I'm a foamer and have never worked on a RR. I've been on several excursion trains and have learned some on this board. But what are common bad habits of RR employees?
Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.
Historically -
Alcohol - Nicotine - Caffeine - Profanity - Complaining
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Can't imagine they'd be any different than the bad habits of any other kind of employee.
Worst habit? We keep working for a railroad...
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Got the whine, who has the cheese and crackers?
23 17 46 11
People are people and they have bad habits. Probably no different from any other employers problems.
Not being a RR employee, my guess is the worst "habit" or trait is not being thankful they even have a job in these times.
Probably fraternizing with foamers.
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BaltACD Historically - Alcohol - Nicotine - Caffeine - Profanity - Complaining
You never heard any @#$%^! *&^%$! profanity from this @#$%^! railroader! You guys always keep stereotyping us upstanding (cough! hack!) guys and gals!
Oh, yes, we're terrible! I should be dead by now, but real railroaders are survivors!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
If you really want to hear Whining just go to a truckstop and listen to the Drivers in the Lounge for a few minutes. Then you hear Whining ask them about the DOT and cover your EARS. Better yet say your a DOT trooper but be wearing your Asbestos Underwear.
probably no different than the bad habits of the population at large...although railroaders are probably more punctual and more detail oriented than most people... they have to be...
Boyd I'm a foamer and have never worked on a RR. I've been on several excursion trains and have learned some on this board. But what are common bad habits of RR employees?
I'm curious about why you would call yourself a foamer...isn't that a derogatory term?
From the ones Ive worked with, the majority of the guys just in it for a job (dont like trains) hate their job, constantly b***** about it, and are rather ornery. The guys that do like trains are GENERALLY alot more upbeat and dont whine so *** much. I will say there is nothing better than a rail b****fest though!
Same in any industry though. Hate your job=complain. Love it=not so much.
Mechanical Department "No no that's fine shove that 20 pound set all around the yard... those shoes aren't hell and a half to change..."
The Missabe Road: Safety First
I took the question to mean more like bad 'operating' habits, such as failing to set hand brakes, "short flagging", careless operation of the locomotive, not allowing enough time for switching, goofing off, etc.
But here's what I think of the latter part of BaltACD's list from above - which are not bad habits, but necessities ! (IMHO)
Caffeine - to stay awake and alert;
Profanity - to demonstrate that one is awake and alert;
Complaining - to demonstrate that one is paying attention.
Someone once wrote that "After the requisite amount of [female dog]-ing and moaning", they proceeded to get to work. That was written by a person who'd been around the railroad - it comes with the territory. Often the guy you should worry about is the one who isn't complaining - either he's not paying attention, doesn't understand, or he's about to leave you, etc. By complaining you at least know that 'his head's in the game". But then, I learned early on to not take it personally . . .
- Paul North.
Yep, what Paul D north Jr said.
eolafan Not being a RR employee, my guess is the worst "habit" or trait is not being thankful they even have a job in these times.
I didn't know that being thankful for a job means you can't complain about it's bad parts....
One thing about bad operating habits is that they tend to catch up to you. Sometimes the results aren't pretty.
For that reason, you won't find a lot of people with bad operating habits. They may complain about rules and procedures, but at the base of it, they want to go home and have a job to come back to. So they'll 'take the safe course.'
Bad life habits, yes. Personal hygiene comes to mind...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
There are worse jobs than RRing. In the 1980s I was working in a meat packing plant and one morning I walked into the locker room and said "Hey did any of you guys see America's Most Wanted last night?"
The whole plant emptied out and half of them never came back.
Reality TV is to reality, what Professional Wrestling is to Professional Brain Surgery.
I do not know how many passenger conductors would be guilty of violating Rule H now, but I recall an MP conductor who had a can that he used as a cuspidor at his seat. I'm sure he was very careful when interacting with the passengers tht his violation was not evident.
Johnny
There is a BIG difference between complaining about the truly negative aspsects of a job and constantly BI--CH--G about just about everything. These days there are PLENTY of folks who would love to have our jobs, warts and all...in order to pay their bills and even to have a roof over their heads and to pay for the groceries. You can indeed complain about anything you wish, but remember your boss is NOT obligated to keep you, me or anybody else.
LOL..
BI-CH--G is what keeps us sane. If you come to work whistling, you're going to get pee-tested!
It's tradition! I do my job - and I do it to the best of my ability. But I reserve the right to complain just the same...
By all means Zug, be my guest and B--T-H all you want and see what happens...eventually.
Every occupation has gripes and whiners.
Like govt employees. Strive to meet the minimum requirements! Then complain that your overworked.
My welder friend once told me, Welders are like old hookers. They always want more heat, more rods and more money.
Mechanics like myself probably have more complaints then any other blue collar occupation. No other job in the world requires you to have a million dollars worth of tools to make $15 an hour.
Its a god given right to complain about your job.
Smoking, drinking, and cussing are probably not the worst habit we can have.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
eolafan By all means Zug, be my guest and B--T-H all you want and see what happens...eventually.
Posts like the above are starting to make me think twice about posting much of anything to this site anymore. I get sick and tired of people questioning my ability and dedication to my profession.
A shame...
My job has nothing to do with railroading, but let me tell you of the guys and gals on my job stopped b!#(#ing, it would mean they don't care anymore. If I was in charge, THAT would scare me more than anything else!
I am not sure what Baltimore is like these days, however if you take out alcohol the rest will leave you a normal day in Calumet City...
An "expensive model collector"
There are two kinds of railroaders. The ones that quit after six months, and the ones that retire after forty years.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
zugmann eolafan: By all means Zug, be my guest and B--T-H all you want and see what happens...eventually. Posts like the above are starting to make me think twice about posting much of anything to this site anymore. I get sick and tired of people questioning my ability and dedication to my profession. A shame...
eolafan: By all means Zug, be my guest and B--T-H all you want and see what happens...eventually.
Nevermind..
"+1" to what Firelock76 said above.
To improve something, first you have to identify the problems with it. Listening to the complaints is one way of doing that.
A contrary thought: Some therapist-types say that "complaining" - as in to anyone other than the person who can change the problem - is not useful and depressing, stressful, etc. But it can be a "coping mechanism" . . .
The caveperson who invented candles was probably resented by his/ her peers for constantly cursing the darkness . . .
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