by Terminal Proceed
Mark Ginocchio
Staff Writer
Published October 18 2005
It is Metro-North Railroad's nerve center -- where every train entering and exiting Grand Central Terminal is tracked by a set of blinking lights and the booming yells of railroad employees.
Inside the Rail Traffic Control Center, the mood is urgent and stressful.
Train "1526 is 12 late out of Bridgeport," a voice announces over the sound of clacking computer keyboards, a ringing phone and a communications radio.
"Our job is a lot like a crossword puzzle," says James Fahey, general chairman of rail traffic controllers. "Some people can do them, and some people can't. Some people just can't handle the stress."
The Rail Traffic Control Center in an undisclosed office in Grand Central is the home of some of Metro-North's most battle-tested workers. Having ice water in your veins seems to be a prerequisite for employment.
"We're responsible for everything -- customers, police, trains, everything," says Fahey, who has worked in the control center since 1983. "People who work here need to be able to multitask and handle six or seven things or three or four conversations at once."
In the semicircular control center, the vast white walls feel sterile. The 25 employees are lined up at elongated desks that follow the crescent-shaped contour of the room.
The most striking feature is the large electronic board on the northern wall. It shows a series of lines and dots representing every tunnel and platform in Metro-North's network from Grand Central to Waterbury.
The dots flash orange to show the trains are idled. When the lights change to green, the train is in transit.
Above the control center is the situation room, where all the railroad's top officials meet and coordinate during emergencies.
"Something can happen in an instant," Fahey says.
It could be a major catastrophe, such as the August 2003 blackout or the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, or a lower-profile incident such as when someone or something lands on the tracks, Fahey says.
Rail traffic controllers rely on information from the railroad's radio system, and phone calls and flaggings from other employees, he says. From there, traffic controllers must make split-second decisions, such as whether to cut power to the third rail.
The right response could save lives, Fahey says. As a result, most rail traffic controllers take great pride in their work. A few years ago, at employees' requests, the job title was changed from train dispatcher to rail traffic controller, to make the name match the job, he says.
"People would hear train dispatcher and think of a bus dispatcher, just sending buses out, but we do more than that," Fahey says. "People don't realize that we steer the trains. They may think it's the engineers, but we're the ones who actually steer the trains."
Almost all employees who work in the center have a few years of experience at some other Metro-North department. It helps to make the transition easier because the worker knows railroad protocol, he says.
What's the most stressful time of a normal day? The answer depends on whether the rail traffic controller works the morning or evening rush.
"Some guys will say it's harder getting something out of a pop bottle and others will say it's harder getting something into a pop bottle," Fahey says, referring to the rush of trains that enter Grand Central in the morning and leave at night.
And while the job is always stressful, those who last beyond the initial "sink or swim" phase usually are glad they did, Fahey says.
"Once they stick around long enough to lose the fear, they love the job," he says.
Copyright © 2005, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.
Staff Writer
Published October 18 2005
It is Metro-North Railroad's nerve center -- where every train entering and exiting Grand Central Terminal is tracked by a set of blinking lights and the booming yells of railroad employees.
Inside the Rail Traffic Control Center, the mood is urgent and stressful.
Train "1526 is 12 late out of Bridgeport," a voice announces over the sound of clacking computer keyboards, a ringing phone and a communications radio.
"Our job is a lot like a crossword puzzle," says James Fahey, general chairman of rail traffic controllers. "Some people can do them, and some people can't. Some people just can't handle the stress."
The Rail Traffic Control Center in an undisclosed office in Grand Central is the home of some of Metro-North's most battle-tested workers. Having ice water in your veins seems to be a prerequisite for employment.
"We're responsible for everything -- customers, police, trains, everything," says Fahey, who has worked in the control center since 1983. "People who work here need to be able to multitask and handle six or seven things or three or four conversations at once."
In the semicircular control center, the vast white walls feel sterile. The 25 employees are lined up at elongated desks that follow the crescent-shaped contour of the room.
The most striking feature is the large electronic board on the northern wall. It shows a series of lines and dots representing every tunnel and platform in Metro-North's network from Grand Central to Waterbury.
The dots flash orange to show the trains are idled. When the lights change to green, the train is in transit.
Above the control center is the situation room, where all the railroad's top officials meet and coordinate during emergencies.
"Something can happen in an instant," Fahey says.
It could be a major catastrophe, such as the August 2003 blackout or the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, or a lower-profile incident such as when someone or something lands on the tracks, Fahey says.
Rail traffic controllers rely on information from the railroad's radio system, and phone calls and flaggings from other employees, he says. From there, traffic controllers must make split-second decisions, such as whether to cut power to the third rail.
The right response could save lives, Fahey says. As a result, most rail traffic controllers take great pride in their work. A few years ago, at employees' requests, the job title was changed from train dispatcher to rail traffic controller, to make the name match the job, he says.
"People would hear train dispatcher and think of a bus dispatcher, just sending buses out, but we do more than that," Fahey says. "People don't realize that we steer the trains. They may think it's the engineers, but we're the ones who actually steer the trains."
Almost all employees who work in the center have a few years of experience at some other Metro-North department. It helps to make the transition easier because the worker knows railroad protocol, he says.
What's the most stressful time of a normal day? The answer depends on whether the rail traffic controller works the morning or evening rush.
"Some guys will say it's harder getting something out of a pop bottle and others will say it's harder getting something into a pop bottle," Fahey says, referring to the rush of trains that enter Grand Central in the morning and leave at night.
And while the job is always stressful, those who last beyond the initial "sink or swim" phase usually are glad they did, Fahey says.
"Once they stick around long enough to lose the fear, they love the job," he says.
Copyright © 2005, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.
