by UN Block
Clem, Sean 418, Form 19,
You guys said it all! Apparently, railroads across the nation seem to be hiring personnel unqualified (at least intially) to do their jobs. I hear tales told of railroads like UP hiring dispatchers off the street who have NEVER seen the territory they're supposedly dispatching. This is absolutely appalling!
Thirty years ago I WALKED nearly every inch of "our" railroad (East New York and Flatbush Avenue tunnels being the main exceptions, of course) and drew MY OWN physical characteristics maps (which, BTW, blow away the ones currently given out, quality-wise ). Yes, this took MANY months, BUT, I knew (and still know to a lesser degree these days) EVERY INCH of the railroad. No, I couldn't tell you where 38L signal was in relation to 40L at Hall off the top of my head but I COULD tell you exactly where the three (and only 3!) automatic block signals were located that were capable of displaying an approach-slow aspect. Obsessive-compulsive, perhaps, but I really KNEW the railroad.
You guys said it all! Apparently, railroads across the nation seem to be hiring personnel unqualified (at least intially) to do their jobs. I hear tales told of railroads like UP hiring dispatchers off the street who have NEVER seen the territory they're supposedly dispatching. This is absolutely appalling!
Thirty years ago I WALKED nearly every inch of "our" railroad (East New York and Flatbush Avenue tunnels being the main exceptions, of course) and drew MY OWN physical characteristics maps (which, BTW, blow away the ones currently given out, quality-wise ). Yes, this took MANY months, BUT, I knew (and still know to a lesser degree these days) EVERY INCH of the railroad. No, I couldn't tell you where 38L signal was in relation to 40L at Hall off the top of my head but I COULD tell you exactly where the three (and only 3!) automatic block signals were located that were capable of displaying an approach-slow aspect. Obsessive-compulsive, perhaps, but I really KNEW the railroad.