Remote Control operations

Nothing against you powerpro-----but what is so scary to me is that the railroad can put a totally new guy just hired on in the last couple of months on a rco crew in charge of stopping a 6-7 ton cut of cars. Just like Conrailengineer said its all about feel---and you don't have any operating one of these. Don't get me wrong-some young guys may be able to perform safely at this-if they can thats great. I would recommend to take it real slow---and to not let them rush you. When they start rushing you and you get careless and have a small mishap-----they wont be there for you when your out of service. Seen that to many times.

I didn't take any offense, because I agree with you, I was just telling The Mrs, It amazes me how stupidly easy they make it to be a Grade 6 "engineer",

usmcdevildog wrote:It seems to me that running a remote controlled unit would be fun...

Congratulations!! Your mind-set is exactly what the carriers are looking for!! By the way, do you actually rate referring to your self as a devil dog?
Which MCRD did you "graduate" from? MOS?

Remote control tech. is safe tech. as said if the rules and policys are followed. Productivety be damned. Problem is when remote crews are pushed, and start cutting corners to apease the managers. The fault for the Dewitt accident is still under investigation. But while shoving, the move MUST by rules be protected ie: under direct observation of the operator. There are no "exclusive" use rules at Dewitt or many other CSX yards, (such as Buffalo, Frontier, NY, Selkirk NY, and Hialeah Yard in Miami, Fla. The Remotes operate in the same tracks and intermingle with other working crews. Too much techno too soon, without proper testing and appraisals to find issues before they rsulted in fatalities. My problem with them is the lack of any financial gain from their use. Initially they were menat to reduce yard crew from 3(Eng, forman, switchman) by eliminating the engineer. But, the former Conrail territories have been working with 2 man crews before the remotes came about. So now to protect the headend move as required by Rule. a switchman sits in the engine instead of an engineer and the operator works the switches and controls the move. Now thats progress

jg greenwood wrote:

usmcdevildog wrote:It seems to me that running a remote controlled unit would be fun...

Congratulations!! Your mind-set is exactly what the carriers are looking for!!

Are you being sarcastic or serious?

And yes I do rate. I just did 4 years and just got out as a Sergeant. I graduated from MCRD San Diego and then got stationed at MCRD Parris Island for 3 long years. I was in the Band.

OOO-Rah, and Semper Fi to you, DD. Thanks for serving, the Country....

usmcdevildog wrote:

jg greenwood wrote:

usmcdevildog wrote:It seems to me that running a remote controlled unit would be fun...

Congratulations!! Your mind-set is exactly what the carriers are looking for!!

Are you being sarcastic or serious?

And yes I do rate. I just did 4 years and just got out as a Sergeant. I graduated from MCRD San Diego and then got stationed at MCRD Parris Island for 3 long years. I was in the Band.

Yes Sgt., I'm serious. The carriers are more than glad to utilize "motivated" trainmen to run these remotes. Surely you've picked up on the thoughts of most engineers re: remote operations. Those that think this would be fun, remember, there's flow back agreements at many locations.

R/C May save the roads some money, but look at it this way. If you let lets say a GP 38-2 (any road) into a RCPU, then tried to run it on locals and what not, you'd be playing with the devil. R/C units to me just say trouble out side the yard. Unless you have a small 1 or 2 man crew, I don't see where you'll get any benefit. I am thinking more along the line of Grade crossing accidents. They are getting to be more and more a problem. Try to stop an RCPU without a crew from ramming a car stuck on the tracks...... ain't gonna happen.

This is just from a Junior Railfan though.

jg greenwood wrote:

usmcdevildog wrote:

jg greenwood wrote:

usmcdevildog wrote:It seems to me that running a remote controlled unit would be fun...

Congratulations!! Your mind-set is exactly what the carriers are looking for!!

Are you being sarcastic or serious?

And yes I do rate. I just did 4 years and just got out as a Sergeant. I graduated from MCRD San Diego and then got stationed at MCRD Parris Island for 3 long years. I was in the Band.

Yes Sgt., I'm serious. The carriers are more than glad to utilize "motivated" trainmen to run these remotes. Surely you've picked up on the thoughts of most engineers re: remote operations. Those that think this would be fun, remember, there's flow back agreements at many locations.

Whats a "flow back agreement" ?

And thank you Mr. USMCDevildog/ leatherneck/ Jarhead for the service to your country. Welcome to the Brotherhood of Vets that have earned the rights given to all.

ExEMDLOCOTester wrote:

jg greenwood wrote:

usmcdevildog wrote:

jg greenwood wrote:

usmcdevildog wrote:It seems to me that running a remote controlled unit would be fun...

Congratulations!! Your mind-set is exactly what the carriers are looking for!!

Are you being sarcastic or serious?

And yes I do rate. I just did 4 years and just got out as a Sergeant. I graduated from MCRD San Diego and then got stationed at MCRD Parris Island for 3 long years. I was in the Band.

Yes Sgt., I'm serious. The carriers are more than glad to utilize "motivated" trainmen to run these remotes. Surely you've picked up on the thoughts of most engineers re: remote operations. Those that think this would be fun, remember, there's flow back agreements at many locations.

Whats a "flow back agreement" ?

And thank you Mr. USMCDevildog/ leatherneck/ Jarhead for the service to your country. Welcome to the Brotherhood of Vets that have earned the rights given to all.

If an engineer is displaced and can no longer work as an engineer, he has the right, in some locations, to return (flow back) to the ground and work as a conductor, trainman.

Thanks !!!

Actually, seems like two Carmen were killed in the last week. One was hit by a remote, making a shove, with flatcars on the lead of the shove (might have been hard to see the flats?) and a second one was run over, while crossing in front of a train, he had inspected, in the yard. The second one had undergone a safety blitz, the same day, regarding the first fatality, and the need to watch for ANY movement, on ANY track, in EITHER direction. He was operating a quad, unlike the first one, who was in a truck. (he went under the loco, unlike the first guy, who was hit by the shove) Let's Be Careful out there, guys.

usmcdevildog wrote:So when I start training with the UP and it comes time for the RCO class, are you saying that I shouldn't volunteer to be an RCO?

Sorry but you won't have a choice, you will be qualified.

I tend to see that many of these yards that are now haveing remote control locos added to them have a lot of service roads going every which way. Its just not a matter of whos at the control of a remote its with the yard staff leting there guard down. What I'm saying is that after years of haveing seen 2 man crews and someone protecting the back end of a train it would appear to me that there were less accdents as there was someone there to flag the crossing.

On a side note Remote Control operations are in use the Finger Lakes Railways main line only in the Auburn, NY area from Owens-Illinois to where the old Agway used to be a distance of 5 to 6 miles apart. On occation a 2 man crew will do the work if they have power layed up in the shop.

--On a side note Remote Control operations are in use the Finger Lakes Railways main line only in the Auburn, NY area from Owens-Illinois to where the old Agway used to be a distance of 5 to 6 miles apart. On occation a 2 man crew will do the work if they have power layed up in the shop.--

Aren't they running remotes in the industrial area at Solvay too? My dad applied to FGLK a while ago and he was told that was where he would likely work; he even went out there one day to check out the operation.