Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote user="edblysard"]Still no word on the badges and flip wallets?[/quote] While there might be a good career in my new bureaucracy (USBPTCD), the big bucks are going to be waiting for the new signal workers.   Quote from the report: [Formatting nightmare]   “The PTC system signal projects require a substantial amount of work in a limited period of time by the railroads. Historically, railroads are staffed for a fairly stable amount of signal work from year to year. The PTC system signal work has increased the workload for railroad signal staff, resulting in a significant increase in the number of locations where signal work is required. The limited number of qualified signal technicians available to the railroad industry constrains the railroad’s ability to complete the design, installation, and testing work required for PTC system signal projects. It has also adversely affected projects to increase railroad capacity because the same employees are needed to perform both functions. The increase in demand for signal technicians combined with the limited number available has resulted in a tremendous increase in signal engineering and installation costs.   Railroad signalmen, the craft most responsible for PTC system installation, have fewer than 9,500 members nationwide.32 In addition to implementing PTC systems, these persons are also working full time to keep currently installed signal and train control systems operational. The work is also arduous. PTC system installers are often required to travel 100 percent of the time away from home—sometimes, in excess of 300 miles—working either 4 days on and 3 days off, or 8 days on and 6 days off. They work outdoors in all types of weather, over uneven terrain, and are required to do heavy lifting, climb ladders and poles at heights that can exceed 40 feet. All this while working under live rail traffic conditions where both the reliability of the existing systems must be maintained at all times, as well as the personal safety of all persons involved.   The industry has already hired more than 2,000 additional signal technicians specifically for PTC and is planning to hire hundreds more. It typically takes 18–24 months for an individual to receive the training and gain the experience necessary to handle the complexities of a PTC system. On the Class I railroads alone, approximately 60,000 engineers and conductors, 6,500 signal employees, and 2,400 dispatchers will have to be trained on PTC systems. This number does not include the mechanics, electricians, and supervisors who will also require training.”
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag