I'm curious. Does anyone know of a person who gotten a job with a railroad after attending this "school"? Why would a railroad hire such a person and immediately retrain them? Training someone from brand new is way easier than breaking bad habits. I'm betting that no one has gotten a job with a class one based on this diploma mill. I suspect that a class action suit might be a winner here.
oltmannd Euclid He conjectures that the engineer was testing to see if PTC would bleed over onto his track if he exceeded the speed limit. Anything is possible, but that sounds like an overly wild and grand theory. It also amounts to accusing the engineer of what probably would rise the being criminal. Where would Rangel even get such an idea from? Why would the engineer want to perform the test that Rangel suggests? It shows Rangel has no trouble talking about things he knows almost nothing about. There is nothing but CCS on those tracks - no civil speed ACSES stuff at all. There is no "PTC to test" - just to get started. There is no law stopping stupid people from talking...
Euclid He conjectures that the engineer was testing to see if PTC would bleed over onto his track if he exceeded the speed limit. Anything is possible, but that sounds like an overly wild and grand theory. It also amounts to accusing the engineer of what probably would rise the being criminal. Where would Rangel even get such an idea from? Why would the engineer want to perform the test that Rangel suggests?
It shows Rangel has no trouble talking about things he knows almost nothing about. There is nothing but CCS on those tracks - no civil speed ACSES stuff at all. There is no "PTC to test" - just to get started.
There is no law stopping stupid people from talking...
I think what continues to bug me about this is that the best Fox could do for a RR training expert was Modoc. Really? How hard did they try to get a guy from a large railroad? (my hunch, not that hard...)
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
oltmannd oltmannd Euclid He conjectures that the engineer was testing to see if PTC would bleed over onto his track if he exceeded the speed limit. Anything is possible, but that sounds like an overly wild and grand theory. It also amounts to accusing the engineer of what probably would rise the being criminal. Where would Rangel even get such an idea from? Why would the engineer want to perform the test that Rangel suggests? It shows Rangel has no trouble talking about things he knows almost nothing about. There is nothing but CCS on those tracks - no civil speed ACSES stuff at all. There is no "PTC to test" - just to get started. There is no law stopping stupid people from talking... I think what continues to bug me about this is that the best Fox could do for a RR training expert was Modoc. Really? How hard did they try to get a guy from a large railroad? (my hunch, not that hard...)
Don,
I don't understand your point. What does Fox getting a railroad expert have to do with the Rangel controversy?
It is a related, parallel issue since it involves the same person.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
tdmidget I'm curious. Does anyone know of a person who gotten a job with a railroad after attending this "school"? Why would a railroad hire such a person and immediately retrain them? Training someone from brand new is way easier than breaking bad habits. I'm betting that no one has gotten a job with a class one based on this diploma mill. I suspect that a class action suit might be a winner here.
Euclid tdmidget I'm curious. Does anyone know of a person who gotten a job with a railroad after attending this "school"? Why would a railroad hire such a person and immediately retrain them? Training someone from brand new is way easier than breaking bad habits. I'm betting that no one has gotten a job with a class one based on this diploma mill. I suspect that a class action suit might be a winner here. I can’t answer your question, but I would not conclude that MODOC has no credibility just because of what Rangel said. Regarding a class action suit, the aggrieved class would be railfans offended by the use of the term “foamer.” Amazingly, this class seems to have entirely overlooked Rangel’s far greater sin of attacking the character of the Amtrak engineer. If a class action suit were organized for the offended railfans, they will probably want to sue Trains magazine along with Rangel.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
tdmidgetI'm betting that no one has gotten a job with a class one based on this diploma mill. I suspect that a class action suit might be a winner here.
I'd be quite sure that the contract a student signs with MODOC clearly states there is no promise of employment with a railroad as a result. They might sweeten that with discussion about maintaining a clearinghouse service or even an Internet job board with 'inside' opportunities -- but push come to shove, no guarantee.
I'd suspect they even have a disclaimer somewhere on their Web site that says this in fine print. I have seen vocational schools that promise a 100% employment rate to graduates of some of their programs -- but usually that is based on supply and demand, and when you look at the actual contractual 'guarantee' there are weasel words...
Rangel seems to be a loud-mouthed and possibly bigoted person. That alone does not mean he is not an expert on controlling trains anymore than similar negative interpersonal qualties meant that General Patton wasn't an expert on armor warfare.
schlimm Not sure about fictional characters, but check out blogs, comment sections in TX newspapers and even some TX politicians for a lot of bizarre conspiracy theories. Such fantasy musings are not limited to TX, of course, and many/most Texans are fine folks.
Not sure about fictional characters, but check out blogs, comment sections in TX newspapers and even some TX politicians for a lot of bizarre conspiracy theories. Such fantasy musings are not limited to TX, of course, and many/most Texans are fine folks.
Off Topic kind of but as long as we are on conspiracy theories.....
Check out the former C&NW track via Google Earth just South of Devil's Lake, WI. What is going on there? Is that a former Nike Missile Base that protected Madison, WI? Very strange track layout and land features.
Mystery to me.
Just in case anyone wants to look at their site.
http://www.modocrailroadacademy.com/faq.htm (I couldn't get the pdf's to open, just got a blank screen.)
I don't doubt that graduates can find railroad employment. It may not be on a class 1, but there are a lot more railroads out there besides the class 1 railroads. There are short lines and contract switching outfits. They might look more favorably on a Modoc graduate than someown with no experience at all. Even then, I would expect them (at least the better ones) to give a graduate more training before letting them loose on the job.
That's not to say a Modoc graduate hasn't been hired on a class 1 right out of the school. I've read on other forums where maybe someone actually has, but it seems like it's rare. Probably because the major railroads will do their own training, even for those with prior actual railroad experience. To them, a Modoc diploma isn't going to mean much.
If someone has their eyes set only on a class 1, forget the place. If someone is willing to work for a short line or a contract outfit, it might be worth it. I would still recommend someone to do a lot of checking and thinking.
There is a clearinghouse that anyone can see where there are railroad jobs open. It also has more than just train service jobs. It may not have all railroad jobs across the country, just those reported to the RRB. (I know the IAIS has some current openings that don't show up.) There are links to individual railroads at this site, too.
http://www.rrb.gov/PandS/Jobs/rrjobs.asp I haven't looked at this site for a long time. I remember when there were a lot more jobs in all categories available.
Jeff
CMStPnPCheck out the former C&NW track via Google Earth just South of Devil's Lake, WI. What is going on there? Is that a former Nike Missile Base that protected Madison, WI? Very strange track layout and land features.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badger_Army_Ammunition_Plant
Thanks, yeah I just found the official report....
http://www.jmc.army.mil/Docs/History/Badger%20Army%20Ammunition%20Plant%20-%20V3%20Internet.pdf
I thought it was further West though and served by the Milwaukee Road?
I think it was served by the Milwaukee from the south as an extension of the Sauk City branch.
wanswheel It wasn’t Fox that validated Rangel’s expert credentials. http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/53728622#53728622
Even worse!
schlimm Rangel seems to be a loud-mouthed and possibly bigoted person. That alone does not mean he is not an expert on controlling trains anymore than similar negative interpersonal qualties meant that General Patton wasn't an expert on armor warfare.
His comments about "PTC testing" show that he is not an expert on railway signalling. His lack of specifics when interviewed about the Amtrak wreck shows he know little about Amtrak's operation.
Why in the world any reputable new organization would seek him out as an "expert" instead of someone from an organization that actually operates passenger trains on the NEC - or even a class one frt RR, is beyond me... unless, of course Rangel contacted them first!
oltmannd schlimm Rangel seems to be a loud-mouthed and possibly bigoted person. That alone does not mean he is not an expert on controlling trains anymore than similar negative interpersonal qualties meant that General Patton wasn't an expert on armor warfare. His comments about "PTC testing" show that he is not an expert on railway signalling. His lack of specifics when interviewed about the Amtrak wreck shows he know little about Amtrak's operation. Why in the world any reputable new organization would seek him out as an "expert" instead of someone from an organization that actually operates passenger trains on the NEC - or even a class one frt RR, is beyond me... unless, of course Rangel contacted them first!
Probably so. An ignorant buffoon.
Railroad employees are forbidden from speaking to the press. Hard to find an expert who is currently working with the technology/ machinery. The press hasn't a lot of options for "expert" opinions so they choose whoever seems the brightest or whomever blows the loudest horn.
Except for the PR people, who should have access to authoritative and credible sources = experts within the company.
- Paul North.
If you go to the Modoc site, one of the the things they advertise is "Expert Witness Service." Maybe this site just happened to come up on some reporter's internet search engine.
Randy Stahl Railroad employees are forbidden from speaking to the press. Hard to find an expert who is currently working with the technology/ machinery. The press hasn't a lot of options for "expert" opinions so they choose whoever seems the brightest or whomever blows the loudest horn.
Can't forget the 24 hour news cycle and the desire to get it out there, now, then worry about the details later.
Then there is the problem we have in the fire service, where the press is often viewed as a pariah. They're pushed away and use whatever they can get. A few folks have gotten smart and realized that there are "teaching moments," but those folks are few and far between.
I'm sure the railroads aren't much different.
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...
I don't know why anyone would pay for Modoc when you can get most of the training provided by them largely free.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oKza4LtKxc
Additional plus you get to shoot people that irritate you.
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