In this episode of Yet Another Value Podcast Book Club, host Andrew Walker and co-host Byrne Hobart of The Diff discuss Railroader, the biography of Hunter Harrison—one of the most transformative figures in modern railroading. They explore Harrison’s management style, capital discipline, and the precision scheduled railroading model he pioneered. The conversation digs into his alliances with Bill Ackman and Paul Hilal, controversial board dynamics, and the balance between performance and persona. Was Harrison a generational genius or just a man with perfect timing? Tune in for a deep probe into leadership, rail strategy, and long-term industry shifts.
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[00:00:00] Podcast and guest introduction
[00:01:54] Book focus: 'Railroader' overview
[00:03:20] Hunter’s train schedule philosophy
[00:05:21] Anecdotes of hands-on leadership
[00:07:43] Hunter's capital allocation approach
[00:09:33] Evaluating Hunter's industry impact
[00:12:51] Railroad competition and timing
[00:14:59] Railroads' long-term infrastructure value
[00:17:05] Extreme management and physical risks
[00:19:45] Strategic image and brand building
[00:21:09] Customer complaints and PR responses
[00:25:59] Precision scheduling adoption industrywide
[00:27:36] Ackman and Hillel strategies
[00:30:04] Norfolk Southern bid complications
[00:33:39] Hunter's bold management targets
[00:36:26] CEO succession and board relations
[00:40:58] Hunter’s final campaign at CSX
[00:43:19] Compensation and personal contradictions
[00:47:37] Comparison: Ellison vs. Harrison
[00:56:22] Wall Street expectations pressure
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