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Pa. Court Reinstates Charges Against Amtrak Engineer

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 8:58 PM

243129
Your reputation preceded you.

Now I feel loved. 

 

Your second point?   As has been said before to me - the needs of the railroad come first.  If you're not willing to go outside your home division - what good are you to the railroad as a whole?  Also makes you seem, what's a good non-snark phrase? inflexible?  Unadaptable?  More suited as consultant material for a specific purpose, rather than managerial material?  That works.  

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by 243129 on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 9:07 PM

zugmann
If you're not willing to go outside your home division - what good are you to the railroad as a whole?

I'm not looking to manage the "whole" railroad. If each division had a competent manager then the "whole' railroad would benefit.

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 9:13 PM

243129
I'm not looking to manage the "whole" railroad. If each division had a competent manager then the "whole' railroad would benefit.

Curious - Have you ever been outside the T&E craft at all in your career? 

PS>. Pony picture makes this thread 20% cooler. 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by 243129 on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 9:29 PM

zugmann

 

 
243129
I'm not looking to manage the "whole" railroad. If each division had a competent manager then the "whole' railroad would benefit.

 

Curious - Have you ever been outside the T&E craft at all in your career? 

PS>. Pony picture makes this thread 20% cooler. 

 

No i have not.

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Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 9:38 PM

zugmann
 More suited as consultant material for a specific purpose, rather than managerial material?  That works.

Hey, now wait, you're causing collateral damage now.  Not all consultants are people who can't do and can't teach.

Joe's great value wouldn't be as a manager, but as 'cadre' -- setting up train-the-trainer right, so that actual management people making the employment vetting and training decisions, and overseeing day-to-day ongoing training (it never ends, just like learning to fly) and supervision, are set up running.

There is a peripheral point here.  We all recognize there is more to 'leadership' than there is to 'management'.  But likewise there is more to 'management' than to 'administration'.  And best management is that which functions effectively, not what advances the perceived goal or stated priorities or exoedient profit of 'the organization'... leave the issue of 'firing of convenience' or the usual excuse of 'insubordination' out of the discussion for a moment.  The worst of all possible worlds for any functioning human (as opposed to bullies and similar weaseled) is to be in a position of responsibility without authority, which seems to be increasingly institutionalized in the lower tiers of historic railroad "management" track.  There is probably some sink-or-swim character-winnowing value in this, just as there's supposed to be for hazing at West Point or Marine BT, but it sure is a crappy way to approximate what better methods could accomplish.  The example cited of the 'manager' who learned what was important and gained respect practicing that is something vitally important in figuring out how to develop a sense of cadre culture.

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 9:47 PM

Overmod
Joe's great value wouldn't be as a manager, but as 'cadre' -- setting up train-the-trainer right, so that actual management people making the employment vetting and training decisions, and overseeing day-to-day ongoing training (it never ends, just like learning to fly) and supervision, are set up running.

Doesn't that sound like a consultant position? Contracted for a specific task, instead of a more general manager?

 And to go in a slightly different path - have any railroads ever made use of I/O psychologists?

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, July 28, 2020 9:56 PM

zugmann
Doesn't that sound like a consultant position? Contracted for a specific task, instead of a more general manager?

It's much more like a long-term skilled contract employee in a known field of expertise.  "Consultants" serve only at whim, have the danger of being indulged as little tin gods or quietly boycotted by the rank and file that despise them as besserwisser upstart types, and have many of the same problems associated with 'college boy' types in the great age of Taylorism scientific management and the like.

This is more like what happens in a proper company reorganization, where it might be desirable to bring in 'new blood' with a different way of doing things, but it becomes SOP from the inside rather than being imposed by Stanford arrogance or the functional equivalent.

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Posted by 243129 on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 8:59 AM

Once again I am faced with a 'decision'. It is projected to be the high nineties today. Do I respond to and discuss with Overmod and zugmann or do I 'escape' to a relaxing activity?   Decisions, decisions.Hmm

 

 

See ya later fellasStick out tongue

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Posted by zugmann on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 10:17 AM

Ok, I don't think me or overmod really care what you do, but whatever.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by 243129 on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 11:31 AM

zugmann

Ok, I don't think me or overmod really care what you do, but whatever.

 

I was trying to be humorous but I guess I wasted my time.

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Posted by zugmann on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 11:46 AM

243129
I was trying to be humorous but I guess I wasted my time.

Fine, I'll go with my original idea - "I think you should spend this wonderful summer day playing with your dinghy!"

 

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 12:05 PM

243129
Once again I am faced with a 'decision'...  Decisions, decisions...

No decision at all!  Take the boat!

(I am tempted to say somebody should put that whitewater-rafting cat behind the boat animgif, but is there still a link to it?)

There will always be time to find better solutions for Amdreck when it isn't sailing weather.

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 8:02 PM

243129
Once again I am faced with a 'decision'. It is projected to be the high nineties today. Do I respond to and discuss with Overmod and zugmann or do I 'escape' to a relaxing activity?   Decisions, decisions.Hmm 

See ya later fellasStick out tongue

Don't drink while boating!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 8:29 PM

Overmod

 

 
zugmann
Doesn't that sound like a consultant position? Contracted for a specific task, instead of a more general manager?

 

It's much more like a long-term skilled contract employee in a known field of expertise.  "Consultants" serve only at whim, have the danger of being indulged as little tin gods or quietly boycotted by the rank and file that despise them as besserwisser upstart types, and have many of the same problems associated with 'college boy' types in the great age of Taylorism scientific management and the like.

 

This is more like what happens in a proper company reorganization, where it might be desirable to bring in 'new blood' with a different way of doing things, but it becomes SOP from the inside rather than being imposed by Stanford arrogance or the functional equivalent.

 

Many folks work for years as individual contracters.  And many work on "soft money" and learn to love it. 

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Posted by 243129 on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 10:54 PM

zugmann
Fine, I'll go with my original idea - "I think you should spend this wonderful summer day playing with your dinghy!"

I don't see a 'snark disclaimer'.

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Posted by 243129 on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 11:16 PM

BaltACD

 

 
243129
Once again I am faced with a 'decision'. It is projected to be the high nineties today. Do I respond to and discuss with Overmod and zugmann or do I 'escape' to a relaxing activity?   Decisions, decisions.Hmm 

See ya later fellasStick out tongue

 

 

Don't drink while boating!

 

Manhattans at the dock after boating.Yes

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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, July 30, 2020 3:59 AM

243129
Manhattans at the dock after boating.

I'm up for it!  And you can tell war stories of railroading while the rest of us sip... there aren't many better ways to do an evening.

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, July 30, 2020 7:56 AM

243129
 
BaltACD 
243129
Once again I am faced with a 'decision'. It is projected to be the high nineties today. Do I respond to and discuss with Overmod and zugmann or do I 'escape' to a relaxing activity?   Decisions, decisions.Hmm 

See ya later fellasStick out tongue

 Don't drink while boating! 

Manhattans at the dock after boating.Yes

Individual in the picture appears to be holding 'a cold one' - while boating.  Of course he is not shown at the controls of the vessel so maybe the actual operator has not been imbibing, however, boating accident statistics inidicate alcohol is a factor in many of the accidents.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, July 30, 2020 8:23 AM

BaltACD
Individual in the picture appears to be holding 'a cold one' - while boating.

Not wearing a life jacket, either.

But is that a cola?  Seems dark for a brewski...

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Posted by 243129 on Thursday, July 30, 2020 8:30 AM

BaltACD

 

 
243129
 
BaltACD 
243129
Once again I am faced with a 'decision'. It is projected to be the high nineties today. Do I respond to and discuss with Overmod and zugmann or do I 'escape' to a relaxing activity?   Decisions, decisions.Hmm 

See ya later fellasStick out tongue

 Don't drink while boating! 

Manhattans at the dock after boating.Yes

 

Individual in the picture appears to be holding 'a cold one' - while boating.  Of course he is not shown at the controls of the vessel so maybe the actual operator has not been imbibing, however, boating accident statistics inidicate alcohol is a factor in many of the accidents.

 

What is the point of your convoluted observation? Are you PUI?

The "individual" is holding a bottle of water.

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Posted by 243129 on Thursday, July 30, 2020 8:32 AM

Overmod

 

 
243129
Manhattans at the dock after boating.

 

I'm up for it!  And you can tell war stories of railroading while the rest of us sip... there aren't many better ways to do an evening.

 

 

No cherry in the manhattan, it takes up too much room.Stick out tongue

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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, July 30, 2020 9:01 AM

243129
No cherry in the manhattan, it takes up too much room.

My kind of mixologist!

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Thursday, July 30, 2020 9:38 AM

Not that I was included in the boating adventure on the Sound, but I'd prefer a single malt with mineral water on the side!!

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Posted by 243129 on Thursday, July 30, 2020 10:00 AM

charlie hebdo
single malt

Neat, you would not want to taint it with an ice cube.

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, July 30, 2020 10:21 AM

243129
The "individual" is holding a bottle of water.

Since when is water 'dark'?

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by 243129 on Thursday, July 30, 2020 10:30 AM

BaltACD
Since when is water 'dark'?

Since when is the"individual" a 'he'?

My bad the drink is a cola.

 

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, July 30, 2020 10:39 AM

243129
 
BaltACD
Since when is water 'dark'? 

Since when is the"individual" a 'he'?

My bad the drink is a cola.

Are you saying the individual in the picture is you?

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by 243129 on Thursday, July 30, 2020 10:55 AM

BaltACD

 

 
243129
 
BaltACD
Since when is water 'dark'? 

Since when is the"individual" a 'he'?

My bad the drink is a cola.

 

Are you saying the individual in the picture is you?

 

The "individual" in the picture is my daughter. Your zoom and or sight should be attended to.

In answer to your snarky question, I have an acronym for you to decipher. GFY.

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Thursday, July 30, 2020 11:13 AM

Never an ice cube. I was always a purist and drank it neat.  But a friend suggested that just a little pure water [room temperature] added [3 parts whiskey to 0.5-1.0 parts water] brings out more flavor of the single malt. He had some explanation as a chemist,  but what mattered was it works,  at least for me. 

I'd prefer to sail,  as I used to with an uncle years ago out-of Setauket across the Sound. But a stinkpot is OK!

Bow

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Thursday, July 30, 2020 11:56 AM

BaltACD : Can't we stuff the snarky stuff, especially on a light-hearted exchange of summer fun? 

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