The railcar leasing industry didn't appear out of nowhere - it was born the moment railroads stopped trying to do absolutely everything (they even owned hotels + golf courses!) + started focusing on the one thing they actually do best. In (Rail)Car Talk, Harris + Sydney are back with Erica Ray, SVP of Sales at AITX, for Part 2 of their conversation, this time focusing on the mechanics of railcar leasing + what it actually takes for a new shipper to get their hands on equipment.

Erica doesn't sugarcoat it: for a first-time shipper, breaking into the railcar market is not the easiest thing. She walks through the whys of that + what technological advancements could do to close the gap. The conversation also touches on what current market activity is signalling, from data center buildouts driving boxcar + aggregate hopper demand, to the rising appetite for cement.

Shortlines get their due, as the most underrated part of the industry, + Erica shares her reflection on what a career in rail does to your grit. Spoiler alert: it builds it considerably because nothing is as bad as a bad day on the railroad!

About Telegraph

Telegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn.

Erica Ray, SVP of Leasing at AITX, didn't plan on a career in rail, but rail, as it turns out, had a plan for her. In "From RACS to Rail Leasing," Harris + Sydney sit down with Erica to trace a career that spans revenue accounting at Norfolk Southern (ask her all about RACS!), a front-row seat to the PTC era, a little rail-inspired stand-up, + a move to equipment leasing at AITX, which she views as both rewarding + considerably less stressful.

Erica brings her candid, been-there perspective to discuss some of the most common railroading headaches, as well as where she sees it all going in the near-term. Thick skin required, optimism optional - but, luckily, she has plenty of both!

About Telegraph

Telegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn.

They own the equipment that keeps freight rail moving, but chances are, you don’t really give them a second thought. In “The Lessor of Two Evils”, Harris + Sydney really zoom out to talk about one of the rail industry's most essential + oft overlooked players: railcar lessors.

Lessors own + lease cars that shippers depend on to move their goods across the freight rail network. It’s a simple premise, but behind the scenes is a surprisingly complex operation.

Harris + Sydney also dig into where they foresee the lessor space heading, namely telematics + predictive maintenance. Scale is everything here + widespread implementation is still likely 5 to 10 years away. It’s a true duality: plenty of opportunities on the horizon, but plenty of challenges still to be faced.

About Telegraph

Telegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn.