CR on the Southern Secondary

Harry, you are not completely wrong in your views. I am a small business owner as well, since 4/1/82. Yes, I would, and have, dismissed employees for dereliction of duty.
I have also worked (well, volunteered with full FRA safety class training) on a shortline which is now part of the C&D family of lines for the past 8 years.
Railroad life is very different. The NORAC rule book which governs all Class 1 railroads, and many roads who interchange with them like the C&D system, is extraordinarily complex. So complex that, in my very realistic dream of becoming a bona fide railroad conductor, I realized that I could not combine my business responsibilities with my dream.
I stand in awe of railroad engineers and conductors who adhere to the book. The training for these positions is very intense.
I have always said to anyone willing to listen... "volunteer on a railroad, no matter your position or responsibility; get your hands dirty".
Dirty hands are good for the soul....

Chris

Sirsonic wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 4:46 pm

You don't know why a crew stops at a certain location. You don't know the rules we operate under, the requirements of our jobs, the endless regulations we are required to not only be thoroughly conversant with but also comply with without exception. You are not included in the communications that we have with our supervisors, support staff, and co-workers. You don't know.

You expressed what I was trying to say, more politely than I did. I am not a railroader, but I hate when people badmouth others whose situations they know nothing about.

I apologize for being a sarcastic jerk. I should have said, yes IF they are doing wrong the person in charge of that crew should be reprimanded, or whatever that company does in such cases. But I don't know that company's policies and customs. I don't know whether they're on the clock or not when they stop, how many hours previous they have worked that day, how many breaks they're permitted, or what have you. For all I know, they may well have an innocent reason for stopping there. Railroad guys mostly seem like hard working people, I don't think they're getting a "free ride", no pun intended.

R&DB wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:40 pm There are no customers where they stopped for most of an hour. Then they take a dinner break for a similar duration in Farmingdale. They are paid to deliver freight, not sit still to wrack up hours. I have been an employer (have you?) and would not pay employees that didn't do the job. I removed them. It is bucsiness, not some macho ego crap.

Mod Note: let’s get back to train movements and thoughts of the SOUS, and away from labor relations & micro-management of crew activities.

#1578636 by RailsEast
Fri Aug 20, 2021 7:36 pm

Chris,
I know of your work wih the Bel-Del and totally support it. Would join you if I could , But medical conditions preclude that. My concerns down here on the Southern are about customer service. Although I have no knowledge of what the customers feel about the current service, (or pay for it) it seems from an outside observer threre may be something to be desired.

@R&DB Oh there’s something to be desired alright!

nomis wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:21 pm Mod Note: let’s get back to train movements and thoughts of the SOUS, and away from labor relations & micro-management of crew activities.

Yes indeed!

And now, back to our show. Any news on SA31 operations for today?

Another thread mentioned some track damage from the last storm. Anything between Brown's and the NJCL?

@GSC Not that I know of. The Amboy Secondary got washed out though.

I’m out railfanning elsewhere today so I won’t know anything on SA31 until later. Might be CSX 4421 leading though.

A bad washout on the Amboy Secondary just west of the old snuff mill has been repaired.

There was an issue in Monroe Twp on the FIT that prohibited the SA-31 from proceeding yesterday; SA-22 was dispatched from the yard to tow them back to Browns.
No further information.

The northern part of the Southern Secondary received very little rain (maybe an inch or two) during TS Henri. I presume that the line is in normal condition today, but we'll see as the 31 crew ventures down this afternoon. Ok to open up at Church at 3:15 in the pm.

Just heard on the scanner that SA31 is going west from South Amboy now.

CSX 4421 is the only one facing east in browns, according to Browns Yard HU so that is most likely today’s power.

Scratch that, 6159 LHF today!

With 11 in tow; supposedly one of the ABOX cars up front is for Extech, the rest for Woodhaven, approaching Maxwell Rd in Eatontown at 4:48 in the pm.