By Dennis Wilmot
Turning Points in History
When I ask what dates come to mind that were turning points in history, dates that changed the world, what comes to mind? Pearl Harbor Day? July 4, 1776? The Battle of Hastings in 1066, the last successful invasion of England? July 20, 1969, when humans first stepped onto another place in our solar system? December 26, 1991, when the Soviet Union was formally dissolved?
No date we remember and celebrate can compare with the celebration of December 25th every year, Christmas, when truly the most miraculous and wonderful event ever took place in human history—God the Creator of all things “humbled” Himself to take on human flesh. This, He, has changed tens of millions of lives since.
Second to this in my lifetime is probably “9/11,” a date that changed the modern world. In the late 1990s, I remember my entire family taking me to Cleveland Hopkins airport to see me off on a business trip to New York City. Not only was there no security and everyone followed me to the gate, but at my insistence, they also were able to come down the gangway into the jet and see me in my seat! 9/11 changed everything, including the world economy, and I was left without a job and no one hiring due to the economic collapse that followed.
A New Business Takes Shape
I followed up with my contacts, but no one was hiring—everyone was cutting staff, and it was looking grim. A couple of contacts suggested they could use consulting help, and an idea that had germinated years before began to take shape.
Enter Jack Kessick, president of ProTrade Steel and someone I had worked with at Luria Brothers. Jack agreed to bring me on to consult, initially to manage their fleet of private cars and to help improve their freight rates. They saw and realized the value, and soon others saw the value of outsourcing key functions for rail and barge logistics, and the client base began to grow.
Building Iron Horse Logistics
I started in January 2001 in my basement with an old Gateway computer, a phone, and a 6-
foot plastic fold-out table. The economy improved, more business was added, and after over 3 ½ years, we needed more staff, so we moved into an office above PNC Bank.
We were managing rates & pricing (rail and barge), managing private fleets for performance, allocations, and “turn times,” managing system car shipments, managing and auditing railcar repairs, preparing the annual state railcar tax filings, leasing railcars to shippers, selling railcars to those who preferred to own equipment, and in general providing the solution to many shippers to help their rail and barge shipping.
The Challenges of Rail Logistics
Shipping by rail presents unique challenges. The railroads are amazing and provide a critical and essential economic backbone, but at times navigating the system can sometimes be complex and frustrating. From the start, our mission has been clear—to simplify rail and barge logistics for our clients. That commitment remains at the heart of everything we do
Surviving Economic Turmoil & Technology Shifts
From 2002-2010, business was growing and very good. Then the financial crisis hit, and everyone was rocked. We survived and even grew as we came out of this. The most important things in life—God and family—were all good, and business continued to grow. Three of our children were married, and we had grandchildren! In 2014, I celebrated 40 years in the rail industry, and in 2017, I celebrated 40 years of marriage.
During this time, technology brought a paradigm shift. iPhones, Class I’s pushing more control to shippers through their websites (i.e., pushing the work to the shipper with some benefit of more visibility), the “World Wide Web” (the “www” now the internet, folks), and so much more.
Looking to the Future
But once again, there was something looming on the horizon that would change how everyone conducted business and would shift to a new chapter in Iron Horse Logistics Group and for Dennis Wilmot. And that new chapter will be my final article in this review of my 50 years in railroading.