OnTrackNorthAmerica - User contributions [en]

User:BErvin

2025-07-28T13:39:28Z

BErvin: Created page with "My name is Brian Ervin. I am volunteering with OnTrackNorthAmerica to help them launch their CAPSI wiki project."

My name is Brian Ervin. I am volunteering with OnTrackNorthAmerica to help them launch their CAPSI wiki project.

Industrial Systems Initiatives

2025-07-22T20:42:54Z

BErvin: Page reads more like an outline. Trying to consolidate scope portion and make our plans clearer.

__TOC__

= This Is Where The Work Begins! =

==== '''Introduction''' ====
You have entered the interactive space of Industry Action Plans. When you register as a Stakeholder on the [[Participation Options]] page you can join the Team in designing new Industry Action Plans (IAP) or work directly on our first initiative, [[VitalRail: A Comprehensive Growth Plan for Rail-Enabled Industrial Productivity/VitalRail Stakeholders|VitalRail]].

==== '''Scope''' <small>What industrial systems do we want Industry Action Plans to address?</small> ====
Our Industry Action Plans are aimed to target many different industries that can benefit from more efficient and sustainable solutions. Below are a few of our plans already put in place.

* [[North American Sustainable Forestry Business Plan]]
* [[RE-STEM Industry Action Plan|RE-STEM, Rail-Enabled Sustainable Transportation of Essential Minerals]]
* [[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative|VitalRail, Driving a Sustainable Economy]]
* RE-CARD, Cement and Aggregates Regional Distribution
* RE-POWER, Rail Enabled Power Distribution
* RE-GLASS, Rail Enabled Glass Logistics and Sustainable Supply
* FTLUS, Freight Transportation Land Use Strategy
* RE-BAR, Rail Enabled Brownfield Asset Redevelopment

===== Agriculture =====
* Inputs
** Land
** Soil
** Soil Enhancements
** Water
*Processing
* Outputs
** Food
** Energy
** Nutrient material

===== Forestry =====
*[[North American Sustainable Forestry Business Plan]]
** Wood
** Pulp
** Paper

===== Mining =====
* Minerals
**[[RE-STEM Industry Action Plan|RE-STEM, Rail-Enabled Sustainable Transportation of Essential Minerals]]
* Metals
* Coal
* Oil and Gas

===== Manufacturing =====
*Metals
*Chemicals
*Equipment
*Textiles

===== Materials =====
*Containers and Packaging
*Construction Materials
**Cement and Aggregates
***RE-CARD, Cement and Aggregates Regional Distribution
**Refractory
**Lumber
*Metals
*Plastics
*Paper

===== Construction =====
*Factories
*Warehouses
*Powerplants
*Mechanical and structural components

===== Energy =====
*RE-POWER, Rail Enabled Power Distribution

===== Transportation =====
*Rail
**[[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative|VitalRail, Driving a Sustainable Economy]]
*Truck
*Air
*Ports
*Ocean
*River Barge
*Pipelines

===== Waste =====
*Industrial
*Commercial
* Municipal
** Glass
***RE-GLASS, Rail Enabled Glass Logistics and Sustainable Supply
* Construction and demolition waste
*Agricultural
* Wood waste

===== Natural Resources =====
When deciding how best to streamline an existing industrial system, stakeholders must evaluate all elements within and affected by that system.
* Water
* Air
* Land
** FTLUS, Freight Transportation Land Use Strategy
** RE-BAR, Rail Enabled Brownfield Asset Redevelopment

==== '''Design''' <small>What design criteria do we want to set for CAPSI?</small> ====
Staff Organizers, Facilitators and Participating Stakeholders use [[IntelliConferences and IntelliSynthesis]] to uncover breakthrough information on goals and make decisions about next steps. If you would like to help us improve our methods and processes or learn more, and are not yet a registered visitor or registered stakeholder, please visit the the [[Participation Options]].

If you are already registered you can use the Discussion Tab on this page to make your comments on the following questions. Staff will follow-up with you ASAP.

* What do stakeholders want to add to the CAPSI Ethics and Principles?
* How do you think stakeholders should address CAPSI and Industry Action Plan goals?
* What Planning Protocols do stakeholders agree on?
* What Outcomes do stakeholders envision?
* What outcomes do we want for the environment?
* What outcomes do we want for citizens?
* What outcomes do we want for business?
* What outcomes do we want for investors?
* What resources does society need and want to optimize?
* What goods does society need and want to have available?
* What Measures of progress do stakeholders want to apply?

==== '''Public-Private Planning''' ====
Providing your input to these questions will be very valuable to all participants. You can answer questions anonymously by sending staff an email. See the [[Participation Options]] page.
* How do we want planning to support sustainable industrial systems?
* What benefits do stakeholders want [[Collaborative Industrial Optimization]] to deliver?
* How do we want public-sector economic development to contribute to sustainable industrial systems?
* How do we want private-sector commercial activity to align with sustainable industrial systems?
* How do we want land use decisions to contribute to sustainable industrial systems?
* How do we want transportation planning to evolve to support sustainable industrial systems?
* How can academic and commercial research support sustainable industrial systems?
* What factors do we want to include in assessing the full impact of industrial systems?
* How must interactions among public and private sector entities evolve to support systemwide sustainability?

==== '''Capital Deployment''' ====
As we address these broader questions we drill down into more detailed questions.
* How do we want capital deployment to support sustainable industrial systems?
* How do we want investors’ decisions on capital deployment to evolve?
* How do we want business stakeholders’ approach to capital deployment to evolve?
* How do we want lenders’ approach to capital deployment to evolve?
* How do we want public agencies’ approach to capital deployment to evolve?
* What advantages will Sustainable Systems Capitalization deliver?

==== '''Geographic Planning Regions''' ====
The geography of CAPSI plans is local, corridor, state/province, regional/multi-state, national, and continental. Initiatives are cataloged here as they are conceived and advanced by stakeholder groups. You can go to the [[GIS Planning Tools]] page for related information.

===== Local =====
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential''</h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>OnTrackPhiladelphia</li>
<li>OnTrackNevada</li>
<li>OnTrackPennsylvania</li>
</ul>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span>

===== Corridor =====
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential''</h6></span>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development'' </h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>Dallas to Texarkana I30 Corridor Strategy</li>
<li>San Francisco Bay ports to Salt Lake City I80 Corridor Strategy</li>
<li>San Pedro Bay ports to Salt Lake City I15 Corridor</li>
</ul>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span>

===== State/Province =====
{{CollapseState}}

<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>OnTrackNevada</li>
<li>OnTrackPennsylvania</li>
</ul>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span>

===== Regional/Multi-state =====
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential'' </h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>Southeast Supply Chain Coalition</li>
</ul>

<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>Southwest Supply Chain Coalition</li>
</ul>

<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span>

===== National =====
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential''</h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>OnTrackMexico</li>
<li>OnTrackCanada</li>
<li>OnTrackUS</li>
</ul>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span>

<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span>

===== Continental =====
* OnTrackNorthAmerica

==== '''Timeline''' ====
April 8, 2025 - CAPSI and VitalRail public introduction

May to July 2025 - VitalRail Launch

April 2026 - New Industry Action Plans launched

April 2027 - Continued launch of Industry Action Plans and introduction of new CAPSI collaboration tools and methods.

==== '''CAPSI FAQs''' ====

===== Introduction =====
If you have new questions and you are a registered Stakeholder or registered Participating Stakeholder, see [[Participation Options]], please enter these on the Discussion Tab page at the top of this page.

===== Questions =====
* '''What is the distinction between CAPSI and OnTrackNorthAmerica?''' OTNA is the non-profit entity that operates CAPSI. OTNA staff produce [[Industry Action Plan|Industry Action Plans]] such as VitalRail and companion IntelliConference Series. CAPSI is the strategic thinking community that designs the work. The site that contains progress on the work is called CAPSI.

Industrial Systems Initiatives

2025-07-22T20:36:52Z

BErvin: removed collapsible elements. Improved readability of headers

__TOC__

= This Is Where The Work Begins! =

==== '''Introduction''' ====
You have entered the interactive space of Industry Action Plans. When you register as a Stakeholder on the [[Participation Options]] page you can join the Team in designing new Industry Action Plans (IAP) or work directly on our first initiative, [[VitalRail: A Comprehensive Growth Plan for Rail-Enabled Industrial Productivity/VitalRail Stakeholders|VitalRail]].

==== '''Scope''' <small>What industrial systems do we want Industry Action Plans to address?</small> ====

===== Agriculture =====
* Inputs
** Land
** Soil
** Soil Enhancements
** Water
*Processing
* Outputs
** Food
** Energy
** Nutrient material

===== Forestry =====
*[[North American Sustainable Forestry Business Plan]]
** Wood
** Pulp
** Paper

===== Mining =====
* Minerals
**[[RE-STEM Industry Action Plan|RE-STEM, Rail-Enabled Sustainable Transportation of Essential Minerals]]
* Metals
* Coal
* Oil and Gas

===== Manufacturing =====
*Metals
*Chemicals
*Equipment
*Textiles

===== Materials =====
*Containers and Packaging
*Construction Materials
**Cement and Aggregates
***RE-CARD, Cement and Aggregates Regional Distribution
**Refractory
**Lumber
*Metals
*Plastics
*Paper

===== Construction =====
*Factories
*Warehouses
*Powerplants
*Mechanical and structural components

===== Energy =====
*RE-POWER, Rail Enabled Power Distribution

===== Transportation =====
*Rail
**[[VitalRail: A Continental Freight Rail Growth Initiative|VitalRail, Driving a Sustainable Economy]]
*Truck
*Air
*Ports
*Ocean
*River Barge
*Pipelines

===== Waste =====
*Industrial
*Commercial
* Municipal
** Glass
***RE-GLASS, Rail Enabled Glass Logistics and Sustainable Supply
* Construction and demolition waste
*Agricultural
* Wood waste

===== Natural Resources =====
When deciding how best to streamline an existing industrial system, stakeholders must evaluate all elements within and affected by that system.
* Water
* Air
* Land
** FTLUS, Freight Transportation Land Use Strategy
** RE-BAR, Rail Enabled Brownfield Asset Redevelopment

==== '''Design''' <small>What design criteria do we want to set for CAPSI?</small> ====
Staff Organizers, Facilitators and Participating Stakeholders use [[IntelliConferences and IntelliSynthesis]] to uncover breakthrough information on goals and make decisions about next steps. If you would like to help us improve our methods and processes or learn more, and are not yet a registered visitor or registered stakeholder, please visit the the [[Participation Options]].

If you are already registered you can use the Discussion Tab on this page to make your comments on the following questions. Staff will follow-up with you ASAP.

* What do stakeholders want to add to the CAPSI Ethics and Principles?
* How do you think stakeholders should address CAPSI and Industry Action Plan goals?
* What Planning Protocols do stakeholders agree on?
* What Outcomes do stakeholders envision?
* What outcomes do we want for the environment?
* What outcomes do we want for citizens?
* What outcomes do we want for business?
* What outcomes do we want for investors?
* What resources does society need and want to optimize?
* What goods does society need and want to have available?
* What Measures of progress do stakeholders want to apply?

==== '''Public-Private Planning''' ====
Providing your input to these questions will be very valuable to all participants. You can answer questions anonymously by sending staff an email. See the [[Participation Options]] page.
* How do we want planning to support sustainable industrial systems?
* What benefits do stakeholders want [[Collaborative Industrial Optimization]] to deliver?
* How do we want public-sector economic development to contribute to sustainable industrial systems?
* How do we want private-sector commercial activity to align with sustainable industrial systems?
* How do we want land use decisions to contribute to sustainable industrial systems?
* How do we want transportation planning to evolve to support sustainable industrial systems?
* How can academic and commercial research support sustainable industrial systems?
* What factors do we want to include in assessing the full impact of industrial systems?
* How must interactions among public and private sector entities evolve to support systemwide sustainability?

==== '''Capital Deployment''' ====
As we address these broader questions we drill down into more detailed questions.
* How do we want capital deployment to support sustainable industrial systems?
* How do we want investors’ decisions on capital deployment to evolve?
* How do we want business stakeholders’ approach to capital deployment to evolve?
* How do we want lenders’ approach to capital deployment to evolve?
* How do we want public agencies’ approach to capital deployment to evolve?
* What advantages will Sustainable Systems Capitalization deliver?

==== '''Geographic Planning Regions''' ====
The geography of CAPSI plans is local, corridor, state/province, regional/multi-state, national, and continental. Initiatives are cataloged here as they are conceived and advanced by stakeholder groups. You can go to the [[GIS Planning Tools]] page for related information.

===== Local =====
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential''</h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>OnTrackPhiladelphia</li>
<li>OnTrackNevada</li>
<li>OnTrackPennsylvania</li>
</ul>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span>

===== Corridor =====
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential''</h6></span>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development'' </h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>Dallas to Texarkana I30 Corridor Strategy</li>
<li>San Francisco Bay ports to Salt Lake City I80 Corridor Strategy</li>
<li>San Pedro Bay ports to Salt Lake City I15 Corridor</li>
</ul>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span>

===== State/Province =====
{{CollapseState}}

<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>OnTrackNevada</li>
<li>OnTrackPennsylvania</li>
</ul>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span>

===== Regional/Multi-state =====
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential'' </h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>Southeast Supply Chain Coalition</li>
</ul>

<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>Southwest Supply Chain Coalition</li>
</ul>

<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span>

===== National =====
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''Potential''</h6></span>
<ul style = "padding-left:4em;">
<li>OnTrackMexico</li>
<li>OnTrackCanada</li>
<li>OnTrackUS</li>
</ul>
<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Development''</h6></span>

<span style = "text-indent:3em;"><h6>''In Action''</h6></span>

===== Continental =====
* OnTrackNorthAmerica

==== '''Timeline''' ====
April 8, 2025 - CAPSI and VitalRail public introduction

May to July 2025 - VitalRail Launch

April 2026 - New Industry Action Plans launched

April 2027 - Continued launch of Industry Action Plans and introduction of new CAPSI collaboration tools and methods.

==== '''CAPSI FAQs''' ====

===== Introduction =====
If you have new questions and you are a registered Stakeholder or registered Participating Stakeholder, see [[Participation Options]], please enter these on the Discussion Tab page at the top of this page.

===== Questions =====
* '''What is the distinction between CAPSI and OnTrackNorthAmerica?''' OTNA is the non-profit entity that operates CAPSI. OTNA staff produce [[Industry Action Plan|Industry Action Plans]] such as VitalRail and companion IntelliConference Series. CAPSI is the strategic thinking community that designs the work. The site that contains progress on the work is called CAPSI.

Formatter Testing

2025-07-22T19:50:15Z

BErvin:

[[Category:About OTNA]]

Collaboration Will Take Us Where Competition Can’t

2025-07-03T13:35:58Z

BErvin: Edit subheader from credits to a short summary

'''''The New Paradigm for a World That Works for Everyone'''''[[File:1 Connecting - Resized.jpg|right|557x557px]]At the heart of OnTrackNorthAmerica’s work are the twin practices of collaboration and coordination. We believe this combination is a superior means of ensuring that government and business serve the best interests of all stakeholders and, ultimately, the entire community. But are collaboration and coordination even possible given the competitive climate that capitalism has fostered for almost two centuries? And, on a more organic level, are people inherently altruistic, or are they self-centered?

In America, in particular, we have been taught that striving for individual success is beneficial for everyone, as a productive capitalist society depends on it. The scientific basis for this precept is ostensibly “survival of the fittest,” which has come to be widely accepted as the fundamental finding of Charles Darwin’s research. The modern interpretation of survival of the fittest posits that humans, like other species, are naturally selfish and that selfishness drives progress. But is it possible that this belief is not only mistaken, but that it exerts an undue and debilitating influence on society? And does it actually represent Darwin’s findings?

Most people would be surprised to learn that Charles Darwin never used the phrase survival of the fittest in the original volume of his seminal work, ''On the Origin of Species''. Contrary to prevailing belief, Darwin’s observation of natural selection did not highlight individual competition. Darwin observed that in nature, the community provides the best perches, food, and resources to the strongest members, which confers on them reproductive advantages, so they ultimately produce the healthiest offspring. Harmony ''within'' the community, not domination ''of'' the community, is what Darwin observed. Moreover, he wrote that individuals in nature are inherently social, which is ultimately what produces and sustains well-being for the whole community.

So, how did we come to misapply Darwin’s transformative work? Why did we orient commerce and governance around competition and mistrust rather than cooperation and trust? What would have us think that we must pit individuals, companies, organizations, political parties, and countries in an endless competition?

“Darwinism” gained popularity during the mid-19th century, when American and British industrialists sought a belief system to justify their massive accumulation of wealth and power. They sponsored members of a new intellectual field called Social Philosophy to promote a misreading of ''On the Origin of Species''. One of the movement’s leading figures, Herbert Spencer, originated the term survival of the fittest, and because the public’s access to Darwin’s book was limited, those in power used this disinformation campaign to influence public support for their versions of capitalism and democracy.

We all suffer under the influence of Spencer’s false and destructive misinterpretation of nature and, indeed, humanity. Modern governance and commerce have since developed around an over-reliance on competitive debate, competing factions, and constant jockeying for attention and favors. However, competition stifles the collective potential of a society and is ultimately highly inefficient for towns, counties, states, countries, and their businesses.

The most effective and efficient organization of all components of a sustainable industrial system is only possible through collaboration and coordination.

Of course, competition has its place in sports, games, and some aspects of business. However, orienting our civilization’s primary functions around competition is outmoded and unsustainable.

The mounting environmental stresses of the world’s exploding population and the ever-increasing competition to exploit the globe’s abundant, yet finite, treasure trove of natural resources threaten our peace and prosperity.

There is a better way.

It is more crucial than ever to discard outdated and limiting assumptions and embrace a new paradigm, a paradigm of commitment to our community, both locally and globally. It is time to redesign our systems of governance and commerce around collaboration and cooperation, to ensure sustainability and prosperity for everyone.

What is OnTrackNorthAmerica’s role in this essential shift in priorities? We begin by convening stakeholders in productive dialogue using our question-based dialogue method, IntelliSynthesis<sup>®</sup>. By their nature, questions are inherently interactive, opening our minds to intelligent thought, exploration, and shared knowledge. By synthesizing, cataloging, and utilizing this collective intelligence, diverse stakeholders can solve problems and implement action plans effectively.

Our work is informed by close interactions with more than 11,000 individuals across the continent who have overwhelmingly expressed their heartfelt desire for a world that works for everyone. As Darwin discovered almost two hundred years ago, a society advances when its members orient around essential collaboration and coordination, striking a balance with useful competition.

Collaboration Will Take Us Where Competition Can’t

2025-07-03T13:34:27Z

BErvin: BErvin moved page Collaboration Will Take Us Where Competition Can’t to Collaboration, Not Competition: Shorter, more concise title

'''''by Michael Sussman, Founder and CEO of OnTrackNorthAmerica and Consulting Chairman of CAPSI'''''[[File:1 Connecting - Resized.jpg|right|557x557px]]At the heart of OnTrackNorthAmerica’s work are the twin practices of collaboration and coordination. We believe this combination is a superior means of ensuring that government and business serve the best interests of all stakeholders and, ultimately, the entire community. But are collaboration and coordination even possible given the competitive climate that capitalism has fostered for almost two centuries? And, on a more organic level, are people inherently altruistic, or are they self-centered?

In America, in particular, we have been taught that striving for individual success is beneficial for everyone, as a productive capitalist society depends on it. The scientific basis for this precept is ostensibly “survival of the fittest,” which has come to be widely accepted as the fundamental finding of Charles Darwin’s research. The modern interpretation of survival of the fittest posits that humans, like other species, are naturally selfish and that selfishness drives progress. But is it possible that this belief is not only mistaken, but that it exerts an undue and debilitating influence on society? And does it actually represent Darwin’s findings?

Most people would be surprised to learn that Charles Darwin never used the phrase survival of the fittest in the original volume of his seminal work, ''On the Origin of Species''. Contrary to prevailing belief, Darwin’s observation of natural selection did not highlight individual competition. Darwin observed that in nature, the community provides the best perches, food, and resources to the strongest members, which confers on them reproductive advantages, so they ultimately produce the healthiest offspring. Harmony ''within'' the community, not domination ''of'' the community, is what Darwin observed. Moreover, he wrote that individuals in nature are inherently social, which is ultimately what produces and sustains well-being for the whole community.

So, how did we come to misapply Darwin’s transformative work? Why did we orient commerce and governance around competition and mistrust rather than cooperation and trust? What would have us think that we must pit individuals, companies, organizations, political parties, and countries in an endless competition?

“Darwinism” gained popularity during the mid-19th century, when American and British industrialists sought a belief system to justify their massive accumulation of wealth and power. They sponsored members of a new intellectual field called Social Philosophy to promote a misreading of ''On the Origin of Species''. One of the movement’s leading figures, Herbert Spencer, originated the term survival of the fittest, and because the public’s access to Darwin’s book was limited, those in power used this disinformation campaign to influence public support for their versions of capitalism and democracy.

We all suffer under the influence of Spencer’s false and destructive misinterpretation of nature and, indeed, humanity. Modern governance and commerce have since developed around an over-reliance on competitive debate, competing factions, and constant jockeying for attention and favors. However, competition stifles the collective potential of a society and is ultimately highly inefficient for towns, counties, states, countries, and their businesses.

The most effective and efficient organization of all components of a sustainable industrial system is only possible through collaboration and coordination.

Of course, competition has its place in sports, games, and some aspects of business. However, orienting our civilization’s primary functions around competition is outmoded and unsustainable.

The mounting environmental stresses of the world’s exploding population and the ever-increasing competition to exploit the globe’s abundant, yet finite, treasure trove of natural resources threaten our peace and prosperity.

There is a better way.

It is more crucial than ever to discard outdated and limiting assumptions and embrace a new paradigm, a paradigm of commitment to our community, both locally and globally. It is time to redesign our systems of governance and commerce around collaboration and cooperation, to ensure sustainability and prosperity for everyone.

What is OnTrackNorthAmerica’s role in this essential shift in priorities? We begin by convening stakeholders in productive dialogue using our question-based dialogue method, IntelliSynthesis<sup>®</sup>. By their nature, questions are inherently interactive, opening our minds to intelligent thought, exploration, and shared knowledge. By synthesizing, cataloging, and utilizing this collective intelligence, diverse stakeholders can solve problems and implement action plans effectively.

Our work is informed by close interactions with more than 11,000 individuals across the continent who have overwhelmingly expressed their heartfelt desire for a world that works for everyone. As Darwin discovered almost two hundred years ago, a society advances when its members orient around essential collaboration and coordination, striking a balance with useful competition.