BNSF Colors Forcefully Noticed By Outsiders

[Anonymous]

John, I am not a foamer, but, the BN's executive scheme is my favorite. Followed by the new herritage II

[Anonymous]

Not so true on the money thing in my industry....Us uneducated yard rats usually make the same if not more that a new TM. Some of the older TMs that came from the ranks of Engineer told me that they actually lost money to become officials. I am not blasting all college grads (read my post closely), just the ones that think that they have the world by the *** and know everything fresh outta college. Those are the ones that I love to put the screws to.....

[Anonymous]

Stricly speaking about color schemes, I like the BNSF green and orange. It's reminiscent of the schemes of the golden era of diesel railroading, and in my view easily beats out the dark green and cream, and the earlier Cascade green schemes. BNSF has some moxie applying such an elaborate scheme in this long era of paint scheme blandness which has followed the first generation, "factory" paint jobs.

John Baie, Author, www.xlibris.com/TwoTrackMain.html

[Anonymous]

I'm going to make the assumption that your question was about paint schemes and not labor vs. management. I would like to see the old war bonnet scheme brought back. I wasn't a fan of it but I think it would be sort of cool. I wasn't a fan of Great Northern's scheme which I think the BNSF scheme was adopted from. If not he war bonnet then the NP freight scheme used on their SD45's and GE's. I think it looked sharp. Now if I missed the beat and you were actually asking about labor vs. management then I cannot answer since I have no interest in that area.

[eolafan]

Granted, education does not replace experience, and experience without education is not always the best thing either, but experience AND education is the best mix of all. Oh, by the way, those "college educated geeks" who are yes people and that you speak of are generally making much more money than many others and will likely all of their lives, consider that before blasting them.

[Anonymous]

Exactly, Dave! When we get these college grad non railroading TMs and YMs, how do you think the freight gets moved? We carry the slack and it gets done. I have been there when old heads help these guys out on what moves should be made and on how things should operate. If they are cool, we are cool. If they are dicks, then we can become dicks. Eolafan....the RR is hiring. Try it for awhile. You will soon become privy to what we are talking about. And I will not quit my job because of some dummy official that will most likely be gone long before I will. You have got to remember that some of these smartass college geeks (not all) come on with the attitude that we are a bunch of uneducated ding-a-lings because they have that little piece of paper. The RR hires those guys for a reason and it is not because they are geniuses. It is because they are yes men/women. They can't go back to the craft if they don't like what the RR says (which is sometimes not whats best for moving freight). They have to do what they're told or be canned. Remember, the head shmucks usually don't come from the ranks. They are numbers guys and alot of times have no clue on what needs to be done, only what looks good on some spreadsheet. If you got rid of 1/2 of these officials, the freight would still move. If you got rid of 1/2 of the crafts......nothing would move!
Ken

[Anonymous]

James, you forgot the third choice. Change things. I'm not talking about doing things for the YM and not getting noticed. I'm talikng about gettin' a screwin' from the YM or TM and giving them a taste of their own medicine. Trust me. This is a very effective way of rectifying things. How do you discipline a kid? Send them to a foster home, or show them what happens when they disrespect you. I garen-damn-tee that if you plug the yard up once, the YM or TM will think twice before they decide to break it off in you again.......

[dknelson]

As a wise man once wrote, no one is a hero to their valet.
I hear via the scanner plenty of examples of crew cooperation above and beyond the call of duty -- including helping out some hapless dispatchers unfamiliar with the territory. That is on the UP (ex CNW), CP (ex Soo, ex Milw Rd) and CN (ex WC).
Dave Nelson

[eolafan]

You are correct, my opinion was strictly that, my personal opiniion based the exchange I heard over my scanner, nothing else. However, if we can't find it in ourselves to go the extra mile, then we are all in lots of trouble. My position description does not specifically call for me to travel nights and weekends, etc., but I do just that and I feel it has served me well. When my employer stops acknowledging those things I do that can be described as "extra", then it will be time for me to look for another employer, which is what I suggest we all do if this type of thing ever happens to you. Bottom line, we each have two choices, do the job or leave, nobody is stopping us!

[Anonymous]

Yeah, right! Your outsiders vantage points are not affording you the full picture. BNSF is hiring as we speak.......Try it out. You'll see.

[Anonymous]

James, you are speaking outta turn on this one. I know of no agreement that provides for a penalty for locking a derail. The yardmaster may have screwed these guys over (believe me, it happens a bunch). This is how we show the yardmaster in certain instances our displeasure with them. Very effective. If you havn't been there, you will not understand.

[edblysard]

Hi Tim,
Not to offend, but re read what you wrote.
Management and the help. Sometimes, more often that not, thats exactly what we are made to feel like, the hired help, instead of valuable employees. The intended reference that all of the "help" can be replaced on short notice is prevalent.
As for the unions, well, what it seems we pay them to do is sell job and life insurance, and to make sure pre 1985 employees get significant raises every new contract. As for protecting my job, look at the remote control contract.
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[csxns]

No wonder Trucks rule the Roost.

[eolafan]

Personal opinion only stated as follows: In any job, with any company, a "that's not my job" used as an excuse just to get out of doing something you just don't feel like doing, but that would be for the betterment of company and customer alike, is not acceptable, period. Yesterday on my scanner a member of a BNSF road crew in Eola yard doing some switching (train was BRCGAL) refused to get off of the head end as requested by the yard foreman in order for him to lock the derail and save the brakeman from having to walk fifty car lengths to do it. The yard foreman insisted and was asked to give his initials in order that the crewman got his extra pay (I assume). That, folks, is what is wrong with not only the BNSF and most railroads, but what is wrong with the general state of American business in general...IT'S NOT MY JOB, MAN...BULL!

[Anonymous]

Tim, it is not so simple. Remember, all agreements are subject to interpretation. The companies interpretation is usually skued.

[Anonymous]

It's not a bad paint scheem, the oranage could be a little more reddi***o bring out the yellow stripping. I believe BNSF is a well run company. As far as the relationship between Managment and the Help. That sounds like a union problem. Is that not what unions are paid to do, develope good relationships between Managment and the Help.
TIM A

[Anonymous]

Working for the BNSF, and dealing with their crap on a daily basis has inspired me. Their management strategie towards us hourly employees makes me believe that their new paint scheme should be updated to the former Soviet Union's red with hammer and sickle motif.

[croteaudd]

While once traveling adjacent to a BNSF train, I casually asked my unbiased non-railroader / non-railfan mother-in-law what she thought of the green and orange paint. She immediately said that it made her want to puke! Strong words! The colors are admittedly controversial, and perceived as BOTH wonder and horrible depending on who is asked. If you were the BNSF head honcho, assuming money was no object, would you change the color scheme? If yes, what would you change it to?