Mr. Reaves was an engineer for five years before becoming a training instructor. Not much time on the right side to be training others in my estimation.
243129 I suspect that Mr. Reaves does not have a railroad background.
I suspect that Mr. Reaves does not have a railroad background.
I have to say, that was my impression also. But it was not clear to me if he was an actual instructor, or the head of the instructors. I could see where an educational tech guy could be in charge of veteran engineers who are the hands-on teachers, and that combination could work okay.
Edit: I see you edited your post. It seems to me that a smart guy who had been an engineer for five years could be a well-qualified instructor.
Lithonia OperatorI have to say, that was my impression also. But it was not clear to me if he was an actual instructor, or the head of the instructors. I could see where an educational tech guy could be in charge of veteran engineers who are the hands-on teachers, and that combination could work okay.
I did some research and found that he was an engineer for five years and then locomotive engineer instructor, Assistant General Road Foreman then System General Road Foreman(!). I would consider that a meteoric rise without much experience.
Lithonia OperatorIt seems to me that a smart guy who had been an engineer for five years could be a well-qualified instructor.
How does the saying go? Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.
tree68Stop me if you've heard this. Transit/commuter engineer was known for exactly hitting the mark every. single. time. Leave a stool on the platform and the vestibule would be lined up with it with no input from the conductor. Until one day, ol' George competely blew away a stop. Missed it by yards. When asked what happened to cause such an error, he replied, "Someone cut down my tree..."
243129Mr. Reaves was an engineer for five years before becoming a training instructor. Not much time on the right side to be training others in my estimation.
When you get 20 - 30 - 40 years on the right side of the cab - you are too old to promote!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Make what you will of this.
"Eleven weeks. That's how long it takes to go from average Joe to Amtrak engineer."
The transformation takes place at Amtrak's High-Speed Rail Training Facility, housed inside an unassuming beige building along a dead-end road just west of Wilmington, Delaware's Riverfront section.
It's here where hopeful engineers from around the country come to take an eleven-week classroom course. Some are former freight train engineers. Some are what Amtrak calls "off the street."
"Which means they could be hired from any work environment, from Wal Mart to the military," said Stephen Reaves, Amtrak's manager of locomotive engineer training."
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Amtrak-Engineer-Training-School-Derailment-Wilmington-Philadelphia-304048241.html
BaltACD 243129 Mr. Reaves was an engineer for five years before becoming a training instructor. Not much time on the right side to be training others in my estimation. When you get 20 - 30 - 40 years on the right side of the cab - you are too old to promote!
243129 Mr. Reaves was an engineer for five years before becoming a training instructor. Not much time on the right side to be training others in my estimation.
I can't speak of the railroad world from first-hand experience, never having been in it, but sometimes in the civilian corporate world if you're too good at what you do you'll never get promoted either. Why? The unimaginative ones over you don't know how they'll replace you!
A real-life "Dilbert" strip situation!
Not like the military, where the policy is "Up, or out!" and has been since the Eisenhower administration. And even that has been controversial over the years, although not a major controversy.
243129Make what you will of this. "Eleven weeks. That's how long it takes to go from average Joe to Amtrak engineer." The transformation takes place at Amtrak's High-Speed Rail Training Facility, housed inside an unassuming beige building along a dead-end road just west of Wilmington, Delaware's Riverfront section. It's here where hopeful engineers from around the country come to take an eleven-week classroom course. Some are former freight train engineers. Some are what Amtrak calls "off the street." "Which means they could be hired from any work environment, from Wal Mart to the military," said Stephen Reaves, Amtrak's manager of locomotive engineer training." https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Amtrak-Engineer-Training-School-Derailment-Wilmington-Philadelphia-304048241.html
Isn't that about the same length of time it takes to make a Marine?
It's 12 weeks, except during wartime emergencies (WW2, Korea, Vietnam) when at certain points it was shortened to eight weeks. The Corps wasn't happy about the eight week program, but the men had to be cycled through as fast as possible.
Anyway, 12 weeks only makes the basic Marine. After that guys going infantry go on to advanced infantry training, others go on to training in their specific fields, "Military Occupational Specialties" or "MOS's" for short.
Since the OP is complaining to high heaven about the length of time involved in training a new engineer for Amtrak, I'm curious to find out if he ever looked into the length of the training sessions for new engineers for the Class 1 roads or the various regional operators.
CSSHEGEWISCHSince the OP is complaining to high heaven about the length of time involved in training a new engineer for Amtrak,
It seems you find my concern annoying.
CSSHEGEWISCHI'm curious to find out if he ever looked into the length of the training sessions for new engineers for the Class 1 roads or the various regional operators.
My concern is with Amtrak and the safety of the traveling public. I had worked there and was privy to the operation. I have no knowledge of other railroads' operations.
Flintlock76I can't speak of the railroad world from first-hand experience, never having been in it, but sometimes in the civilian corporate world if you're too good at what you do you'll never get promoted either. Why? The unimaginative ones over you don't know how they'll replace you!
Of course they would have to want to be promoted. Can't promote 20+ year RR veterans if they won't apply.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
zugmann Of course they would have to want to be promoted. Can't promote 20+ year RR veterans if they won't apply.
Amtrak mangement is and has been arrogant. They were clueless when they took over operations on the NEC and they are still clueless. They eschewed help when it was offered by their inherited veteran workforce choosing instead to continue with their hit and miss trial and error style of management which has over the years resulted in many, too many, lives lost.
JOHN PRIVARA zugmann Of course they would have to want to be promoted. Can't promote 20+ year RR veterans if they won't apply. AND, (generally) the older-ya-get the more cynical ya-get. In my experience, the younger people are the ones who desire the promotions because they haven't burnt out yet. They still enjoy life and their jobs. It's the young people who don't mind working the long hours, think of themselves as part of "a team", believe the corporate #cowpoop#, and generally move the organization ahead despite the sociopaths running it and the know-it-all old-farts making everybody else’s lives miserable.
That is why wars are fought by soldiers in the 18-30 year range - the 'I'll show you' of youth instead of the 'You are F'n crazy' of experience.
BaltACD JOHN PRIVARA zugmann Of course they would have to want to be promoted. Can't promote 20+ year RR veterans if they won't apply. AND, (generally) the older-ya-get the more cynical ya-get. In my experience, the younger people are the ones who desire the promotions because they haven't burnt out yet. They still enjoy life and their jobs. It's the young people who don't mind working the long hours, think of themselves as part of "a team", believe the corporate #cowpoop#, and generally move the organization ahead despite the sociopaths running it and the know-it-all old-farts making everybody else’s lives miserable. That is why wars are fought by soldiers in the 18-30 year range - the 'I'll show you' of youth instead of the 'You are F'n crazy' of experience.
After seeing WW2 up-close-and-personal John Ford said it best...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCCCwkcBOOw
243129 Amtrak mangement is and has been arrogant.
Amtrak mangement is and has been arrogant.
Everybody in management is arrogant. The only way to get to be in management is to have the confidence to ASK to be part of management. And confidence is just arrogance viewed from the opposite side of the coin.
Nobody in management wants "help from the work force". Never have, never will. If a person wants to manage, they step up (if they've got the confidence) and they start making decisions. But they have to do it FROM the management side. In return, they get to be ridiculed by the "work force", screwed by their superiors, and IF they are really smart-n-savvy, someday, they'll get to do the screwing and have the senior management benefits (membership in the top 5% of society).
ALL over the world, at all times in history, the confident smart-n-savvy people run things, make the decisions, and really don't care what the "work force" (aka peasants) thinks about things.
Disclaimer: life-long peasant who ridiculed management.
Sounds more like what is called the classic alienated worker or by some, the Lumpenproletariat or by still others, an embittered nihilist. Or is the latter a tautology?
Amtrak management, but there is more than one.
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