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Re: NTSB Press Release re: BNSF rear-end collision in Iowa
Author: SP5103
Date: 05-05-2011 - 10:12
Back in the early 90s, I spent a couple years working on the northern plains on a grain hauling railroad. Our division was 136 mile isolated line at 10 mph, and we had two crews any extra board was 250 miles away.
The first crew up would be ready for work on Monday morning, assuming the empties were at the interchange. I sat around once until Tuesday night waiting to go to work. The crew hauler would drive the second crew out to meet the first crew when their 12 hours were up. Depending on were they were, it might be an hour deadhead.
It was common to work 12 hours, have an hour deadhead, and then be back on duty 9 hours later in time to get your orders and deadhead in time to relieve the other crew. After two or three shifts, the train reached the end of the line. Depending on what time you arrived, and if the elevator didn't break down, you went back to work 12-24 hours later and started back with the loads. Hopefully by Friday night, we had made enough trips to the interchange to get around 100 loads in.
The BN trackage rights we used on the interchange end were so bad that they limited us to 26 loads, and only running at night in the summer. There were many times I couldn't remember what I had done in the last two hours - all I knew was the train was still under control, on the track, and about where I should be. It wasn't unusual for the conductors to sleep much of the night, sometimes even during the day.
The last night I worked there, it had been a bad week. The grain rush was on, and we hadn't gotten many days off. I had gone from nights to days to nights in the same week. The conductor woke me up, to find we were stalled in front of a 5 mph section of track. Based on our normal running time, we had been stalled for about half an hour. A second time that night, the same thing happened - I woke up to find the train stalled just before a 5 mph slow order, with the conductor fast asleep. The railroad insisted I work the next night, even though I had previously scheduled the weekend off to go to an event out of town. I refused to work and was fired.
It seems to be forgotten that when trains ran primarily by timetable schedule, most train crews knew when they were going to work. Except for most switch jobs and locals, aren't most crews now called off pool turns or extra boards on two hours notice?
I doubt the railroad will ever be coordinated enough to give 10 hours notice. For pool turns and extra boards, my idea is to require the railroad to give at least 8 hours notice you MIGHT be called to work, and then actually put you on duty within the 4 hours following the 8 hours notice. If you don't get called within the window, the railroad has to pay some minimum amount, and you get a minimum number of hours off before they can recall you.
Railroads have tried various schemes, but the unions have generally refused because it was thought this would reduce some member's right to stay marked up.
Maybe it is time to consider something like a sanctioned program like Red-Block for train crew members that aren't properly rested?
The first crew up would be ready for work on Monday morning, assuming the empties were at the interchange. I sat around once until Tuesday night waiting to go to work. The crew hauler would drive the second crew out to meet the first crew when their 12 hours were up. Depending on were they were, it might be an hour deadhead.
It was common to work 12 hours, have an hour deadhead, and then be back on duty 9 hours later in time to get your orders and deadhead in time to relieve the other crew. After two or three shifts, the train reached the end of the line. Depending on what time you arrived, and if the elevator didn't break down, you went back to work 12-24 hours later and started back with the loads. Hopefully by Friday night, we had made enough trips to the interchange to get around 100 loads in.
The BN trackage rights we used on the interchange end were so bad that they limited us to 26 loads, and only running at night in the summer. There were many times I couldn't remember what I had done in the last two hours - all I knew was the train was still under control, on the track, and about where I should be. It wasn't unusual for the conductors to sleep much of the night, sometimes even during the day.
The last night I worked there, it had been a bad week. The grain rush was on, and we hadn't gotten many days off. I had gone from nights to days to nights in the same week. The conductor woke me up, to find we were stalled in front of a 5 mph section of track. Based on our normal running time, we had been stalled for about half an hour. A second time that night, the same thing happened - I woke up to find the train stalled just before a 5 mph slow order, with the conductor fast asleep. The railroad insisted I work the next night, even though I had previously scheduled the weekend off to go to an event out of town. I refused to work and was fired.
It seems to be forgotten that when trains ran primarily by timetable schedule, most train crews knew when they were going to work. Except for most switch jobs and locals, aren't most crews now called off pool turns or extra boards on two hours notice?
I doubt the railroad will ever be coordinated enough to give 10 hours notice. For pool turns and extra boards, my idea is to require the railroad to give at least 8 hours notice you MIGHT be called to work, and then actually put you on duty within the 4 hours following the 8 hours notice. If you don't get called within the window, the railroad has to pay some minimum amount, and you get a minimum number of hours off before they can recall you.
Railroads have tried various schemes, but the unions have generally refused because it was thought this would reduce some member's right to stay marked up.
Maybe it is time to consider something like a sanctioned program like Red-Block for train crew members that aren't properly rested?
