POWER OF ATTORNEY


KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

         That the undersigned does hereby constitute and appoint Richard K Brock
and Susan Santo, jointly and severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact,
each with power of  substitution,  for him in any and all capacities,  to do any
and all acts and  things  and to  execute  any and all  instruments  which  said
attorneys,  or any of them,  may deem  necessary  or  advisable  to  enable  PLM
Investment Management, Inc., as Manager of RMI Covered Hopper Railcar Management
Program  79-1,  to comply with the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Act"),  and any rules and regulations  thereunder,  in connection with the
preparation  and filing with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission of annual
reports on Form 10-K on behalf of PLM Investment  Management Inc., as Manager of
RMI Covered Hopper Railcar Management Program 79-1, including specifically,  but
without  limiting the  generality of the  foregoing,  the power and authority to
sign the name of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  to such  annual
reports,  to any and all  amendments  thereto,  and to any and all  documents or
instruments filed as a part of or in connection  therewith;  and the undersigned
hereby  ratifies  and  confirms  all  that  each of the said  attorneys,  or his
substitute or substitutes,  shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  This
Power of Attorney is limited in duration  until May 1, 2001 and shall apply only
to the annual  reports  and any  amendments  thereto  filed with  respect to the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2000.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has subscribed these presents this
5th day of March, 2001.



                                                     /s/ Stephen M. Bess
                                                     -------------------
                                                     Stephen M. Bess