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Good bye, conductors?

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Posted by mackb4 on Saturday, July 26, 2014 1:45 AM

ACY

Uhhhhh.

You do realize the CDL and robot comments were just to inject a bit of levity, don't you?

    Yes,that's the exact reason for my little story.

  Sorta like when you wreck real bad on your mountain bike,and you know it's bad,gonna hurt later,but you tell everyone watching ," Oh,I'm alright it's just a little scratch...(laugh,laugh,laugh)." but you really realize it's gonna hurt like all mad when you get up and start walking.

 

Collin ,operator of the " Eastern Kentucky & Ohio R.R."

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Posted by jeffhergert on Saturday, July 26, 2014 8:27 AM

mackb4

 

   You know this is why myself and the other railroaders on here get in a fighting mood when those that think it's great or it's just gonna happen anyway accept it.

 

 

Change is always good, when the negative consequences affect someone else.

Jeff

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Saturday, July 26, 2014 8:54 AM

jeffhergert
Change is always good, when the negative consequences affect someone else.

Jeff

Excellent point, well said - applicable to many different scenarios (not just on the railroad).  Economists call it "external effects" or "diseconomies", or something similar.

As David P. Morgan* quoted at least once an Army lieutenant he served with:

"Morgan, it all depends on whose ox is being gored."

(*Long-time Trains magazine Editor, from the early 1960's to late 1980's - some here will know and remember him, but some wouldn't have had the opportunity.)

- Paul North.

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Saturday, July 26, 2014 8:59 AM

Ulrich
[snipped - PDN] . . . although now that you mention it, CNR does prefer to hire candidates with a CDL. Not sure if it's a requirement or just a preference. But the CN job postings I've seen mention the class 1 CDL. Not sure why.. maybe only to separate the wheat from the chaff. There's a big overlap between truck and rail... thus sometimes both are discussed. I work with both. . . .

If those job postings were for MOW or C&S positions, a lot of times the position - or the next promotion (such as to equipment operator), or a possible 'arbitrary' (additional pay) - will  or could include driving the big trucks with equipment and materials from one job site to the next.    

- Paul North. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by Ulrich on Saturday, July 26, 2014 9:40 AM
ACY

Uhhhhh.

You do realize the CDL and robot comments were just to inject a bit of levity, don't you?

So was my barber school comment..
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Posted by Ulrich on Saturday, July 26, 2014 9:42 AM
Paul_D_North_Jr

Ulrich
[snipped - PDN] . . . although now that you mention it, CNR does prefer to hire candidates with a CDL. Not sure if it's a requirement or just a preference. But the CN job postings I've seen mention the class 1 CDL. Not sure why.. maybe only to separate the wheat from the chaff. There's a big overlap between truck and rail... thus sometimes both are discussed. I work with both. . . .

If those job postings were for MOW or C&S positions, a lot of times the position - or the next promotion (such as to equipment operator), or a possible 'arbitrary' (additional pay) - will  or could include driving the big trucks with equipment and materials from one job site to the next.    

- Paul North. 

I get that, but I'm referring specifically to conductor positions. CN notes the requirement/preference for candidates with a class 1 CDL.
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Posted by Ulrich on Saturday, July 26, 2014 9:44 AM
jeffhergert

mackb4

 

   You know this is why myself and the other railroaders on here get in a fighting mood when those that think it's great or it's just gonna happen anyway accept it.

 

 

Change is always good, when the negative consequences affect someone else.

Jeff

change is what it is..
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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, July 26, 2014 10:10 AM

Quoting Jeff Hergert: "Change is always good, when the negative consequences affect someone else." Yes, especially when the change benefits you.

And Paul North's quotation of a David P. Morgan quotation reminded that I did meet him, and had a brief conversation with him on a steam excursion out of Birmingham. I do not remember if it was the same excursion on which I had a brief conversation with Graham Claytor.

Johnny

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Posted by wanswheel on Saturday, July 26, 2014 2:08 PM
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Posted by The Butler on Saturday, July 26, 2014 3:15 PM

Ulrich
Paul_D_North_Jr

Ulrich
[snipped - PDN] . . . although now that you mention it, CNR does prefer to hire candidates with a CDL. Not sure if it's a requirement or just a preference. But the CN job postings I've seen mention the class 1 CDL. Not sure why.. maybe only to separate the wheat from the chaff. There's a big overlap between truck and rail... thus sometimes both are discussed. I work with both. . . .

If those job postings were for MOW or C&S positions, a lot of times the position - or the next promotion (such as to equipment operator), or a possible 'arbitrary' (additional pay) - will  or could include driving the big trucks with equipment and materials from one job site to the next.    

- Paul North. 

I get that, but I'm referring specifically to conductor positions. CN notes the requirement/preference for candidates with a class 1 CDL.

I would guess that a valid CDL requires passing a physical and drug test.  A cost saved by the railroad.

James


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Posted by Ulrich on Saturday, July 26, 2014 3:30 PM
The railroad would still need to do its own pre employment test... I've had a CDL for 22 years.. haven't had a drug test in at least 15. In regards to the physical, railroads have to do their own anyway as well.
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Posted by The Butler on Saturday, July 26, 2014 6:15 PM

Ulrich
The railroad would still need to do its own pre employment test... I've had a CDL for 22 years.. haven't had a drug test in at least 15. In regards to the physical, railroads have to do their own anyway as well.

Well, it was an idea.  Smile

James


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Posted by Ulrich on Saturday, July 26, 2014 7:41 PM
Not a bad idea either. I'm going to ask CN... now I'm curious.
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Posted by Andrew Falconer on Saturday, July 26, 2014 8:52 PM

A person in the front unit and a person in the distributed power unit is a way to keep a two person crew.

 

Andrew

Andrew

Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer

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