America's Road to Wealth

Statistics show that the cost per ton of goods transported by train is 1 gallon of diesel per 500 miles, and its fuel consumption efficiency is three times higher than that of automobile transportation, and 15 times higher than that of airplane transportation.

The only thing that can be more efficient than trains in terms of transportation efficiency is the large ships and container ships that are transported by sea.

The problem is that they cannot go ashore, and freight in the inland areas can only be transported by trains in the end.

Although the United States has the most complete aircraft and airport system in the world, its aviation industry is highly developed, with 664,500 pilots, 7,628 commercial aircraft, and 211,749 general aviation aircraft, with an annual takeoff and landing of about 99 million times. Among the 19,636 airports, there are 14,556 private airports and 5,080 public airports, ranking first in the world in all aspects of data.

However, people and high-end goods can be transported by plane. Some low-end and large-volume goods cannot be transported by plane, right?

For example, if the steel in the Cleveland area is to be transported to California for processing into auto parts. If you use air freight, unless it is special steel, no one in California can afford to use the large amount of steel shipped by air.

Even the Antonov An-225 Mriya, the world's largest cargo aircraft, can only transport up to 250 tons of supplies at a time.

A normal train has a load capacity of 60 tons, and the freight train usually has one to sixty cars. If the locomotive is powerful enough, sometimes it can even be added to 100 cars.

Calculated to be 3,600 tons or 6,000 tons of load, which is higher than the 250 tons of An 225, I don't know where to go.

This is not counting the huge gap between the two sides in fuel consumption and economy.

Therefore, in terms of cheap cargo transportation, as long as human technology does not have the sudden support of the Zentraedi, the inland areas will still have to honestly rely on the train and railway system for support for a long time.

Especially when the United States has a vast territory and a relatively small population.

For the transportation of cheap goods, it must rely more on trains and railway systems.

This means that the seven major railway groups have a very strong sense of presence in the United States under the huge operating cost advantage.

It is also they who rely on old broken locomotives to support the country's freight logistics system with the American railway network that has been repaired or even not repaired at all for more than a hundred years.

This is why Abel has been eyeing them for a long time, and has been quietly buying their stocks all the time. So much so that when Buffett was also interested in them, he found that Abe had already become one of the major shareholders of the American railway industry without the world knowing it.

In fact, it's not unknowingly, because Abel didn't deliberately hide it.

Morgan, the true overlord of the railway system, had discovered his tricks a long time ago.

It's just that Abel's movements are very scattered. He buys a little from this company and a little from that company, although he has invested tens of billions of dollars in two years.

But tens of billions of dollars of shares are scattered among more than a dozen railway companies (not just the seven major ones bought), so they are not particularly conspicuous.

Morgan, with his firm grip on Amtrak and Union Pacific, turned a blind eye to it.

After all, this kind of thing is very common in the United States. Morgan himself also owns part of Smith Financial shares (exchanged with each other), and many Smith Media shares bought on the stock market.

Mutual holdings and cross-shareholdings are all too common in the United States.

It is this kind of peace that has a premise, that is, Abel has not revealed his true ambitions for the railway system.

If he wants to directly enter one of the railway groups like Buffett.

It was absolutely impossible for Morgan to continue to tolerate it.

They absolutely take action, and that's pretty normal.

But old Warren hasn't come here yet, and Abel, who hasn't discussed it carefully with him, hasn't decided whether to challenge Morgan in this regard right now.

The main reason is that the old tycoons and overlords are not vegetarians. Although on the surface everyone is harmonious now, there is no shortage of infiltration and small movements between each other secretly.

It's like Abe is secretly buying the stocks of railway companies, and at the same time he is constantly strengthening his voice in the energy field.

Morgan and Rockefeller are not blind or foolish, of course they are doing similar things.

Otherwise, why would the stock price of Smith Media, a mere media company, rise so exaggeratedly?

The market value of more than 300 billion US dollars is almost the sum of the stock market value of the top ten media companies in the United States except Smith Media itself.

Smith Media is indeed strong, but it is impossible to be so strong.

Therefore, the reason why its stock price has risen so wildly is not only Abel's golden brand name and its own excellent performance support.

It is also because behind the scenes, not only Morgan and Rockefeller, but also many people on Wall Street are silently giving "help".

These people are not related to Abel, and many of them have been robbed by Abel. Of course, their "help" must be enclosed in double quotation marks.

Well, in fact, since Smith Media went public, there have been people who have been working hard to increase its stock price.

Why are they trying to help Abel work on Goldsmiths Media stock?

One is to cut leeks, which is the main purpose. The ultimate goal is to deceive retail investors and small institutions into taking orders similar to Ponzi schemes, and directly cut a big ticket.

Smith Media's plate is big enough, and Abel's reputation is big enough.

Once the game is successful, the profits here are amazing.

This is the main purpose.

The second is Smith Media, which is currently the only listed company among the companies created by Abel himself.

If he can succeed in doing things, he can make a lot of money, and at the same time, he can weaken Abel's indestructible golden body in the capital market and affect Abel's dominance in the US stock market.

So Morgan and Rockefeller, including many people on Wall Street, are tacitly helping with the stock of Goldsmith Media.

Some smart retail investors and small institutions can also see it.

Those with strong self-control have already withdrawn, and those who are not strong in control or can't see it all think that they will not finally take over.

One day when the avalanche happens, you can only blame yourself for being stupid.

This kind of thing is actually very common on Wall Street, and it is a more everyday kind.

It's not like everyone banded together to deal with Abe Smith.

If one day Abel's Smith Financial and several other core industries are also listed, and then all companies are subject to similar attacks.

That is the real big offensive big battlefield,

Otherwise, it is just a normal and daily Wall Street behavior that is common in Wall Street.

After all, the world's financial plate is so big, it is impossible for everyone to fight outside all day long, and infighting between each other is actually the mainstream of Wall Street.

So you buy the shares of the company under my name, I buy the shares of the company under your name, you short and I play against you. This is really a pure Wall Street routine.

Abel has been buying energy companies and quietly buying up railroad stocks.

They are all normal business practices, so Morgan and Rockefeller can tolerate them.

But if he had made up his mind and clearly wanted to become a giant of the level of the seven major railway groups, then the situation would be different.

So after hanging up the phone, Abel called the Smith Intelligence Group.

He needs them to calculate whether they can win one of the seven major railway groups before Morgan reacts with full cooperation with Buffett and the Oilers.

Whether it is the Kansas City Southern Railway Company or the North Burlington-Santa Fe NS Company, it is a very good choice.

But in fact, Abel prefers North Burlington-Santa Fe NS, because the area covered by the railway network of Burlington North Santa Fe will become one of the most important oil producing areas in the United States in the future.

Nearly 70% of the shale oil in the United States is almost all there, waiting for a few years when the shale oil development technology is perfect or the high oil price is profitable.

The railway network of North Burlington-Santa Fe NS will at least double its turnover by more than 50% due to the large demand for energy transportation.

The development potential is much better than Kansas City Southern.

In parallel time and space, Buffett also tried to enter the railway system ten years later. At that time, what he wanted to acquire was Northern Burlington-Santa Fe NS, not the current Kansas City Southern Railway Company.

The reason is because of this.

Now it's just ahead of time, and the main target is not North Burlington-Santa Fe NS, but the Kansas City Southern Railway Company.

In the evening, what Abel didn't expect was that the old Warren's way of doing things this time was not at all as dull as he should be at his age.

In the evening, the old guy called Abel, saying that he had arrived in Washington and wanted to meet Abel.

Abel was returning to his parents' home in Washington, D.C., with little Laura, as the family prepared to head out.

Buffett was very urgent, so Abel had no choice but to let Little Laura and the parents take the children to the White House first, and then go there by himself after he and Buffett met later.

Tonight, there is also a banquet in the White House, but it is a private banquet.

As the commander in chief, George hosted a banquet for the bush family members and some close friends.

Yesterday's was a big open party, tonight this is the real gathering of our own people.

Abel's motorcade set off to meet with Buffett, and when the two met, the sun had already set.

At this moment, the whole of Washington was shrouded in orange-yellow sunset, as if covered with gold.

Located in the Intercontinental Marina Hotel in Washington, D.C., the decoration is very modern, and it is also very exquisite in the African-Caribbean concept restaurant Kith/Kin.

Abel ate kebab curry with hummus while listening to Berkshire Hathaway chairman Buffett, who sat across from him, whisper.

"...Northern Burlington-Santa Fe NS and Kansas City Southern Railway Company, we can take action at the same time! Once they are successfully acquired, then we are enough to compete with anyone in the railway system!"

"I have already asked Charlie to calculate that, based on the current market value, even with a 30% premium, we only need to pay about 115 billion US dollars to get a total of more than 90% of the shares of these two companies!"

"The third and fifth largest railway groups in the United States, after their merger, they will become the largest railway group in the United States."

"Dear Abel, I think we can give it a try! Especially after success, it will be of great help to your agricultural company, supermarket group, and even energy group."

"As you said, it's better to hold some of this kind of thing in our own hands to make us feel at ease. So, dear Abel, what do you think?"

Warren's voice was impassioned and powerful, unlike the way he had just landed at Dulles International Airport half an hour earlier.

However, to Buffett's disappointment, Abe didn't respond to him immediately, but instead focused on Charlie Munger next to him.

"Charlie, this is the 3rd time we've met since my first investment reception in New York, and the two at McDonald's in Los Angeles. Good evening, are you interested in coming over to my place? I promise to give you better treatment than Warren's."

Buffett didn't expect that Abel would dig his own wall in front of him. The old man patted the table in dissatisfaction and shouted, "Hey, what's wrong! You want to dig Charlie in front of me! I'm Tell you about the railway!"

"Haha~ I'm listening, but it doesn't stop me from being very optimistic about Charlie and wanting to work with him!" Abel smiled and looked at Buffett, who was a little "distraught".

"Dream! If you dare, I'll send someone to kidnap your two Davids and Roberts!"

Buffett "blew his beard and stared at his eyes" and looked like an old child staring at Abel.

Abel played a rogue, "Okay, then it's a deal! Let's change it!"

"You! You bastard..." Buffett became impatient.

Charlie Munger, who was being fought by the two, smiled and said nothing, not mixing in the bickering between the two big shots.

Charlie Munger is very self-aware, although he is indeed capable, he has always done a good job.

But it is impossible for Abel to really dig him, and it is absolutely impossible for Buffett to let him go.

He knows too many secrets of Berkshire Hathaway, and it can even be said that he is half of Berkshire Hathaway.

If he dared to leave one day, he would definitely "disappear" or "suicide" at home.

As the industry with the most executives jumping off buildings in the United States every year, high-level Wall Street executives have always been high-risk occupations.

And Charlie Munger also knew that Abel could not really reuse him.

In the financial industry, trust has always been more important than ability.

It can range from tens of millions to hundreds of millions, billions or even tens of billions of dollars.

How can such a large amount of funds be handed over to managers without enough trust?

But Charlie is somewhat happy, because this is an olive branch given to him by Abel Smith.

Although it is a joke, there are few such jokes in the world that are worthy of Abel Smith.

Charlie Munger felt that this was a strong proof of his worth.