Jeff,
The simple answer is that one salesman was better than the other. Most
probably, price was the deciding factor, but there are certainly other
influencing factors. The final decision is usually rendered by the
Purchasing Department, but generally, all departments involved with
locomotives have an input. Sometimes, one or two influential officials
just have a stronger preference for one builder's product over the
other. For GE, in those days, breaking into an EMD stronghold like the
Q was an important objective. EMD, at that time, had 75 - 85% of the
U.S. business and they may not have tried as hard. In those days, it
was normal practice to sell locomotives at list price only. At EMD, it
was called the "Blue Line" price list and it was updated and reissued
two to four times per year. GE's U23C model may have been lower priced
than EMD's SD39. The competition was basically the "extras" that each
company could provide. Sometimes, it was the relationship that was
developed between the RR and the builder, sometimes it was delivery
schedule, sometimes, it was the result of a previous poor experience
with a product and sometimes it was the result of a management change
with sympathies for the other builder.
After 1980, all that changed and the market place really became price
competitive. GE started pricing each quote individually and EMD was
forced to follow. EMD never really managed to match GE in price because
GE seemed to have better control of their cost. The results, of course,
was that around 1985, GE became the number one builder, just as Jack
Welsh wanted. I think, right now, the two are close, but it will be
interesting to see what happens as EMD goes under new ownership next
month.
Bill Barber
On Wednesday, February 2, 2005, at 07:12 AM, CBQ@yahoogroups.com wrote:
> Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2005 22:27:17 -0000
> From: "jworones" <jworones@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Q U23C or SD39
>
>
> While reading through some old X2200S magazines from 1968, came
> across a news piece that said the Q was ordering 10 SD45's and 'an
> undetermined number of SD39s'.
> A month later it was rumored to be SD39s or U23Cs. We know the
> outcome, but does any one have any info on the decision process?
> Why was one chosen over the other?
>
> TIA!
> Jeff Worones
> Lake Stevens, WA
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers.
At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/EpW3eD/3MnJAA/cosFAA/8ZCslB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
CBQ-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|