What do think about M.W. Hemphill's column in Dec. TRAINS RE:the plight of T&E service?

[jeaton]

I could be wrong, but I think the Illinois Central had dead man's pedals on the E units in passenger service. In my one ride on the point, the engineer left his seat two or three times to use the facilities. I was surprised at first but then noticed where had stowed his grip. Of course, in those days there was a fireman in the left seat.

The health issues discussed in this topic are certainly worthy of serious consideration, not only as discussion among us forum members, but also out there in the real world. I'd like to add that the problem is not unique to the railroad industry. I have several aquaintances who have worked on automobile assembly lines for Chrysler-Belvidere and GM-Janesville who took there pensions as soon as eligible. Even though this is steady shift work, most said that the work over years took a toll on the body. While there are often things to do that are more fun, good personal health care, rest, excercise, diet, no tobacco, no or limited alcohol will mitigate the effects of job stress. I will still agree entirely with everybody that work conditions are the biggest part of the problem. I can't speak for railroad management, but it seems to me that many other companies are taking a more enlightened view on the need to consider work conditions when looking at employee health issues. I think it is clear that there is no way that freight railroads could solve the work condition issue by establishing scheduled operations. On the other hand, there have been some reasonable suggestions for work condition changes, such as allowing napping when stopped and limiting the number of work turns in a given period so that there is some interval of off days. Will that add to payroll cost? Good question. Health insurance expense, sick days, employee recruitment and training are all part of the deal and those costs are part of the motivation for the "enlighted" companies.

By the way I and some of the others posting here worked for railroads when the hours of service law allowed 16 hours on still with only 8 hours mandatory rest. Of course that changed. I believe truckers not only have the on duty/off duty requirements for day to day work, but also have limits on total hours for a work week. There is always the possibility that the "hours per week" feature may be added to railraod hours of service limits at some time in the future.

As for the compromises necessary when choosing between the job and the family, it is each to his own. I had to make those decisions more than once, and it is not easy, but I don't regret those times when I have sacrificed income for a better quality of personal or family life.

And so it goes...

Jay

[zardoz]

ValleyX - Deep inside I knew I wanted out, but how does one give up a $70K/year job, when it is, except for some teenage minimum-wage jobs, the only job I ever had. I hired out just after high school when I was 18, was through the six-month Engineer school and qualified before I was 20. I didn't know any other jobs, and was admittedly afraid of where I would land. In '81, business was slow enough that I got laid off for about six months. Not knowing if this was permanent, I began looking for employment. What I found was ten years as an engineer did not count for much towards any other occupation. When I was going throught the investigation procedure, I actually thought they would not fire me, as they were so busy (the reason I needed the time off). They called my bluff, and my full house did not compare to their four-of-a-kind.

[daveklepper]

Mark, you are usually right about these matters. But if the voting public really gets concerned, there will be the regulations. I guess what I am suggesting is that we figure out how to make them as painless to the industry as possible.

[ValleyX]

Z, I understand very well exactly what you're saying, my circumstances are not quite the same but enough that I can relate. One big difference is that in all this time, never had a period of being furloughed, even in the hard grim days of the early eighties, so now I'm nearing the end of the journey, relatively speaking, and have made the best of it.

Dave, what worries me is the voting public, who some of still wonder if we've got any steam, and the rest think we don't run trains because they don't run passengers, would get to make the decisions about how the industry would be governed, or some congressman, nearly the same thing.

[Anonymous]

I've been itching to do some T&E work for a few years after I graduate from college. However, the issue of off time has me concerned. Are there any Class I railroads/subdivisions which would allow me to get around 7 hours of sleep and an hour or so to weightlift (not counting commute time)? I have my eye on NS or BNSF, but have no idea of the working conditions. Thanks.

Carl

[arbfbe]

Powerlifter;

Reality is once in a while you might get the life style you are acking for. That will likely be irregular and short lived. Eight hours rest breaks down this way. Tie up and drive 30 minutes or more to your home. Eat, clean up, read mail, unwind and such, maybe another 30 minutes. This may be any time during the day or night, in fact it is more likely to be 0400 than 1600. The railroad will call you between 1'15" and 2'00" if they are busy. You need to get a meal, pack a lunch and drive to work. So at best you will have gotten 5'45" sleep, sort of short of the 7 hours you like to get. On top of this you have all the normal lifetime things like paying bills, shopping for staples, housework, friends, family, hobbiies, auto repairs and service and on and on. Sometimes you will get home and will only get an hour or two nap before you are called back to work. Maybe you will have enough seniority to bid a yard job. It will be the midnight shift for years if you are lucky, At least there you might get 16 hrs between shifts unless they are short of men when they will be calling you every 8 to work the OT and to work your days off as well. Talk to the rails in the areas you might like to work to find out how the situation is where they are. There will be lots of opportunities in the next 3-7 years while the 60/30 retirement plan kicks in.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by powerlifter

I've been itching to do some T&E work for a few years after I graduate from college. However, the issue of off time has me concerned. Are there any Class I railroads/subdivisions which would allow me to get around 7 hours of sleep and an hour or so to weightlift (not counting commute time)? I have my eye on NS or BNSF, but have no idea of the working conditions. Thanks.

Carl

FOFLMAO...

Carl, I don't want to sound mean spirited, but what you are suggesting is a VERY regular schedule compared to what you can expect on the RR, any RR. Remember, when you are starting out you will go through a few months training and after that will head for the extra board. That literally means being on call ALL the time. The schedule by arbfe above is pretty close to reality, but let me add a couple of twists from my own perspective. I live 90 minutes from my terminal at speed limit speeds (65). Back under Conrail our agreement was 2 hour call. The NS (Nickel Plate) is 90 minute call. As you can imagine, for me and many others that is a difficult way to work. I would move closer, but my wife has a good job here and the kids are in a good school district and established here.

A typical run starts when I get home from the last trip. This assumes I am either on the extra board or holding a pool job. I get my clothes into the laundry que and grab some clean ones and repack my grip. I check my lantern and flashlight batteries, put my portable (radio) battery into the charger and make sandwiches and pull together most of a lunch for the next trip and put it in the fridge. Go through mail and e-mail, pay whatever bills that are my responsibility. Luckily, my wife handles most of the paperwork and food shopping. I then grab a shower and head for bed. Before I tuck in I check the stand line to see where I show, if I do and/or call the caller to check on when I can expect to be called again. This is usually a minimum of 2 hours after I walk in the door. So we are already at 3 1/2 hours since I marked off the last trip. Most times I get about 5 to 6 hours sleep and get right up. Remember, I can be and have been called out again after eight hours (unless I have worked 12 hours or more, then I get 10 hours rest time) so from the time I get home I can expect to be called in a minimum of five hours. I immediately shower and check with the caller, if he or she didn't wake me up. Most of the time I'm usually second or even first out by then. If there is time I handle other chores and errands and always fuel my car and check the oil. If there is time and they are home from school or activities I spend it with my kids reading or in the back yard.

So, from my perspective your hope of 7 hours sleep on a minimum call I would get at best 3 hours. Forget about the weightlifting in those situations. There is no schedule in railroading only a kind of rythym that you develop with time and understanding how to play the system to make your life as tolerable as possible.

LC

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by u6729csx

QUOTE: Originally posted by arbfbe


While the system in the Soviet Union may have imploded of it's own ineffeciencies they had a few things that were far advanced to what capitalist managers accept as good management techniques. Note that the WC was mostly a 7 and 3 railroad for train crews but CN has been working hard to change that to a 6 and 1 operation. Let's see, crews that were getting 9 days a month off duty will now be getting 4 days off. Some of those days may be eatten up by trips from the previous day that work into the day off. This is progress?

You can afford to do things such as the Soviets did, when you get to spend from the public money trough and don't have to answer to stockholders that have invested in your venture. The building of the Trans-Sieberian Railway bankrupt the Csars and Russia that built it, and such techniques would also bankrupt the 'for profit' railroad model.

When does defending a 44 hour work week evidence of a vast Communist plot and a clear sign of "Creeping Socialism" . Seems such name calling is designed to schelch debate and not deal with the problem. Human are not Diesel-Electric locomotives where you just turn them on the ready track (in warm weather ) and be ready to go in a matter of minutes.

It seems to me that the RR's were more scheduled in the steam era than now even for freights , when it took hours to get road power ready and the freights had to be scheduled to stay out the way of the passenger traffic. That is how O. Winston Link got those fantastic photograghs because even the coal drag hauling N&W scheduled their freights and Mr. had a copy of the timetable.

Human beings are not machines unfortunately capitalist forces do not recognize and/or ignore this but again unfortunately government forces should. The aviation industry has long recognized tis but the railroad industry seems determined not to.

Do we need another "collision at Gunpow" or a Bopol, India type incident involving a haz-mat for the RR industry to change??

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Colin

QUOTE: Originally posted by u6729csx

QUOTE: Originally posted by arbfbe


While the system in the Soviet Union may have imploded of it's own ineffeciencies they had a few things that were far advanced to what capitalist managers accept as good management techniques. Note that the WC was mostly a 7 and 3 railroad for train crews but CN has been working hard to change that to a 6 and 1 operation. Let's see, crews that were getting 9 days a month off duty will now be getting 4 days off. Some of those days may be eatten up by trips from the previous day that work into the day off. This is progress?

You can afford to do things such as the Soviets did, when you get to spend from the public money trough and don't have to answer to stockholders that have invested in your venture. The building of the Trans-Sieberian Railway bankrupt the Csars and Russia that built it, and such techniques would also bankrupt the 'for profit' railroad model.

When does defending a 44 hour work week evidence of a vast Communist plot and a clear sign of "Creeping Socialism" . Seems such name calling is designed to schelch debate and not deal with the problem. Human are not Diesel-Electric locomotives where you just turn them on the ready track (in warm weather ) and be ready to go in a matter of minutes.

It seems to me that the RR's were more scheduled in the steam era than now even for freights , when it took hours to get road power ready and the freights had to be scheduled to stay out the way of the passenger traffic. That is how O. Winston Link got those fantastic photograghs because even the coal drag hauling N&W scheduled their freights and Mr. had a copy of the timetable.

Human beings are not machines unfortunately capitalist forces do not recognize and/or ignore this but again unfortunately government forces should. The aviation industry has long recognized tis but the railroad industry seems determined not to.

Do we need another "collision at Gunpow" or a Bopol, India type incident involving a haz-mat for the RR industry to change??

In the steam era we had about 2 Million people employed by Class 1 railroads versus around 180,000 people today. We could never afford to pay a living wage to that many people today. Sorry Colin, you can't force socialism on a capitalist model. It doesn't work. "Bhopal" was an incident at a Union Carbide Chemical Plant in India and had nothing whatever to do with railroads. The collision at Gunpow interlocking had nothing to do with adequacy of personel and its relation to proper rest issues is questionable at best. There are many better examples of sleep deprivation incidents and calamities. Gunpow had more to do with a culture in the railroad industry that permitted use of alcohol and drugs than it did with rest issues.

Employees are tools of the trade in many industries and are among the most expensive tools going. Smart businesses including railroads realize that and take care of their tools properly....

LC

[Anonymous]

Just for some of the non railroaders talking about scheduling. I work for a small railroad that has scheduled shifts. Yes, it is very nice to be home everynight. But guess what, its still a railroad, and you still end up working all the time. I have been home every night this week but have put in 70 hours in the last six days and I don't expect to get a day off until late next week.

Yes, scheduling would be great but it is not the all encompassing solution that you want it to be. The bottom line is that no railroad is a 9 to 5 railroad, no matter how hard they try to be. Yes it can be tiring at times. But this is what we are trained for, and this is what the job is about. You can either handle it or you can't. Railraoding is a lifestyle not a career.

[Anonymous]

LC

I know that Gunpow wasn't about sleep deprivation or fatigue issues. It was about alcohol and drug use among on duty train crews. I was using it as an example of what it is, a defining moment in American railroad operation and regulation. Engineer certification after being over hundred years a completely inhouse affair became a federal government matter almost overnight. Due to the public outrage and outcry.

I mentioned the union Carbide Haz-Mat Incident in Bhopol, India as possible type of incident that can bring again to the RR industry the same kind of outrage and outcry from the public that Ricky Gates brought on. To think that this possibilty is in some realm of fantasy is to delude oneself. Like the possiblity of suicide terrorist using fully fuel jetliners as cruise missiles to slam into American skycrapers.

Talk about Socialism vs.Capitalism all you want. Safety is not behold to economic system it is common sense. If the RR don't self regulate now they open up themselves to the imposition of regulation maybe over regulation from an angry public balance sheets be damned. Just like the hubris of RR management of the 19th Century brought about the the draconian ICC.

Rgemed,
I know that scheduling is not a panacea but a step in right direction. Again look at the Aviation industry! Yes I know the passenger is loosing ton and tons of money per day but the freight side is quite robust. Ask UPS and FedEx.

Rgemed,
Why do some railroaders think that they are the only profession that does not work 9 to 5. I am a "Narco Ranger" for the NYPD and today I will have worked over 24 hours straight w/o sleep doing arrest processing. So I know about "lifestyle"! But that no excuse for working safely and going home to your families in one piece.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Colin

LC

I know that Gunpow wasn't about sleep deprivation or fatigue issues. It was about alcohol and drug use among on duty train crews. I was using it as an example of what it is, a defining moment in American railroad operation and regulation. Engineer certification after being over hundred years a completely inhouse affair became a federal government matter almost overnight. Due to the public outrage and outcry.

I mentioned the union Carbide Haz-Mat Incident in Bhopol, India as possible type of incident that can bring again to the RR industry the same kind of outrage and outcry from the public that Ricky Gates brought on. To think that this possibilty is in some realm of fantasy is to delude oneself. Like the possiblity of suicide terrorist using fully fuel jetliners as cruise missiles to slam into American skycrapers.

Talk about Socialism vs.Capitalism all you want. Safety is not behold to economic system it is common sense. If the RR don't self regulate now they open up themselves to the imposition of regulation maybe over regulation from an angry public balance sheets be damned. Just like the hubris of RR management of the 19th Century brought about the the draconian ICC.

Rgemed,
I know that scheduling is not a panacea but a step in right direction. Again look at the Aviation industry! Yes I know the passenger is loosing ton and tons of money per day but the freight side is quite robust. Ask UPS and FedEx.

Rgemed,
Why do some railroaders think that they are the only profession that does not work 9 to 5. I am a "Narco Ranger" for the NYPD and today I will have worked over 24 hours straight w/o sleep doing arrest processing. So I know about "lifestyle"! But that no excuse for working safely and going home to your families in one piece.

Colin-

You need to get beyond a glib understanding of how things work in the RR business if you want to truly understand what is going on.

First, although locomotive engineers are now certified pursuant to FRA regulations (49 CFR 240 et seq.) it is the railroads that actually submit THEIR certification plans to FRA and it is the RRs, not ther FRA or other government agencies that actually certify their engineers. An engineer's card is NOT like a driver's license. It is valid on one railroad only, absent agreements with other RRs. So, other than having to comply with the letter of the certification regulation and comply with the drug and alcohol testing regs things haven't actually changed that much.

Second, there have already been some pretty major chemical spills in the railroad businerss in the last few years such as the CSX spills in New Orleans and the explosion of a CN gasoline train near Montreal. Or a little further back the derailment on the then SP that resulted in the dumping of a whole tank car of herbicide into the beautiful pristine American River in Northern California, an inlet for the City of Sacramento's public water supply. These incidents, barely made national news, much less turned into a serious public outcry. In a word, you are deluding yourself if you think that this sort of incident will create much real public outcry or change outside of its happening in a major city. Bhopal (correct spelling) is a completely different scenario. There, much of the outcry was about how multinational corporations were taking advantage of the poorer countries with more lax safety regulation to produce profits going to their pockets in the first world. This is hardly the type of outcry one would expect from a sleep deprivation incident.

One last example, in Syracuse, New York over the last three years or so there have been two major incidents involving Amtrak Empire Corridor trains. In the first incident the Amtrak train rear ended a CSX freight near Dewitt Yard. Although there were numerous injuries there were no fatalities. The cause of the incident was found to be the Amtrak Engineer having a diabetic "incident". In a second incident less than two years later, an Amtrak Engineer actually fell asleep and ran through at least two signals and an interlocking switch. Only quick action by a CSX freight crew approaching from the opposite direction on the same track avoided a head on collision by only 400 feet. Despite this, there was only a local public outcry and calls for investigation of rail safety from local elected officials including Congressman Walsh. After a few months, everything died down again...

It is easy to say from the comfort of a government job that economics don't matter. That is one of the major problems with NY. Government keeps growing and keeps on finding ways to fund ever larger public payrolls as business fless the ever higher taxes needed to support it. The only thing saving NYS from collapse is Wall Street and the tax revenues (and fines) it generates. Upstate has lost much of its industry and can't hope to regain it under the existing regime. Look for more railroad abandonments in NY as a result. You can't legislate safety. It has to be built from within.

LC

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

LC, you forgot to add that the Amtrak engineer that fell asleep was AFAIK assigned to a fixed, predictable, tour of duty, whereas the CSX crew whose alertness saved the day was AFAIK in chain-gang pool service.

Mark-

You are correct on both counts.

LC

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

As a total aside, I think most of the people responding to arbfbe's observation about Soviet railroads completely missed his point. He wasn't advocating we adopt a Soviet-style command economy, but observing that everyone's favorite whipping boy for how not to run an industrialized economy ironically managed to do some things better than our own ostensibly perfect system, and further, pointing out that our unquestioned obedience to the belief that the free market will shower everyone with a wonderful life is demonstrably untrue, and that our pursuit of "lowest prices every day" eventually predicates "lowest wages every day," too. (If I mischaracterized you, arb, let me know!)

At last capitalist who is honest about some of shortcomings of our system not merely blindly cheerleading!! (And no I am not a communist !!) ((Solidarity Forever!! just kidding))

I am not suggest we turn 10,000 ton coal drags into 75 MPH rockets like in Europe or that all T&E work according to a three daily shift method like factories or patrolman (of which I am not at present). Just better management of people and other resources that take into account that people may want to enjoy life away from the RR and to preserve their health. Iadmitt Iam learning about your industry but in mine I have seen too many old timers die within one or two after retirement.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Colin

LC

I know that Gunpow wasn't about sleep deprivation or fatigue issues. It was about alcohol and drug use among on duty train crews. I was using it as an example of what it is, a defining moment in American railroad operation and regulation. Engineer certification after being over hundred years a completely inhouse affair became a federal government matter almost overnight. Due to the public outrage and outcry.

I mentioned the union Carbide Haz-Mat Incident in Bhopol, India as possible type of incident that can bring again to the RR industry the same kind of outrage and outcry from the public that Ricky Gates brought on. To think that this possibilty is in some realm of fantasy is to delude oneself. Like the possiblity of suicide terrorist using fully fuel jetliners as cruise missiles to slam into American skycrapers.

Talk about Socialism vs.Capitalism all you want. Safety is not behold to economic system it is common sense. If the RR don't self regulate now they open up themselves to the imposition of regulation maybe over regulation from an angry public balance sheets be damned. Just like the hubris of RR management of the 19th Century brought about the the draconian ICC.

Rgemed,
I know that scheduling is not a panacea but a step in right direction. Again look at the Aviation industry! Yes I know the passenger is loosing ton and tons of money per day but the freight side is quite robust. Ask UPS and FedEx.

Rgemed,
Why do some railroaders think that they are the only profession that does not work 9 to 5. I am a "Narco Ranger" for the NYPD and today I will have worked over 24 hours straight w/o sleep doing arrest processing. So I know about "lifestyle"! But that no excuse for working safely and going home to your families in one piece.

Colin, I don't think that railroaders are the only profession that does not work 9 to 5. Your career is a perfect example of my point. You said you were working 24 straight hours w/o sleep in a safety sensitive job. Now, do you think I as a general citizen have a right to suggest that you are unsafe because you work to much. No, I don't, and neither do you when it comes to railroading

[BigJim]

Around here, road crews get 10 hrs. undisturbed rest at the home terminal. We have an agreement at my away from terminal for 8hrs. undisturbed rest because we have to be transported about 30 min. to the motel.

Road crews also have a rest day agreement. Every ten days they can opt for two days rest. Extra list can take 24 hrs. rest if they have seven straight starts (without losing a day).

In reading this thread, I have some real problems with some of the posters. First of all, there was a question about trusting crews with trains when they are tired. Well, what goes around comes around. How can I trust any of you at your jobs when you are tired?
ESPECIALLY... the tired person wanting to get home from work and doesn't pay any attention when they pull over a road crossing in front of a train!
Others paint a picture of doom and gloom that just isn't there.

[jockellis]

After seeing Miss Iceberg Lettuce in that veggie tale, I didn't have much time to read Mark's piece, but let me get this straight. You get to get out of the house at all hours of the night without your wife being suspicious? And you get paid for it?
Jock Ellis

[edblysard]

Dude....

Shush.............


Ed[:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Dude....

Shush.............


Ed[:D]

FOFLMAO...

We are WORKING!! We never get out of the house just to go tomcatting around...right Ed?

LOL

LC

[edblysard]

Oh yes, always working, always!

Ed

[BaltACD]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jockellis

After seeing Miss Iceberg Lettuce in that veggie tale, I didn't have much time to read Mark's piece, but let me get this straight. You get to get out of the house at all hours of the night without your wife being suspicious? And you get paid for it?
Jock Ellis

Besides, T&E personnel get called at all hours of the day and night by sweet young things telling them it is time to go to work....(this also applies to the Female T&E emplyoees getting called at all hours of the day or night by a hunk)....

The spouse becomes suspicious when the take home $$$ doesn't equal the time away from home.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BaltACD

QUOTE: Originally posted by jockellis

After seeing Miss Iceberg Lettuce in that veggie tale, I didn't have much time to read Mark's piece, but let me get this straight. You get to get out of the house at all hours of the night without your wife being suspicious? And you get paid for it?
Jock Ellis

Besides, T&E personnel get called at all hours of the day and night by sweet young things telling them it is time to go to work....(this also applies to the Female T&E emplyoees getting called at all hours of the day or night by a hunk)....

The spouse becomes suspicious when the take home $$$ doesn't equal the time away from home.

I dunno, the women who are callers never struck me as "Hotties"...

My wife always insists I have a girl at the away terminal. Problem is I work to 3 or 4 away terminals...I'm just not THAT much of a stud...lol...(I wish)...

LC

[edblysard]

We have a crew caller named Novaline....
just let your imaganation run with it......

On the phone, she sounds like a Novaline too....you get excited just getting called to work!

In real life, she looks like Dolly Parton, at 90 years old.

I made the mistake once (within her hearing range) of asking how she managed to keep "them" up like that...

Then made the mistake of looking when she showed everybody....

man, I couldnt eat for a week!

Ed[^]

[Junctionfan]

Ed: That's just gross.....(gaging)

L.C: That incident involving Amtrak train; doesn't the engineer have to flick a metallic switch once in a while otherwise the train will go into emergency? So how did he manage to get passed two signals?

P.S to everybody: What is T&E? (feeling silly for asking)

[edblysard]

Andrew,
Yes, it was...very, very gross....

T&E.

It used to stand for Trainmen and Enginemen, but now it is Train and Engine employees...

Way too many ladies working on the railroad to keep it masculine.

Ed

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

Ed: That's just gross.....(gaging)

L.C: That incident involving Amtrak train; doesn't the engineer have to flick a metallic switch once in a while otherwise the train will go into emergency? So how did he manage to get passed two signals?

P.S to everybody: What is T&E? (feeling silly for asking)

Andrew-

You are speaking of the "whisker" of the alertor. Not brushing the whisker every so often causes the alertor to make progressively louder noise (what noise depends upon what type of alertor). If the engineer still doesn't respond by touching the whisker or making a brake application for a set period of time the alertor will automatically apply a penalty application of the train brakes bringing the train to a stop. That is what happened with the Amtrak train. Luckily, it came to a stop short of the CSX train who's crew had put their train into emergency and jumped.Unfortunately, by the time the train was brought to a stop it had passed two signals and run through an interlocking switch bringing it on to the same track as the opposing CSX train.

Oh and as Ed said T&E = Train and Engine service

LC

[Junctionfan]

It's too bad that the whisker doesn't detect signals.

[jockellis]

When we lived in Waycross, GA, our pastor's wife got a job calling train crews. I told her she should write a book called, "The Preacher's Wife Was A Callgirl."
Jock Ellis

[SALfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard



On the phone, she sounds like a Novaline too....you get excited just getting called to work!

Reminds me of when I worked for a CPA firm, about two lifetimes ago. The receptionist wasn't anything special to look at, but her voice was about 25 on a scale of 1 to 10. She had the sexiest bedroom voice I have ever heard anywhere, without exception. Makes me break out in a sweat just thinking about it. Guys who called the office would ask her for dates (or propose shocking indecencies) sight unseen. This was before the days of the porno 900 phone numbers, but she would have been perfect for that work. Cowabunga!!

[BaltACD]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

It's too bad that the whisker doesn't detect signals.

The Alerter and Automatic Train Stop (ATS and also known as Train Control) are two different systems. Most all road locomotives are equiped wtih either Alerters or Dead Man controls. Automatic Train Stop systems are only in place on a small number of the routes the railtroads operate. ATS also generally has cab displayed signal information in addition to the wayside signals. There are multiple ATS installations and they are not all compatable with each other.

I don't know what the cost factor is for installing ATS over and above a 'normal' signal system, however, it has to be considerable as not only does the wayside signal system have to be put in place for ATS, but the lead locomotive of every train must be appropriately equipped.

All of the above also begs the question of train delays that occur in ATS territory account of failures to the ATS equipment, either wayside or on the locomotive.

ATS to date has been a very expensive proposition that few railroads have voluntarily undertaken.