Update on railroad flooding

[jon f mn]

That didn't are long. Lol. Sunday I called the number on the rr website and left a message. Monday I called during business hours and found the track maintenance dept and left a message, I also sent them an email. The email was returned right away and said that person was out of the office and gave another email. So I sent that one too. Within an hour I got a call from the guy responsible for that section of track and he said he would look into it. This morning he called back and apologized profusely for causing me problems and said they would be out with equipment to replace the culvert. A couple minutes after he hung up got another call from the claims department who also apologized repeatedly for causing damage and sent me a claim form. She said they are actually going to send pumps to pump the water to stop any further damage. So looks like I'll be taken care of. Everyone was very pleasant and helpful so far. I will let you know how it works out.

One thing I will need to do is estimate the cost to replant about 5 acres of alfalfa hay, any ideas what that cost might be?

 

[ss55]

That didn't are long. Lol. Sunday I called the number on the rr website and left a message. Monday I called during business hours and found the track maintenance dept and left a message, I also sent them an email. The email was returned right away and said that person was out of the office and gave another email. So I sent that one too. Within an hour I got a call from the guy responsible for that section of track and he said he would look into it. This morning he called back and apologized profusely for causing me problems and said they would be out with equipment to replace the culvert. A couple minutes after he hung up got another call from the claims department who also apologized repeatedly for causing damage and sent me a claim form. She said they are actually going to send pumps to pump the water to stop any further damage. So looks like I'll be taken care of. Everyone was very pleasant and helpful so far. I will let you know how it works out.

One thing I will need to do is estimate the cost to replant about 5 acres of alfalfa hay, any ideas what that cost might be?

Check your local states extension services for estimates of crop costs: Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin. Include the cost of lost nitrogen leached out of the root zone.

Crop budgets

Annual crop budgets are compiled by using data from the FINBIN website. The data is collected from farmers and agricultural producers enrolled in the Minnesota Farm Business Management Education through Minnesota State and Southwestern Minnesota Farm Business Management Association. These farms...

extension.umn.edu

 

[Janicholson]

Some times corporations actually hire competent people and they do competent work. I am glad it was resolved. Jim

 

[DoubleO7]

I am surprised that hey are going to replace the entire culvert?
Maybe it is somewhat collapsed as well?

Or if they were to pull the rail they drove thru it is deep inside and would eventually undermine the RR bed?

 

[620 John]

Wow that's really rare to get a response like that from a company like BN.

On a daily basis I find that it seems like you gotta do everyone else's job for them if you want to get anything done. There's little to zero accountability at a lot of businesses.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I'd suggest holding the applause until they actually show up, actually do what they say they will, and actually resolve the problem. Right now all he's got are promises from someone who may or may not have the authority to make good on those promises.

Folks in the "rank and file" know what's right and what needs to be done but they are often shut down by management in the name of pinching pennies. Speaking from experience.

 

[Steve in VA]

That didn't are long. Lol. Sunday I called the number on the rr website and left a message. Monday I called during business hours and found the track maintenance dept and left a message, I also sent them an email. The email was returned right away and said that person was out of the office and gave another email. So I sent that one too. Within an hour I got a call from the guy responsible for that section of track and he said he would look into it. This morning he called back and apologized profusely for causing me problems and said they would be out with equipment to replace the culvert. A couple minutes after he hung up got another call from the claims department who also apologized repeatedly for causing damage and sent me a claim form. She said they are actually going to send pumps to pump the water to stop any further damage. So looks like I'll be taken care of. Everyone was very pleasant and helpful so far. I will let you know how it works out.

One thing I will need to do is estimate the cost to replant about 5 acres of alfalfa hay, any ideas what that cost might be?

That's great progress. I'm glad you took the high road and gave the RR the chance to do the right thing.

 

[plattman]

That didn't are long. Lol. Sunday I called the number on the rr website and left a message. Monday I called during business hours and found the track maintenance dept and left a message, I also sent them an email. The email was returned right away and said that person was out of the office and gave another email. So I sent that one too. Within an hour I got a call from the guy responsible for that section of track and he said he would look into it. This morning he called back and apologized profusely for causing me problems and said they would be out with equipment to replace the culvert. A couple minutes after he hung up got another call from the claims department who also apologized repeatedly for causing damage and sent me a claim form. She said they are actually going to send pumps to pump the water to stop any further damage. So looks like I'll be taken care of. Everyone was very pleasant and helpful so far. I will let you know how it works out.

One thing I will need to do is estimate the cost to replant about 5 acres of alfalfa hay, any ideas what that cost might be?

Excellent

 

[Pete-IN]

I agree with the Barnyard Engineering guy in his post above. Hope it works out but I have little use for the management types. They will tell you anything to get you leave them alone. Not only railroad folks but any big operation.

 

[SweetFeet]

That didn't are long. Lol. Sunday I called the number on the rr website and left a message. Monday I called during business hours and found the track maintenance dept and left a message, I also sent them an email. The email was returned right away and said that person was out of the office and gave another email. So I sent that one too. Within an hour I got a call from the guy responsible for that section of track and he said he would look into it. This morning he called back and apologized profusely for causing me problems and said they would be out with equipment to replace the culvert. A couple minutes after he hung up got another call from the claims department who also apologized repeatedly for causing damage and sent me a claim form. She said they are actually going to send pumps to pump the water to stop any further damage. So looks like I'll be taken care of. Everyone was very pleasant and helpful so far. I will let you know how it works out.

One thing I will need to do is estimate the cost to replant about 5 acres of alfalfa hay, any ideas what that cost might be?

Jonf,
So glad so hear that the water problem is being taken care of expediently!

Remember to add the expense for your labor/time, into the esitmate... as it is a job you would not have needed to do, if not for it getting flooded.
ALSO: Will having to replant the hay, significantly dimish your yield this year? If yes, then I feel that should also be taken into account.

 

[caterpillar guy]

You will not be able to replant that section of hay for about 6 months to a year. Alfalfa put out a toxin to new seedlings and they just will not grow till the old stand is dead for a time. If you look at some of the pictures posted on some farm college sites you will see what I mean and how long they let them set before replanting a new stand in that filed. I usually plant corn after alfalfa then beans and baxkt to hay or maybe wheat depending on the weather and season.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

They need to be billed for the clover regardless what gets planted there next. Soybeans would be what we would do to recover and try again next year.

A culvert like that won’t take them very long they all know that they don’t want to loose anymore goodwill. I remember railroads in the 90s being absolutely horrible to deal with dad had some stories about trying to get the one that served the coop to ship stuff. I think a lot of it had to do with them all going broke about then. I’ve found at least in the last 15 years that to be the complete opposite I’m not sure what’s changed if more of the incompetents are staying at home since they are paid anyway or what but railroad wise my experience has been wonderful. We will have to wait and see how it goes.

 

[RJKeith]

I'd suggest holding the applause until they actually show up, actually do what they say they will, and actually resolve the problem. Right now all he's got are promises from someone who may or may not have the authority to make good on those promises.

Folks in the "rank and file" know what's right and what needs to be done but they are often shut down by management in the name of pinching pennies. Speaking from experience.

Seems like he has an admission of responsibility. That is important, though it would have been better if they had admitted it in an email in addition to the phone call.

 

[TheHillsAreAlive]

Some times corporations actually hire competent people and they do competent work. I am glad it was resolved. Jim

They're likely better managed now that they're a Berkshire company. I dealt with them before and they could care less. I ended up going through my governors office to force them to do the right thing.

 

[MarkB_MI]

I'm glad to hear BNSF is treating you right.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Seems like he has an admission of responsibility. That is important, though it would have been better if they had admitted it in an email in addition to the phone call.

It's a start, but I'm not ready to declare victory until the water is gone.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

Exactly what Caterpillar Guy said : you can't replant alfalfa in the same field for at least one year, better two years. So you have lost 2 crop years due to the toxin the plants make against itself. Mark.

 

[bobfeather]

That didn't are long. Lol. Sunday I called the number on the rr website and left a message. Monday I called during business hours and found the track maintenance dept and left a message, I also sent them an email. The email was returned right away and said that person was out of the office and gave another email. So I sent that one too. Within an hour I got a call from the guy responsible for that section of track and he said he would look into it. This morning he called back and apologized profusely for causing me problems and said they would be out with equipment to replace the culvert. A couple minutes after he hung up got another call from the claims department who also apologized repeatedly for causing damage and sent me a claim form. She said they are actually going to send pumps to pump the water to stop any further damage. So looks like I'll be taken care of. Everyone was very pleasant and helpful so far. I will let you know how it works out.

One thing I will need to do is estimate the cost to replant about 5 acres of alfalfa hay, any ideas what that cost might be?

so glad to hear there are people / departments that actually take responsibility good luck !