I've got a migrane.
Balt.
Thanks for the discussion. I think we can both agree that hindsight is 20/20.
Around here when the YM is in touch with the dispatcher, things go rather smoothly. Some YMs have not figured this out yet. During briefings I will suggest to the YM that he calls the dispatcher so we can get updated train arrival times. Sometimes, if we need the main for some work, we can tell the dispatcher we will be using the main until "x" time. That way he/she can plan his movements. Sometimes the dispatcher will tell us don't block the main at "x" time because I have a crew short on time. We work together to keep the wheels turning.
There definitely needs to be better communication between YMs and dispatchers.
I respect dispatchers totally. I have to. I don't know how they do it sometimes. Like you mentioned, mechanical failure, crews out of time, are just two of the common problems they need to deal with. Not to mention the emergency calls from grade crossing accidents that must be very stressful. The dispatchers I deal with regularly are good people. I don't know what they look like, but I know them by voice and by name. When time permits, we even joke around a bit.
I respect what you do, and your part in the big picture is critical.
I would like to explore the KCS/CP merger idea a bit more. I have read what others have said about it and I think only one person touched on what I believe is the critical point. That is, if the STB would approve or not.
Historically, CP was untouchable as the Canadian government used the CPR to block possible American expansion into Canada. That was a long time ago. Today the CPR is owned by an American. The CEO is American. Historical arguments don't hold ground anymore. CP is already American in my eyes.
To me CP/KCS is a perfect marriage. It would be a powerhouse. Vancouver to Montreal to Texas and Mexico. No other class 1 would have that kind of reach. Even CN doesn't have direct access to Mexico.
As a possible merger, money doesn't matter. If the two CEOs can agree and the shareholders can agree, and they will, they will find a way to make it happen financially.
The critical point is the STB. After the last round of mergers, SP/UP, ATSF/BN, CN/IC and the breakup of Conrail, the STB said that is it. Anymore mergers would reduce competition and thus create all kinds of monopolistic problems for shippers.
CP and KCS are the two smallest class 1s. I believe the merger of these two roads can be argued as an increase in competition. How? CN basically has a monopoly on North/South movements from Canada to Texas, Yes, other roads have North and South mains, but only CN reaches as far north. This is the critical selling point: A CP/KCS merger will create competition for the North/South traffic which is becoming more important than the traditional East/West flows. A properly designed submission to the STB using this angle could pass the sniff test. I think the payoff is worth the risk.
Ok, this brings us back to my view of the railroad at the switch stand level. I don't know what is going on at such high levels. I don't know what CEOs are thinking about and I don't know the regulatory considerations for such merger.
I might have some of my historical facts wrong, but that is ok. You guys know what I mean.
I am happy we have a place like this where we can bounce our ideas off each other for validity. I hope that someone with the clout to make my vision come true is here reading our posts. Unfortunately, I might have the dream and the vision, but I don't have the skill to put together a merger plan to the STB. I have no idea what these government agencies require.
Again thanks for letting me rant.
UP had their problems with on and off congestion long before they bought SP - and those "problems" continued on for another dozen years to one degree or another until the recession "solved" their capacity, crew, power, and congestion "problem".
Dick Eisfeller
cptrainman I would like to explore the KCS/CP merger idea a bit more. I have read what others have said about it and I think only one person touched on what I believe is the critical point. That is, if the STB would approve or not. Historically, CP was untouchable as the Canadian government used the CPR to block possible American expansion into Canada. That was a long time ago. Today the CPR is owned by an American. The CEO is American. Historical arguments don't hold ground anymore. CP is already American in my eyes. To me CP/KCS is a perfect marriage. It would be a powerhouse. Vancouver to Montreal to Texas and Mexico. No other class 1 would have that kind of reach. Even CN doesn't have direct access to Mexico. As a possible merger, money doesn't matter. If the two CEOs can agree and the shareholders can agree, and they will, they will find a way to make it happen financially. The critical point is the STB. After the last round of mergers, SP/UP, ATSF/BN, CN/IC and the breakup of Conrail, the STB said that is it. Anymore mergers would reduce competition and thus create all kinds of monopolistic problems for shippers. CP and KCS are the two smallest class 1s. I believe the merger of these two roads can be argued as an increase in competition. How? CN basically has a monopoly on North/South movements from Canada to Texas, Yes, other roads have North and South mains, but only CN reaches as far north. This is the critical selling point: A CP/KCS merger will create competition for the North/South traffic which is becoming more important than the traditional East/West flows. A properly designed submission to the STB using this angle could pass the sniff test. I think the payoff is worth the risk. Ok, this brings us back to my view of the railroad at the switch stand level. I don't know what is going on at such high levels. I don't know what CEOs are thinking about and I don't know the regulatory considerations for such merger. I might have some of my historical facts wrong, but that is ok. You guys know what I mean. I am happy we have a place like this where we can bounce our ideas off each other for validity. I hope that someone with the clout to make my vision come true is here reading our posts. Unfortunately, I might have the dream and the vision, but I don't have the skill to put together a merger plan to the STB. I have no idea what these government agencies require. Again thanks for letting me rant.
Dan
Ok the hammer is comming down for the new year and the plan will be announced the first week of December.
http://www.bnn.ca/News/2012/8/20/CPs-sweeping-plan-to-come-in-December.aspx
Other than that it has been quiet. The only change that affects me is the getting on and getting off moving equipement rule has been removed and replaced with a 4mph rule.
I suspect this is the calm before the storm.
Looks like they are thinking of moving down to the Shepard Intermodal Yard. Nothing wrong with that, I just don't think it will make all that much difference.
When is the last time you ever heard of a corporate, or home move for that matter, that didn't incur unexpected additional costs. I don't see this idea making all that much of an improvement to the OR.
If the current landlord of Gulf Canada Square has someone chomping at the bit to move into that space and are willing to pay CP a premium for quitting their lease, that might be a worthwhile incentive.
We are going to need to see a lot more than this to get the big changes to the OR they have been promising.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
RE:
5 Hunter asks what he, the condr is doing, getting off after the train stops. If not a taunting question, does it mean he did not know the operating rules which derive their authority from him? A twit....rhymes with--
6 inter terminal transfers, between Toronto and Montreal? But seriousely, 15 mph is dangerous on jointed-track; 12 t0 22 mph on jointed track provides more rock-n-roll than those enshrined in that Cleveland museum gave us. Provide enough hp per ton to get a transfer drag to 25mph....sure.
7 All hump operations in Canada. That means, I guess, that Canadians aren't able to make a humpyard perform; some genetic difference between them and the rails('roaders) who work at North Platte, Clearing, Pig's Eye, Selkirk, Roseville,....?
I think the change of address of the corporate headquarters is designed to shake the place up. You know when you move your home a lot garbage gets cleaned out. It makes grassroots sense to put the new HQ in view of a yard. It kinds of reminds everybody what we are here for.
Long term it makes sense financially as CP is paying a lease at Gulf Canada Square. The new building they will own outright. Cost analysis is simple in this case.
I guarantee the OR will come down significantly. Whether its gets down to 65 is another story. Unless you work there, you don't really know how bad it has become.
Either way, times are a changin' and it will be interesting on so many levels.
efftenxrfe RE: 5 Hunter asks what he, the condr is doing, getting off after the train stops. If not a taunting question, does it mean he did not know the operating rules which derive their authority from him? A twit....rhymes with-- 6 inter terminal transfers, between Toronto and Montreal? But seriousely, 15 mph is dangerous on jointed-track; 12 t0 22 mph on jointed track provides more rock-n-roll than those enshrined in that Cleveland museum gave us. Provide enough hp per ton to get a transfer drag to 25mph....sure. 7 All hump operations in Canada. That means, I guess, that Canadians aren't able to make a humpyard perform; some genetic difference between them and the rails('roaders) who work at North Platte, Clearing, Pig's Eye, Selkirk, Roseville,....?
Regarding 5.
I don't think that person will have a job much longer. It is typical of the managment currently at CP. The same people who sit in bushes to watch us and try to catch us breaking rules when they don't know the rules themselves. Each time I have been suspected of breaking a rule by a manager I was able to show them they were wrong and that I was working within the rules.
Regarding 6.
Between Toronto and Montreal? That would not be a inter-terminal transfer. That would be a train from city to city. In any one terminal area there could be 1 or more yards. Cars get shuffled between these yards constantly. Bringing the speed to track speed will allow the crews more time for switching. I know where I work, the rail is CWR.
Regarding 7.
CP currently does not have the volume of traffic to justify the cost of running a hump yard. Hunter did this at CN too. He did not shut down all the humps but some were. If the traffic levels increase, a hump could be reopened as the infrastructure will still be in place.
Well it's been pretty quiet since my last post but lately there have been developments that are affecting me directly.
All local assignments are cancelled and re-bulletined with a net loss of 5 assignments.
All local agreements have been withdrawn regarding rates of pay and travel allowances. We are reverting back to the collective agreement which does not pay as generously as the local agreements. The loss in pay is in the double digits percentage wise. Some people are going to be hit hard.
My family is not too happy as I cannot tell them at this time where I am going to end up. The loss of pay for me I estimate, conservatively, to be 10% to 20% per year.
Its going to be a big **** sandwich and we are all going to have to take a bite.
cptrainman All local assignments are cancelled and re-bulletined with a net loss of 5 assignments. All local agreements have been withdrawn regarding rates of pay and travel allowances. We are reverting back to the collective agreement which does not pay as generously as the local agreements. The loss in pay is in the double digits percentage wise.
All local agreements have been withdrawn regarding rates of pay and travel allowances. We are reverting back to the collective agreement which does not pay as generously as the local agreements. The loss in pay is in the double digits percentage wise.
These local agreements were the result of the "Fort McMurray Effect" wherein hourly rates of pay for unskilled labouroers were up to 50% higher there, than in Calgary or Edmonton. Skilled blue collar workers rates were increased by a lessor amount because of their higher base pay to begin with. Fort McMurray is the base of operations for all of the Alberta Oil Sands projects, for the benefit of our American readers. This is the same cause that led to the closure of the Ogden Shops in Calgary.
This is going to make retaining employees in the under 40 age group, and single men demographics, extremely difficult to do. Especially when you factor in the more normal straight shift/regular days off, lifestyle. It's not like they can close down Edmonton, but the company is going to have to figure out how to charge more for the haul in and out of Edmonton and the switching at the other end of the trip, because those high wages aren't going to go away for a couple of more decades, or so.
EHH would have already seen this problem during his CNR tenure, but they had the advantage of more throughput to bear the wage burden. Getting qualified new employees in Alberta ought to be a real treat too, if they continue to offer standard Canadian company wide wage rates for those jobs.
You are going to have to put up with a few difficult months ahead, but this problem will straighten itself out real sudden if they plan to continue operating here.
cptrainmanTake a drive the Alyth. I believe the hump is shut down already. Hunter says if you cannot hump 1500 cars a day, then it is not viable. At best Alyth was humping 1000 a day. If it is not closed yet. It will be soon.
I meant to add to my previous post that there was an uncorroborated report on a Canadian RR forum last week that the Alyth hump was/still is in operation.
AgentKid cptrainmanTake a drive the Alyth. I believe the hump is shut down already. Hunter says if you cannot hump 1500 cars a day, then it is not viable. At best Alyth was humping 1000 a day. If it is not closed yet. It will be soon. I meant to add to my previous post that there was an uncorroborated report on a Canadian RR forum last week that the Alyth hump was/still is in operation. Bruce
I watched two large cuts being pushed over the Alyth hump yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. It very definitely is still in operation. I had heard that it may have been shut down as an experiment, but resulting congestion meant it was quickly returned to operation. Whether they are humping on all three shifts is unknown to me.
What the longer term holds is open to question. If the trains arrive in Calgary mostly pre-blocked from the originating points, flat switching could be very workable. But there will be a lot more switching required at those other yards.
John
As a frontline manager at Alyths CPR facility I will be the first to tell you things in Calgary are at an all time low. I have been a manager within CP for 25+ years an have seen both the good and the bad.
Aug 13 - Alyth made a 5 day attempt to close down hump operations. This turned out to be an utter failure. Within 5 days the yard which has a capacity of 2500 cars was at a implement standstill. Trains and customer traffic was flooded from east to west causing a complete yard meltdown. The hump was fired back up and has been for the last month. It took 3 weeks to clean up the mess shutting down the hump created.
1 month later here we are again September 17th - we are going to try it again. Frontline managers have been given little or no guidance into how this operation is going to work. Needless to say there is little or no plan. We will see how long it takes this time but my bet is within 7 days we will be virtually shut down again. Except this time there is no going back, we will be forced to deal with the fall out and as managers find a way to make it work.
As for rumors , cp will be moving to the old Ogden shops early into 2013. That is 100% they are paying way to much to rent space at GCS and this will enable them to free up huge costs.
The management at alyth in the operations will be cut in half. It has already begun and thy are consolidating many management positions. Although they have yet to announce any major staffing changes, Upper management does have a plan but is operating much like the CIA "top secret" they will not disclose who hey will keep or who they will fire but it is known though the ranks that people will go and be going fast.
They are managing be fear, employees scared for their jobs, disgruntled about how their positions have been virtually turned upsidedown. The company is using scare tactics and rumours to bully their managment into more difficult work and increased workloads with no compensation as of yet.
The feeling is that they will want to keep as many managers on through this initial change, once they have converted to full flat switching they will then start to cut around the edges until management is down to the skeleton they want it to be. The next step will be strictly based on performance. If you cannot except the change, adapt and commit you will be gone, secondly if you cannot execute you will be gone.
There is little or no structure coming from upper management, they seem to feel like emails patting themselves on the back or throwing people under the bus seem to make te company run. Fact is their frontline managers at our terminal are all ready to walk out the door. You can only take getting dumped on so much and without a drastic improvement in pay I woud say most will be gone within the year. People have already started to crack and I believe this is part of the process they wan to implement to get people to quit or snap and get fired.
As for running trades employees we work with, managers look like complete and utter idiots to them. The only consistency we have is the ability to change the plan from day to day because everything is so screwed up.
Crews in the last 24 Hours have been given lists with 40-60 passes on 75 cars, switching into a cluster of traffic headed in all directions. With one switching lead and 3-5 crews most of the money is being spent sitting on the locomotives watching other crews work while they have shut down either the east or west end of the yard.
In the end change is good, change is what this company needed but in any business leadership by fear only works for so long. Sooner or later your employees will turn on you and the window at CP is slowly closing. From a company that is slowly falling apart we are all becoming hunters slaves one way or another.
The funniest part of all this is that the fat cats at the top, the puppet masters like hunter, Akman and he crew of cronies will be around just long enough to make their billions off he stock before thy disappear like a ghost in the night and leve the company in shambles. I will be back to post 4 years from now when they re open the hump yards in the cp line and start to repair the damages left behind by hunter just like they are currently doing now at CN.
Disgruntled CPR employee (25+ years of Service)
They never told me when I signed up it would be more like "25 to Life in Alyth Prison"
They are shutting down some facilities. I stopped by their Schiller Park intermodal yard in Chicagoland and it was empty. Not a single railcar in sight. It was full the last time I was there a few months back.
my original post at the top here mentioned that chicago is losing one intermodal yard. Should save lots of money there not to mention the loss of jobs.
Schiller Park in IL and Milwaukee, WI are both done as far as CP is concerned.
Other things I've heard - 1) DME & ICE to KCS2) Bensenville Yard (including CP line from KC, MO to there) to KCS3) CP to acquire IHB (like CN & EJE)
CNW 6000 Schiller Park in IL and Milwaukee, WI are both done as far as CP is concerned. Other things I've heard - 1) DME & ICE to KCS2) Bensenville Yard (including CP line from KC, MO to there) to KCS3) CP to acquire IHB (like CN & EJE)
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics
Hunter slave As a frontline manager at Alyths CPR facility I will be the first to tell you things in Calgary are at an all time low. I have been a manager within CP for 25+ years an have seen both the good and the bad. Aug 13 - Alyth made a 5 day attempt to close down hump operations. This turned out to be an utter failure. Within 5 days the yard which has a capacity of 2500 cars was at a implement standstill. Trains and customer traffic was flooded from east to west causing a complete yard meltdown. The hump was fired back up and has been for the last month. It took 3 weeks to clean up the mess shutting down the hump created. 1 month later here we are again September 17th - we are going to try it again. Frontline managers have been given little or no guidance into how this operation is going to work. Needless to say there is little or no plan. We will see how long it takes this time but my bet is within 7 days we will be virtually shut down again. Except this time there is no going back, we will be forced to deal with the fall out and as managers find a way to make it work. As for rumors , cp will be moving to the old Ogden shops early into 2013. That is 100% they are paying way to much to rent space at GCS and this will enable them to free up huge costs. The management at alyth in the operations will be cut in half. It has already begun and thy are consolidating many management positions. Although they have yet to announce any major staffing changes, Upper management does have a plan but is operating much like the CIA "top secret" they will not disclose who hey will keep or who they will fire but it is known though the ranks that people will go and be going fast. They are managing be fear, employees scared for their jobs, disgruntled about how their positions have been virtually turned upsidedown. The company is using scare tactics and rumours to bully their managment into more difficult work and increased workloads with no compensation as of yet. The feeling is that they will want to keep as many managers on through this initial change, once they have converted to full flat switching they will then start to cut around the edges until management is down to the skeleton they want it to be. The next step will be strictly based on performance. If you cannot except the change, adapt and commit you will be gone, secondly if you cannot execute you will be gone. There is little or no structure coming from upper management, they seem to feel like emails patting themselves on the back or throwing people under the bus seem to make te company run. Fact is their frontline managers at our terminal are all ready to walk out the door. You can only take getting dumped on so much and without a drastic improvement in pay I woud say most will be gone within the year. People have already started to crack and I believe this is part of the process they wan to implement to get people to quit or snap and get fired. As for running trades employees we work with, managers look like complete and utter idiots to them. The only consistency we have is the ability to change the plan from day to day because everything is so screwed up. Crews in the last 24 Hours have been given lists with 40-60 passes on 75 cars, switching into a cluster of traffic headed in all directions. With one switching lead and 3-5 crews most of the money is being spent sitting on the locomotives watching other crews work while they have shut down either the east or west end of the yard. In the end change is good, change is what this company needed but in any business leadership by fear only works for so long. Sooner or later your employees will turn on you and the window at CP is slowly closing. From a company that is slowly falling apart we are all becoming hunters slaves one way or another. The funniest part of all this is that the fat cats at the top, the puppet masters like hunter, Akman and he crew of cronies will be around just long enough to make their billions off he stock before thy disappear like a ghost in the night and leve the company in shambles. I will be back to post 4 years from now when they re open the hump yards in the cp line and start to repair the damages left behind by hunter just like they are currently doing now at CN. Disgruntled CPR employee (25+ years of Service) They never told me when I signed up it would be more like "25 to Life in Alyth Prison"
Did no one at CP remember their history, I lived in a prairie city in the 50's & 60's with a huge CPR railyard, we heard horror stories about how employees were treated as indentured slaves, my best friends dad was a steam hogger (on a goat) and had 2 years to go before retirement, he was followed around and fired for stepping on a rail, (a standard CPR method) this devastated him and his family- no pension. nice eh? There are going to be changes made in the future that no one can even imagine, this company will completely change in methods, staff, location, operations etc. etc. and you are going to see massive equipment changes like no other railway in North America, (it's already on it's way)
While what is happening is not funny, perhaps this picture of a suitable vehicle for the "Hunter slaves" will give a little light relief for those having to endure the new CPR management.
Back when the proxy battle was in full swing I suggested that management change was badly needed, but that EHH was a flawed alternative. Some of what he has done has been common sense, but rumour has it that the Board has already had to apply some restraint.
Dear CP & CN:
Thank you for NOT hiring me in 1981. You stated that my glasses would keep me out of train service, and when I completed college I never got any response from either of you on my interest in a management position. Well, its 31 years later..I'm 100% owner of my own transportation business..living the gold plated lifestyle... and at almost 50 years old I can retire any time I want to... THANK YOU!!!!
Yours sincerely,
Ulrich
CP has announced that they are discontinuing "hump scaling". and have closed their Toronto and Calgary hump operations. Presumably this will save them money. I guess they are depending on the customers to report the weight of the cars they load. This presumes they will do it accurately, and the penalty in the form of liability for a wreck caused by an over loaded car will be sufficient incentive to do it right. That kind of thinking doesn't bring back the lives of anyone killed in such a wreck. With a 2.2% WB downgrade on the way to Vancouver, thinking all customers are crooks would seem to me a more prudent approach.
http://www.cpr.ca/en/customer-centre/customer-bulletins/Pages/ChangestoCanadianPacific%E2%80%99sSupplementalServiceTariffs1and2-EffectiveNovember9,2012.aspx
From an Email I got today:
><snip>>Tuesday, approximately twenty Labor Leaders from various crafts>on the SOO Line , DM&E and D&H met with CP's President and CEO E. Hunter>Harrison at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.>>Along with Hunter Harrison, Doug McFarlane, Vice President U.S.>Operations, Rick Wilson, Director of Labor Relations for CP, and Randall B.>Ohm, newly appointed Director Labor Relations - U.S. were in attendance.>Doug McFarlane started the meeting with a "Take 5 for Safety" and introduced>Mr. Harrison to the group.>>Mr. Harrison gave us a brief history of his railroad career (which most>people are fairly familiar with) and then went on to tell us what his>"vision" is for CP as we go forward under his leadership. He did say that>his tenure at CP will be relatively brief, that he had signed on for a four>year term to turn CP around and make it profitable and bring the operating>ratio down from the worst in the industry to one in the mid 60% range. To>accomplish this, he said there would have to be a reduction in the labor>force, not only unionized but in management. He made the statement that CP>was very "top heavy" at the top, especially in Calgary. He said in the next>two to four weeks, there would be at least three or four Senior Executive>positions eliminated and NOT be replaced. He did not disclose which>positions those are, but announcements would be made when the cuts are done.>>In the field, most cuts would be made by shutting down hump yards across the>system and making them flat switching yards. He said the hump yards at>Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Alyth (Calgary), and Bensenville (Chicago)>would be shut down. This is being down because 70% of CP's trains are unit>trains including coal, grain, potash, sulfur, ethanol and oil trains. The>manifest traffic we have can more efficiently be classified at a flat>switching facility. However, on a positive note, one hump facility that>will be retained and improved and expanded is the facility in St Paul. He>said this facility will take on a more important role in the classification>of trains moving between the U.S. and Canada. He also said many employees>will be given the opportunity to relocate and train in other locations they>may be needed, if they weren't interested in this, there wouldn't be work>for them.>>As for lines in the U.S., he said the DM&E west of Pierre, S.D. would>probably be sold off to a short line or other Class I that might be>interested in it. He also said that he had no plans to build into the>Powder River Basis, as was planned when the CP purchased the property.>He said the physical plant and the amount of business on the railroad west>of Pierre did not justify keeping it.>>He then spoke about the D&H. He claims that since CP purchased the D&H in>1990, they have never made any money on the property (which I believe is a>bit exaggerated). He said in its current state, the D&H represents a cost>heavy Class II railroad. However, he isn't giving up on the property quite>yet. He said he has meetings scheduled with connecting Carriers (obviously>CSX and NS) to discuss possible shorter routes for our traffic in exchange>for these carriers to operate their trains via shorter routes over the D&H.>He didn't mention selling off any of the property, but it's certainly a>possibility.>>He mentioned that there are big business opportunities for CP in the oil>business out of North Dakota to destinations in Philadelphia and New Jersey;>but to be profitable it makes more sense to move the oil east of Chicago via>NS and/or CSX rather than over the current route via Detroit, Toronto and>Buffalo to Binghamton and then over the D&H and trackage rights to>Philadelphia. Certainly, what is done on the DM&E and D&H will have an>effect on our office and the territories we dispatch.
http://www.youtube.com/user/pavabo
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulvbox
Interesting email to say the least about EHH's intentions for the US. It is now obvious that changes are coming fast now at all levels and at all locations. I'm feeling it and so are my coworkers.
I predicted in my original post to this thread, "we will start railroading again", and "managers will start to flinch". Just today one of my coworkers said to me, "we are starting to railroad again". I couldn't believe it. He said my exact words. As far as managers go, the upper and middle managers are starting to flinch as they are now being held accountable for their decisions. I still have not seen trainmasters performing at a level that I would expect, but I am sure that is coming soon.
Upper management is already being cut. This past week has seen the departure of one operations executive.
Specifically, I don't want to expand on what is happening around here as it would expose where and possibly who I am. I will say that things were so bad pre-EHH that employees with about 4 or 5 years of service and less have had to be retrained to operate efficiently. Some of the safety rules that we thought were excessive were removed and rumor has it that more safety rules will be relaxed. Some might think that is terrible but if you have read my original post, you will know that CP was excessively safe to the point that we stopped railroading.
Management is being trained as conductors and engineers. This hasn't really ruffled the feathers of us workers too much as they only seem to work when there are no unionized employees available. Up to this point management never really knew what was occurring on the ground (some do as they had experience before becoming management). In my opinion they should know.
I think that management is akin to officers in the military and the unionized employees are the NCOs. However, the management here rarely takes care of their employes instead they bully them. To me that is a weak and counter productive management style. Just like in the military, a good officer who takes care of his/her men will gain the respect of the men and those men will put their life on the line for them. We talk about who the "good" trainmasters are and who are "bad". Always, we will say that we would be happy to go the extra mile for the "good" trainmaster and will do nothing extra for the "bad" trainmaster.
Generally speaking there are lots of stories of EHH coming to senior management and asking why a particular situation is occurring. Then he says that is he/she does not know the answer that either they are lying or they are not aware of their area of responsibility. Either way it cannot be good for that person.
December will prove to be very interesting when EHH makes public his operating plan.
Here it comes. A wave of EHH is hitting all of us now (except for a couple of trainmasters still hiding behind their desks).
The firings have started and the number of operation's employees out-of-service is starting to grow.
This week 7 employees either fired or out-of-service in my terminal alone. This, well *ucks!!!
On a positive note a further relaxation of a couple of safety rules (I know it's an oxymoron, but we were dying because of excessive safety).
3-point protection has gone back to the way of pre-3-point days. Except now we are calling it 3-point rather than "cutting them in". It has been left to the discretion of the engineer or crew whether the independent can hold a cut of cars or not. Also 3-point protection is not required unless your torso breaks the plane of the rail. Previously, we were getting 3-point with automatic brake every time we stopped. Did not matter what task was being performed and how many cars we had or what the grade was. It was brutal. Even after the first night of the relaxed 3-point, I could feel the increase in efficiency.
Bottling the air. Well not really in the classic sense, but after securing a cut of cars and banging the air we are now allowed to have the cocks on both ends closed. This was always a strange one to me as our GOI already allowed this but our "safe operations guide" did not. Anyhow, they changed the "safe operations guide" to match the intention of the GOI.
Operations wise is obviously lost on the management, locally, that is. Assignments are changing so frequently even the low-level managers are saying they don't know what is going on. They just wait and see if somebody shows up or not. However, one of my suggestions months ago about how to eliminate our bottlenecks is being implemented (though they still do not see the objective of the plan, that is to run directional yards).
There is a lot of flinching and twitching among us now...All of us.
cptrainman * * * Bottling the air. Well not really in the classic sense, but after securing a cut of cars and banging the air we are now allowed to have the cocks on both ends closed. This was always a strange one to me as our GOI already allowed this but our "safe operations guide" did not. Anyhow, they changed the "safe operations guide" to match the intention of the GOI. * * *
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In response to cptrainman, I've had some been involvement railroad mergers. From what I know about CP and KCS, I would think that a merger between them would have a pretty good chance at STB.
As I read it, STB's heartburn with a possible CN-BNSF merger some years ago was driven mostly by a concern that it would trigger another wave of big consolidations in response which would reshape and further consolidate the entire industry. This, in turn, would likely have led to substantial reregulation of the industry by Congress, not to mention all of the attendant service problems that seem to be inevitable in these transactions. I don't see how a CP-KCS merger would be likely to lead to another big merger wave, particularly if the merging partners make some pre-merger deals with BNSF and UP to protect their access to Mexican markets (I believe, in fact, that the current STB merger regs are explicitly somewhat less rigorous for mergers involving KCS than mergers involving two larger Class I roads, but I would have to research this to be sure) .
Of course, it would still be a major regulatory proceeding - all Class I mergers are. But the ultimate issue is whether the merger would be anticompetitive, and its difficult to see how it would, given the lack of much overlap between the two systems. The wild card might be so called environmental effects. In recent mergers, the "environmental" issues have really taken center stage. These "environmental" issues don't have much to do with a clean envirnoment. Rather, they mostly involve objections to inceases in train traffic on some lines by NIMBY's. Look at what happened in the CN-EJE merger.
If you want to get a flavor of what's involved in a Class I merger, the best way I can think of is to simply read a STB merger decision (but make sure you have a couple of spare evenings - they are pretty big). I suggest the CN-IC merger, since it is more similar to a CP-KCS merger than a really big merger like BNSF, UP-SP, or NS-CSX-CR. The decision is available on the STB website.
http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/WEBUNID/6AE2EDA1784A01E38525677B006E9DE2?OpenDocument
I, too, don't know what the two CEO's are thinking. i suspect, however, that CP's management isn't thinking much about future mergers right now.
Falcon48 cptrainman * * * Bottling the air. Well not really in the classic sense, but after securing a cut of cars and banging the air we are now allowed to have the cocks on both ends closed. This was always a strange one to me as our GOI already allowed this but our "safe operations guide" did not. Anyhow, they changed the "safe operations guide" to match the intention of the GOI. * * * Curious about your statement on "bottling the air". In the U.S., FRA regulations prohibit this practice. FRA requires that, before leaving equipment unattended, brake pipe pressure must be reduced to zero and the angle cock left open on the first unit of the equipment left unattended (49 CFR 232.103(n)(2)). Perhaps this isn't the case in Canada.
Our rules do allow something like this for immediate run around moves where the locomotives will recouple into the car(s) on the opposite end. After cutting away and letting the brake system to go into emergency, wait one minute before closing the angle cock on the standing portion.
There is a note about not "bottling the air" and it's connotation is not to leave air pressure in the train line.
Jeff
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