footboard yardmaster

[Anonymous]

whats the main job of a footboard yardmaster. how does a conductor become one? how is it based on senority?
what qualifications does one need. Where on any railroad are footboard yardmasters found? what is the pay like?

[Anonymous]

To my understanding footboard yardmaster is a pay rate on some yard jobs on the pryor Santa Fe. In the yards that I work in, I believe that most of these jobs are bid-bump, I don't recall if any are on the daily mark (this is a BN thing). The foreman of the switch crew gets the FBYM rate of pay. If you are the forman, remember to claim this code when you tie-up (I cannot recall the code, I usually caught these jobs off of the E board. Also, I worked in a consolidated SF-BN yard, so things may be different where you are). If I rember, the pay is a few bucks more than foreman rate and the helper is not elligible for this pay. I don't think that there are any FBYM rates on the prior BN, but, I may be wrong. Where I was at, certain jobs were designated with this rate attatched, so if your seniority would allow you to hold that job, and you are qualified on that job, presto! You are a FBYM. In reality you are not a Yard Master, just a forman on a job that qualifies for the FBYM rate of pay. Pretty simple. If anybody has corrections to what I said or anything to add, I would appreciate it. As far as I know it is a Santa Fe thing. I cannot speak for other roads.
Ken

[Anonymous]

Jason,

Ken is correct except is not just an ATSF thing. Job is glorified switch foreman where there is no yardmaster. FBYM would mark up his own lists, which in a larger terminal YM would do. Takes a bit more thought than a Foreman job. I do not know if it even exists if there is a second job working in yard at same time. Probably depends on union agreement which could vary from property to property.

Mac

[edblysard]

Hi Jason,
To "footboard" something means to keep ahold of it with the motor, and carry it with you in front of the motor. Older switchers had footboards, little steps on the front and rear pilots, that a switchman would ride around on. No longer used due to the danger involved, the term footboard evolved to mean you keep something with you all the time, as in "we will footboard the box car when we spot up all the tanks", meaning that the box didnt go with the tanks, but its easier to hold onto the box while we spot the tanks, than to try to find a place to sta***he box. A footboard yardmaster is often a switchman/conductor, working in a remote yard where there is no assigned yardmaster, this person makes the decisions as to what gets switched, where it goes, and what order its done in, and how trains are made up. Often, the term is applied to a conductor who does this, even though he may be working in a yard under the control of a regular yardmaster. We do this all the time at the PTRA, as we are a terminal road, and we do the same switching every day. I will line up my work, go get it done, and then call the yardmaster after I am finished. He trusts me to do it correctly, and if there are any special instructions in regards to "hot" cars, or a special train, he will notify me before we go to work. This leaves him free to concentrate on other things. It is not an offical title, and carries no extra pay. On other roads, it may be diffrent, depends on the union contract.
Hope this helps out..
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[Justicar]

On our property, Footboard Yardmaster is merely a higher pay rate with added responsibilities. On my crew district (the territory/jobs that I have to protect) there is but two jobs which pays footboard yardmaster, LaCrosse, WI. A 12 hour day job and a 12 hour night job. I've never worked the FBYM's job but have been the brakemen and observed. Seems to me that the railroad ends up paying a little extra money for the conductor on the job to do clerical or yardmaster duties.
Its cool for the rest of the crew because we get to take a break at the beginning and end of the day while he does his FBYM tasks. At LaCrosse he maintains correct lists of what cars are in what order on which tracks in the yard. Coordinates with Operations Coordinators (Mgmt) on what cars will move on which trains, etc.

So, one would just need to be qualified to work the particular job in order to earn the higher pay rate...and I can't remember what it is. Nothing alarming, I'm sure.

JC
CPR, St Paul