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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by jeaton LC Unfortunately, your prognosis may be right. I should ask, since you wear the shoes, do you think that 100% of the crew cost savings would get to the bottom line? My guess is that there would be some lonesome pay as part of the deal, but my view goes beyond that to the potential cost in other areas for having only one man on the train. You would have a better sense of what happens when something happens and what would happen when something happens and you are out there by yourself. And I know that you would stay awake, but what about the others? Electric shock if the eyelids are closed for more than three seconds? I don't mean to be too flip about this, and I can think a little outside the box, but the Class I's aren't the Indiana Railroad, and some things aren't that simple. Jay [/quote] Jay - No, I don't think this will happen everywhere overnight. I also don't think there will be as much of a savings from this crew reduction as some have suggested. Recall that the estimate from one Wall Street Analyst was a savings over all Class 1s totalling over $1Billion annually. I think that cutting the Conductor is getting into the meat and bone of the operation and depending upon a number of factors there will probably be areas where no savings will be realized. I'm sure it will be implemented in areas where it seems to make sense and work towards getting other areas brought along, much as was done when cabooses were replaced. Years later there are still some cabooses (albeit reconfigured as "Shoving Platforms" to avoid certain arbitraries) on some local jobs. As I have said earlier on the subject I think that 2 and even 3 man crews will remain the rule in many areas although there will be a more towards 2 and even 1 man RCL crews where circumstances dictate. Although IRR is not a Class 1, on the smaller scale jobs, particularly industrial switching, the Class 1s will likely follow IRR's lead into 1 man RCL, especially if they already have yards manned by U-men (aka Transportation Specialists), locals in the area with 1 or 2 man crews could be supported from the yard. LC
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