Hours of Service

crazy_nip wrote:

AmtrakFan wrote:I mean Florida had a major meltdown in the Baldwin Yard Area.

I dont see how that is possible...

things back up around moncrief, but not usually baldwin

most of the traffic in and out of baldwin is autoracks these days and to the south its 2 main tracks to Waldo

Plus Waycross had issues.

AmtrakFan wrote:Plus Waycross had issues.

such insight...

crazy_nip wrote:

AmtrakFan wrote:Plus Waycross had issues.

such insight...

It lead to a ton of changes that way. Mr. Nip please stop trying to ruining this thread. Thank You.

GOLDEN-ARM wrote:...THAT'LL SHOW THEM THAR AGREEMENT BOYS...

Yavolt, heir commandante!

Guys calm down, don't flame anyone or the thread will have to be closed, keep it nice in here

You guys crack me up! Before you go nominating the 3rd trick hump pin puller for sainthood, do you really think it's as B&W as you paint it?

Letting the inmates run the asylum never works...

MY COMMENTS ARE/WERE LIGHT-HEARTED. I AM ALWAY AMAZED/AMUSED TO HEAR FROM A UNION BROTHER (OR SISTER) WHO DIPARAGES THE UNION. SOME FOLKS STILL JUST DON'T GET IT. PAYING DUES, THEN BASHING THE VERY UNION THAT SECURED THEM SO MUCH, IT'S LAUGHABLE AT BEST, SAD AND DISAPPOINTING, AT WORST. MY FEELING IS, IF YOU DIDN'T WANT TO JOIN A UNION, THEN WHY THE HELL DID YOU HIRE OUT ON THE RAILROAD ? LOTS OF JOBS OUT THERE, WITH NO BENEFITS, NO PROTECTION, AND NO DECENT PENSION. NO HOLIDAYS, SICK DAYS, PERSONAL DAYS, ETC..... THE KIDS TODAY ARE CLUELESS, AS TO WHAT WAS FOUGHT FOR, AND WHAT WAS WON, TO GIVE THEM THE GREAT JOBS THEY HAVE TODAY. SO, IT IS VERY DISTRESSING TO HEAR SOME CHERRY TALK ABOUT GIVING BACK TO THE CARRIER, WHAT WAS PAID FOR, IN LIMBS, AND LIVES, OF YOUR PREDECESSORS. SAD, BUT TRUE. GO ASK SOME SCHMUCK AT WAL-MART, WHAT HE GETS IN PAY, AND BENEFITS. BE PROUD, AND BE UNION. REGARDS

Cowford wrote:do you really think it's as B&W as you paint it?

It's definitely not B&W.

Cowford wrote:Letting the inmates run the asylum never works...

Ah but there are other choices than that or strict management control. There are ways to get to know the people involved well enough to develop trust and cooperation so that both parties come out ahead. I've seen it happen before.

I know, I know -- I'm dreaming here....

YOU KNOW, LCJ, THAT KINDA SOUNDS LIKE THE WAY WE USED TO DO IT, ON CONRAIL. TEAMWORK, AND TRUST. SEEMS LIKE THE NJCT THRIVED ON IT. OH WELL, MUST'VE BEEN TIME TO RE-INVENT THE WHEEL.........

HOW VERY UNTRUE. IN REALITY, WITHOUT SOME MANAGER, OR GROUP OF MANAGERS TRYING TO "MICRO-MANAGE" EVERY SINGLE MOVE BEING MADE ON THE SYSTEM, THINGS DO GET DONE FASTER. GIVE A MAN HIS WORK, THEN LET HIM GO AND DO IT. DON'T SCREW WITH HIM, AND I WILL BET YOU, YOU WONT GET SCREWED IN RETURN. ANY DECENT ROAD I HAVE EVER WORKED FOR, UNDERSTOOD THIS, AND THE WORK WAS DONE. THROW IN SOME "HOTSHOT" NEW TRAINMASTER, TERMINAL SUPERINTENDENT OR EVEN THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND WATCH HOW HE TRIES TO "WHIP THINGS INTO SHAPE". MORALE PLUMMETS, PRODUCTIVITY FALLS, AND PRETTY SOON, THAT "NEW GUY" IS SENT PACKING, OUT TO B.F.E., OR OHIO. THE BEST MANAGERS HAVE THE TRUST OF THE WORKERS. TELL THEM WHAT TO DO, AND LET THEM DO IT. CHEW ON THEIR BUTTS, WHEN THEY GET IT WRONG, LET THEM KNOW WHEN THEY GOT IT RIGHT. I DON'T CARE HOW HARD YOU TRY, YOU CAN'T FIX WHAT AINT BROKE. I'VE BEEN ON SOME OF THOSE "MICRO-MANAGED" ROADS TOO. SAD PART IS, NO-ONE IN MIDDLE MANAGEMENT CAN FIGURE OUT WHY NOTHING GETS DONE, NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIME THEY SPEND IN THE FIELD, INSTRUCTING WELL SEASONED CREWS HOW TO MAKE EACH AND EVERY MOVE. THEY JUST DON'T GET THE BIG PICTURE.

First off, this thread is TOO important to be closed down. If someone is
out of line, please delete it but do not close this one down.
As for the inmates running the asylum, NO WAY. Nobody advocates that
here so far as I can see, I certainally do not.
We had good people running Selkirk when I was working there and the
supervision respected the troops and the troops respected the supervision.
At various times, I have been accused of disliking management, nothing
could be further from the truth. I had many good friends in the ranks of
management at various times and at various locations. In fact a number
of good items in my collection would not be mine if it were not for some
good friends in the right place over the years.
The problem started when some bright star from out of town went to
Selkirk, caused the removal of local management people and then told
the troops that you will work by the rules, do the job our way, you will be
fired if you stub your toe and you will not get any more breaks.
Now there are people working in that yard who have been there for a good many years and they knew/know their jobs extremely well.
We are going to straighten out the Conrail people, they are not making
out very well and are paying an awlful high price.
It is not a healthy situation when the busiest yard on the entire railroad is
operating at a fraction of what it should be.
Noel Weaver

Agreed. I've always asked the question: Do the unions act beligerantly because management treats them poorly, or does management treat unions the way they do because unions are so beligerant? The UTU leadership does not do themselves any favors by flaming the railroads wherever/whenever they can... what if the management publicly flamed the UTU... there would be hell to pay. The situation sucks, quite frankly... and both management AND labor should be ashamed.

crazy_nip wrote:

AmtrakFan wrote:Plus Waycross had issues.

such insight...

If you know that Waycross, Moncrief or anywhere has "issues", that's fine, but explain what they are. That will add credibility to posts.

Group,
The Problem was similar to a meltdown trains delayed, car dwelling times go up thru the roof, lack of crews etc.

I thnk Cowford raises a good point about which came first. "the chicken or the egg". I would disagree with you though about "management's" treatment of employees and the "unions". Management's attacks ( oops I mean management initiatives) comes in many forms. A short list would include violations of agreements, harassment of injured workers, draconian discipline policies ("they spend the first six weeks training you and the rest of your career trying to fire you!") and finally legistlative initiatives at the governmental level to limit workers rights. "Flaming" railroaders on a web site isn't a productive use of manangment time besides there are plenty of armchair experts who can push agendas here that insult those of us that put a hard day in every day.

Cowford raises good points but there are others that prefer to couch their own dissatisfaction in attacks on railroaders. Cowford and others, keep raising those well thought out points for us to talk about.