief) that he is open to communication. Granted there are certain protocols that he (obviously) has to adhere to, but all the same my point is proven.

[CannaScrews]

Well.

Now that we've gone through all reasonable channels. I guess it is time to close out this thread, or at least make it dormant until such time as there is real information available.

Speculation is just that. And should consume about as much time and energy for most people as reading this sentence.

1. Press release issued.

2. Tempest in a teapot starts with people totally unconnected with business realities (or scams for that matter).

3. Energy wasted.

4. Nothing accomplished.

5. Reference the moving of the New England Patriots to Hartford about 10 years ago - some people get played like a fiddle in business. Do you want to be apart of that?

Overall, this was a very entertaining thread.

It would be great if some railroad related industry parks itself in the region, but all of the effort, successful or unsuccessful, will be made where none of the posters here (myself included in spades) will even be aware of what happened or be cognizant of the process involved.

Over & out.

[Cosmo]

But here's the thing Ray, you got a response. Might we all have to wait and see how everything works out? Absolutely! But the fact that Bigda took the time to at least communicate with you shows (in my belief) that he is open to communication. Granted there are certain protocols that he (obviously) has to adhere to, but all the same my point is proven.

WIN!!

[Cosmo]

Well.

Now that we've gone through all reasonable channels. I guess it is time to close out this thread, or at least make it dormant until such time as there is real information available.

Speculation is just that. And should consume about as much time and energy for most people as reading this sentence.

1. Press release issued.

2. Tempest in a teapot starts with people totally unconnected with business realities (or scams for that matter).

3. Energy wasted.

4. Nothing accomplished.

5. Reference the moving of the New England Patriots to Hartford about 10 years ago - some people get played like a fiddle in business. Do you want to be apart of that?

Overall, this was a very entertaining thread.

It would be great if some railroad related industry parks itself in the region, but all of the effort, successful or unsuccessful, will be made where none of the posters here (myself included in spades) will even be aware of what happened or be cognizant of the process involved.

Over & out.

I beg to respectfully dissagree.
There's plenty of room for constructive discussion here even without speculating on outlandish specifics.
I keep hearing on NPR (of all places) about how "our Nation's tank car fleet" is {"unsafe" and needs upgrading or replacement and a recent TRAINS blurb ( 5 Myths About Crude Oil By Rail) stated rather blatantly that the market for new and/or retrofitted tank cars is pretty much wide-open for at least 10 years due to demand.
I would like to see some of that demand met here in New England. My question is: "Why not CT?" As Gov Malloy is pushing for a return to manufacturing in this state, I would think that something here is at least possible, if not likely or immanent.

[CannaScrews]

Cosmo:

I agree entirely with your views. I was referring specifically to the contact/email/what-to-say/who-are-you-guys speculations, pie-in-the-sky and general hand-wringing.

Having a discussion on opening a manufacturing facility would be interesting. There are a lot of issues to bring to bear - the site selection is perhaps the least important (in the timing perspective), other that you would want or prefer to have it at/near an active railroad. You can truck in the manufactured cars & assemble them on a siding somewhere, but that's kinda kludgy.

As you are aware, most of the work will have been done by analyzing the market to determine the need. Obviously, with the Union Pacific going to upgrade it's fleet (or is it BNSF), that part is well known. The other parts are what type of a facility you need to produce so many cars a year. Who are the suppliers of the materials, what is the demand for the product, financing, personnel, yabba-yabba-dabba-do.

I would think that most people on this board would find it fairly boring. Much more fun to make blanket statements based on conjecture, innuendo and falsehoods than to do analytical work.

But, there is no reason Connecticut can't be in the running for a manufacturing plant of that type. There is a nice wide area in downtown Waterbury at a former brass mill which I'm sure the city would be happy to have such a plant there - and it is right next to a railroad - gee. I'm just using an example I'm familiar with and NOT proposing anything since I have no idea of what I'm talking about.

It's a matter of the Governator or CBIA or DECD saying - Hey, check this out if you are interested! The railroads always want new business and people want jobs.

[daylight4449]

You know, here's a thought. Has anyone tried to look at Google maps to see how many large industrial buildings are currently in Worcester? Just a thought...

[bostontrainguy]

You know, here's a thought. Has anyone tried to look at Google maps to see how many large industrial buildings are currently in Worcester? Just a thought...

You need to add "with rail access" to that!