Wow! Did We Ever Make a Difference! Volume I: How Burlington Northern Railroad and its "Ex-Cons" Revolutionized the North American Grain Supply Chain Paperback – June 26, 2025

Wow! Did We Ever Make a Difference! is a comprehensive two-volume history of Burlington Northern (BN) Railroad's innovative Grain business.BN capitalized on freedoms it gained in 1980 from the partial deregulation of the rail industry and revolutionized the North American grain supply chain. Grain was a core business for all of BN's predecessors who faced longstanding conflicts with federal and state lawmakers, regulatory bodies, grain merchants, subsidized competitors, industry associations, and rival railroads—challenges that trace back to the expansion and settlement of the western United States. Understanding the scope of BN's achievements after 1980 is greatly enhanced by considering this historical context, which is explored in Volume I. It is an unparalleled historical compilation of information about the development of the grain business on western railroads, and associated issues, including the following subjects:The History of Land GrantsThe Development and Early History of Burlington Northern Railroad PredecessorsColonization Efforts of BN PredecessorsThe Plight of the Initial Immigrant/Migrant Farmer-SettlersBN-Predecessor Efforts to Assist FarmersRoots of Cost-Based Rail Regulation and a Chronological Summary of Rail Regulations Impacting the Grain BusinessThe Evolution of BN Grain Competition United States Agricultural Policy Eras and OutcomesThe History and Role of Grain MerchantsThe History and Evolution of Grain ElevatorsThe Grain Boxcar World and Evolution to Jumbo Covered HoppersThe Evolution from Single-Car Shipments to Unit Grain TrainsBN-Era U.S. Crop Production and Grain Transportation Market Share ChangesGrain Experiences of BN Predecessors Across the DecadesBN Grain Business Highlights, 1970-1980Pre-Deregulation Seasonal Grain Pricing AttemptsMajor 1980 BN Pre-Staggers Act Grain IssuesVolume I also includes appendices with supporting information relevant to Volumes I and II. They include:A Summary of Legislation Aiding the Ag Business and Rail Competition between 1862 and the 1990sBurlington Northern Grain Revenue, Tonnage and Pricing-Yield Performance, 1970-19951977-1996 Off-Farm Grain Storage Facility Counts in Key BN Grain StatesAverage Off-Farm Grain Storage Facility Capacity in Key BN Grain States, 1977-1996BN's Jumbo Covered Hopper Fleet Size History, 1971-1995Comparative Capacities of Grain Transportation ModesPhil Weaver's Verified Statement related to the grain business that was submitted to the Interstate Commerce Commission as part of the 1994 BN-Santa Fe Merger ApplicationVolume II builds on Volume I's foundation and focuses on BN's Grain/Ag business history after partial deregulation of the rail industry in 1980's. It also accounts for the book's subtitle: How Burlington Northern Railroad and its "Ex-Cons" Revolutionized the North American Grain Supply Chain.Wow! Did We Ever Make a Difference! complements Against All Odds - the History of Burlington Northern Railroad's Innovative Intermodal Business. Both document remarkable BN Railroad turnaround stories whose repercussions continue to reverberate through the North American Grain and Intermodal supply chains after more than three decades. They also offer timeless lessons that can benefit current and future generations of Grain and Intermodal supply chain legislators, regulators, industry associations and service providers. Read more