When I started working in the rail industry, one of the first things I bought was a railroad dictionary. That may sound odd, but I approached learning “rail” like learning a foreign language. I knew I needed to prioritize key words and phrases—the basics—and build from there.

Over nearly 24 years working at one of the Class I railroads in various commercial roles, I saw what worked—and what didn’t—when it came to negotiating with railroads. My job, of course, was to make customers believe we wouldn’t negotiate. But here’s the truth…

Said to me by a former industry peer in an executive brainstorming session. That statement resonated as one of the industry's biggest challenges over the last 20 years. The Benefits of Rail are undeniable. Connecting customers, developers and communities to freight rail can be a real challenge but is worth the effort. Keep reading for four keys to implement rail into your network.