I noticed in an earlier thread about people, that someone else has noticed the railroaders attitudes. I know with the stress, rules changes, there is no more job security anymore, the unions and our "bad" contracts, our "pay" issues, the stress of working and "TRYING" to keep familiar with all the rules, notices, bulletins, safety briefings, job briefings, train inspections that the railroaders attitudes are changing and going down hill fast. I know I'm a new railroader who liked my job when I hired out and I still "like" the job but I've found no job satisfaction anymore, its more like when the phone rings its a "fight" to keep your job and not get fired, does anyone else feel that way and notice that the attutides just aren't as pleasent as they were as recent as a year ago............
I have noticed it, and we have just had a good example of how frustrating the job can make you today. Several of you are unhappy, but the railroads are quite different today than they were back in the "Glory Days" when you were almost the town hero if you "ran" the train. It was somewhat dangerous, and exciting, but the railroads were sorta the same, they were out to make a profit. Back then the RR kew they had to have good dependable track, and equipment in order to make that profit. Unions and pensions made the engineers look foreward to a life time job with a good reward at retirement time. Today, its more or less all for the company, til you are used up, then get out of my face! That's why I have fond memories of the steam days, and am purplexed at the confusion of todays's political rail transportation systems. Not what I think of as Railroads. My opinion. You can delete me if I don't fit in, but I feel sorry for you guys, I wish it could be better. Extra speed isn't going to cut it either. ------------------ Watash
seems to be a world wide trend, the railroads are now mostly run by accountants (bean counter) who have no regard for railroad history or railroad life all that matters is the bottom line and share prices. although I work for a government Railway the trend was exactly the same until reliability dropped due to cost savings. That is now turning around although the industry here has been savaged by redundancies. ------------------ Regards Paul Cassar-Moderator & Member number 50 SPAD Investigator #1 ICQ 61198217 http://users.bigpond.net.au/railroad2000
Well I'm sorry to say that with the current job safety rules enforcement, I may not be furloughed this year. They actualy added to the boards, it just bugs me when I walk in an hey say so-so got it today 30 days. We all are agreeing that the 30 days we could live with for the minor violations, its the termination for the 2nd offence thats a killer. Everyone walks and egg shells and is digging out the books, checking the rules on vertical and horizontal hand holds on cars which can you ride, side only no platflorms on tank cars, only with horizontal hand holds (tank cars have vertical), only on bottom step allowing 3 pt contact, do get off until fluids stop moving (unless engineer stats set and centered over radio)again.It just gets so confusing that the stress of getting fired/terminated is overwhelming, and you're so worried about rules you can almost be unsafe becasue you're concentrating on rules and not the job. Therefore you're attitudes turn anti this anti that and thats where this thread originaly started.
Interesting question. Does the railroad limit the amount of company stock an employee can buy? ------------------ Watash
Watash, not unless you get around 5 or 6% of the outstanding stock, then you get a seat on the Board! If you are contimplating that could you please lend me some cash I need another 0-8-0 switcher for my yard. ------------------ When in doubt, empty your magazine. Member #33
That was a question asked on Railserve, and I didn't think employees would want to own stock in the railroad they worked for. If I was playing the stock market, I think I would be very careful about buying rail stock. The future doesn't seem too bright for it from what we hear down here. Go ahead and get the 0-8-0 Chris, just charge it. They will probably go out of business before you have to pay for it. ------------------ Watash
Believe me Braska, I know what you mean. I'm trying to figure out when we might have time to move the freight. With vastly increased liability and huge lawsuit settlements, I understand the need for emphasis on rule compliance by the carriers but at some point, everything will very safely come to a standstill while we have yet another job briefing. There has to be a middle ground someplace between absolute micro-management by the company and the crews throwing responsibility out the window where people doing the work are allowed to make decisions and exercise their own good judgement within the framework of the operating rules. The book should be a guide and a reference, not a sword. There are hundreds of variables on every job, weather, time of day, crew experience, fatigue, etc. There can never be a way to cover every contingency without putting a supervisor on every train just to make decisions for the company. In a profession like this one, a certain amount of independence is the only way to get the job done. We don't need to break the rules, we need rules we can live with and enforcement that's realistic and fair. It all comes down to the fact that if we can't get the goods to the customers safely and on time, it's a cinch the trucks will. Then what's the point?
Speaking for the majority of us older Conrail employees, our morale is low because we are tired of getting shafted! We thought we had the NYC running good, then the big shots merge with our bitter rivals (Pennsey) & run off with all the money and run the railroad into the rip track! Then the gov't steps in, forms Conrail, we take all type of concessions in wages & job losses before making the Big Blue machine a worthwhile rr. By 1996 about 80% of the work force had been eliminated! Our wgae guarantees were done away with and as you know, the rr was taken over and split up. In the meantime, all the upper brass received tons of money while the working stiffs got nothing- just the opportunity to maybe start all over again, take a minimum pay raise (11% over 5 yrs with no COLA !) and watch supervision get more bonus's! Therfore, the attitude isn't real good. I'm a die heart railroader, and if my attitude isn't what it used to be, imagine how the guys feel that never thought of thair job as nothing more than that - a job! Now a days most guys feel like they really have to watch what they do or say for fear of someone watching over their shoulder.
I don't really have ALOT to complain about . GT Engineers are the highest paid Engineers in the USA , according to my grand local chairman . Like any jobs it has it ups and downs . I mean it's a job . It has given me the opportunity to go places and buy things that I have always wanted . I have no college education , my spelling and gramar stinks BUT I make darn good money and have great benefits . My wife does not have to work , I take care of my family and we have nice things (house, cars, toys,ectt..) The railroad has given me a good life . Being on call is a drag , working weekends are a drag but I feel privilidged being a Locomotive Engineer for a major carrier . [ 01 February 2001: Message edited by: Davecn5623 ]
