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RR Carriers Bring One-Person Crews to the Table

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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by arbfbe csxengineer98: Where do you get the idea there WILL be assistance? Railroads will be long on talk but short of performance if past history is any indication. You can probably name dozens of locations in your territory that are just not possible to drive to. Do you think the railroad is going to just accept hours and hours of delays with the mainline tied up while you sit in the cab of the loco waiting for the 'utility' to come help you? Besides he is 70 miles away helping the local do a set out and pick up. You will be expected to strap on the belt pack, set the units up in RCL operation and head back to the break or other problem and "Just do as much as you can until we can get someone there". I've got news for you, there ain't no help coming. It is the Alamo, you are on your own. Hugh Jampton: I put it that it is more common that break in twos are caused by factors other than poor train handling by the engineer. I have about 28 years of experience to back up my claim. You would be surprised how many times the key just falls out of the car due to lack of maintenance, there are noteable casting flaws in the failed part, train make up sucks, undesired emergency brake aplications from the rear of the train, and longer, heavier trains with the same old e-grade steel in the F type knuckles. It will not be getting any better with the 305,000 lb cars coming online. [/quote] arbfbe - I have to agree with csx_eng. There will be help. Why? Two reasons. One, it is going to be necessary to provide some help with one man crews. Look at how the Brits run things. Single man on the road with yardmen at yards to assist. Perhaps here you will get a U-man. Perhaps your assist will come from a carman or even a manager. TMs around here have been known to pitch in and drive conductors to the rear and back if it keeps things moving. But there are many circumstances where an assist will be necessary and other where it will certainly be beneficial. You probably won't get help all the time, but when you have the main all blocked up and the RR depends upon you clearing up, there won't be a shortage of help, even if it means extreme methods to get it to you. Second, there will be help because the RR industry is like a big ship. Change comes slowly, gradually. Now, if you get a knuckle (for example), on this division, you'll get a minimum of a TM or RFE (usually both) or higher, a Track Foreman or higher, a Mechanical Foreman and helper with block truck and plenty of spares and often a Signal Maintainer as well. So, help isn't a real issue now. I doubt it will be in the future either. Anything is possible, of course, but I don't see us getting less than a U-man or the Block Truck and our district is far from an extremely busy main line. LC
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