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Robert D Krebs
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Riding the Rails: Inside the Business of America's Railroads (Railroads Past and Present) Kindle Edition

by Robert D. Krebs (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 68 ratings
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A former Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway CEO tells the behind-the-scenes story of the transformation and resurgence of America’s ailing railroads.

When Robert D. Krebs joined the ranks of Southern Pacific Railroad in 1966, the industry had been in decline for decades, and the future of trains was in peril. Despite these obstacles, Krebs fell in love with the rugged, competitive business of railroads and was determined to overcome its resistance to change and put rail transportation back on track.

By the age of forty, Krebs was president of the Southern Pacific Railroad and had also served as chief executive of both the Santa Fe Railway and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway companies. Riding the Rails: Inside the Business of America’s Railroads details Krebs’s rise to a position of influence in the recovery of America’s railroads—and offers a unique insider’s view into the boardrooms where executives and businessmen reimagined transportation in the United States.
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  1. Part of series
    Railroads Past and Present
  2. Print length
    143 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Indiana University Press
  5. Publication date
    January 22, 2018
  6. File size
    11.6 MB
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    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Krebs addressed that issue with the whole leadership team at BNSF, which led to a complete re-write of the railroad's mission, values, and evidence of success statement."―The Michigan Railfan

"Riding the Rails: Inside the Business ofAmerica's Railroads offers a unique insider's view into the boardrooms where executives and businessmen reimagined transportation in the United States."―Trains Magazine

About the Author

Robert D. Krebs spent his career as a railway executive. He is the former CEO and chairman of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07BQSCH4K
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Indiana University Press; Illustrated edition (January 22, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 22, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 11.6 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 143 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

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Robert D Krebs

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
68 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and informative, with one noting it provides great insights from a specific time period. The brevity of the book receives mixed reactions from customers.

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11 customers mention "Readability"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written and engaging, with one customer noting it is nicely ghost written by Fred Frailey.

"Good book with great insights from a time when railroads future was in doubt...." Read more

"...All-in-all a well-written book that is brief, yet comprehensive about both the writer and about the industry generally from its near-death in the '..." Read more

"This is a well-written personal narrative by a successful railroad CEO...." Read more

"...While the book was certainly an interesting quick read, it fell short primarily due to my feeling that it was more of a chronological recap of Krebs..." Read more

5 customers mention "Information quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative, with one customer noting its matter-of-fact style and another mentioning its nice little general history.

"Good book with great insights from a time when railroads future was in doubt...." Read more

"...Anyway, the book is matter-of-fact and down to earth. It is adequately written for a biography...." Read more

"Great read and a nice little general history about the 80's mergers." Read more

"Interesting Read!..." Read more

6 customers mention "Brevity"3 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's brevity.

"...All-in-all a well-written book that is brief, yet comprehensive about both the writer and about the industry generally from its near-death in the '..." Read more

"...route -- which it eventually did! A little short at 133 pages, but still worth the money and a good read." Read more

"...It is short but concise, and more powerful for its brevity which does not allow for lingering on topics...." Read more

"...I rated this book only four stars because of the book's brevity...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Sea Dog (retired)
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well Written Book by Former CEO of Santa Fe and BNSF, Who Survived the Demise of Southern Pacific
    Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Good book with great insights from a time when railroads future was in doubt. A little wordy on some of the backroom board of directors machinations, but excellent maps which provide clear evidence of why the AT&SF was a well run railroad, and the one most likely to ultimately succeed on the Chicago to Los Angeles. route -- which it eventually did! A little short at 133 pages, but still worth the money and a good read.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • N. Oliver
    4.0 out of 5 stars Industry and Personal Metamorphisis
    Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This book is a quick and easy read. As the retired CEO of my favorite business enterprise (AT&SF/BNSF), I am familiar with Mr. Krebs and his background and accomplishments.

    While descriibing his college years, how he got his start in the business, and some personal/family issues largely related to the nature of railroading career advancement (i.e., frequent relocations and the resulting disruptions to family life)., he doesn't get bogged down in these details.
    results. I have read articles that mentioned his relationship with Mike Haverty who was President & COO of the Santa Fe while Krebs was CEO. After the company simplified its route and business structure, it was much easier to see there was one chief (no pun inended) too many. Mr. Haverty went on to run the Kansas City Southern which has its own success story largely due to his efforts. The book goes on to indicate that at the end of their careers that they were able to bury the hatchet. Some familial rough spots seem to have healed as well.

    This is certainly much less self-serving than most CEO autobiographies (actually applies to any autobiography) that I've read and certainly those by/about some politicians who write autobiographies before accomplishing anything of note.

    All-in-all a well-written book that is brief, yet comprehensive about both the writer and about the industry generally from its near-death in the '60s and '70s to a much more robust and vibrant one from the 1980s to the present.
    One person found this helpful
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  • En.N
    5.0 out of 5 stars Short, concise, powerful
    Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This is a well-written personal narrative by a successful railroad CEO. It is short but concise, and more powerful for its brevity which does not allow for lingering on topics. Rob Krebs was a hard-driving executive who did expect a lot of his subordinates, and at times treated them abrasively when he didn't get what he expected. He even admits this at points in his story, but the main theme is every successful executive's striving for ever-greater success.
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  • Earl Jackson
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I had reasonably high expectations for this book due to the cost ($28 for only 144 pages) and being a BNSF alumnus. While the book was certainly an interesting quick read, it fell short primarily due to my feeling that it was more of a chronological recap of Krebs’s career than an inside look at the industry. While he certainly had a phenomenal career at an interesting time in the industry, I felt there was a missed opportunity to expand the context on the history/state of the industry when he joined, the major events that took place during his career (Staggers Act, Merger Frenzy, etc.), and the implications of those events on the companies that he led and the industry as a whole.

    There are not very many published contemporary railroad books written by current/former C-level senior leaders, so this book is a welcome addition. This book is a good read if you have nothing more than a passing interest in the business of American railroads.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Wallace Day
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great reading for anyone interrested in railroads.
    Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Great narrative by a person who rose up thru the ranks to become the head of a large railroad.
    One observation however: For a small volume, the cover price ( $ 45.00) ($ 37.00) on Amazon, seems like a lot of money.
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  • jeffrey sodoma
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good story, but could have been better.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Worked at the RR when Mr. Krebs was in charge. Glad to have read this book. It provided a lot of the "missing information" that would have been nice to know while working there re: what we were doing as employees. Anyway, the book is matter-of-fact and down to earth. It is adequately written for a biography. Somewhat sad to see the complete focus on the railroad life, to the exclusion of EVERYTHING else in his life. Provides a good lesson though.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Leader
    Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Great read and a nice little general history about the 80's mergers.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Rick La Fever
    5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Perspective Of The 1990's Merger Mania From One Players Viewpoint
    Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is book is different from the book, Railroader.
    This is basically one mans' story of his career trajectory and the things he experienced along the way.
    If you have interest in the recent history of Southern Pacific, Santa Fe or Burlingtion Northern Railways, then this is the book for you.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Zoltan Magyarics
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read on the Western US railroading perspective
    Reviewed in Germany on February 14, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Interesting first person recollection of the turbulent years of US railroading, from a Western perspective. One star less just because Krebs sometimes stopped writing exactly where the story started to become interesting - could have been another 100 pages easily if someone encourages him to keep on going e.g. on the Stagger's act perspective from the West, the UP-SP-CNW merger period, the ATSF Super C and other curiosities. A must read, though!
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