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Re: California 2 man crew regs
Author: Keith Ode
Date: 07-01-2016 - 13:59
OPRRMS Wrote:
> UP has used RCL since 2001. If your statements
> are true, why is UP still using it?
No other railroad large or small that I'm aware of uses RCL to the extent that UP does. If it was such a time and cost savings feature, it would be more widely used after 15 years. The few BNSF switch jobs that I've seen that went RCL have either reverted back to non RCL equipped power or the crews simply don't use the RCL and belt packs to switch. Same with several shortlines (Cal Northern comes to mind) and grain operators. Much easier and safer to use a standard 3 man switch crew.
I would be interested to see an actual cost/benefit analysis of UP's RCL implementation. Are there reports showing the clear "benefits" of RCL operation? What ever happened to the CCRCLs? How much money to convert all those B30-7s? Why no further expansion and investment in RCL technology if its such a fantastic innovation?
My point is, most employees in the industry I've talked to or heard from third hand, regardless of their position, consider RCL a pain in the ass at best and a disaster at worst.
> UP has used RCL since 2001. If your statements
> are true, why is UP still using it?
No other railroad large or small that I'm aware of uses RCL to the extent that UP does. If it was such a time and cost savings feature, it would be more widely used after 15 years. The few BNSF switch jobs that I've seen that went RCL have either reverted back to non RCL equipped power or the crews simply don't use the RCL and belt packs to switch. Same with several shortlines (Cal Northern comes to mind) and grain operators. Much easier and safer to use a standard 3 man switch crew.
I would be interested to see an actual cost/benefit analysis of UP's RCL implementation. Are there reports showing the clear "benefits" of RCL operation? What ever happened to the CCRCLs? How much money to convert all those B30-7s? Why no further expansion and investment in RCL technology if its such a fantastic innovation?
My point is, most employees in the industry I've talked to or heard from third hand, regardless of their position, consider RCL a pain in the ass at best and a disaster at worst.
