MM&A name

[soolinexec]

Excellent replies you all have. I aplogize greatly for the way I jumped on it. My tactics are a bit to forward and to the point. But you all explained it very well with facts to back it up. I thank you for that. I can tell there is fear amongs those under a union. Very well justified. Matter of fact, I would risk my life to defend most of you. On the other side of the coin, I would promote a change where everyone is treated as professionals and encourage stepping out of the box thinking. I know its based on trust. Theres alot of history out there that forms 1 hell of a base for todays thinking. It does need change. Businesses survive to those with balls, guts, risk takers, trust, stepping out of the box, and enbracement towards new technology. Here is a prime example where RCL's could have made a difference in your derailment big time. Look at it strateglicly and you will see a different picture for the scenerio. Look ahead at the big picture. It's about commitment towards your company for it's survival! Not what it can do for your wallet!! You got to be different. Think different, Think efficient. Excellent relpies above. It's an honor!! MMA will become a role model for those who embrace change and empower the future. Move out of the dark ages of thinking. Do what you always do, get what you always get.

[sandpvrr]

Hello All,
That management style is quite similar to the way we do things where I work - we have a 'Team Leader' who is responsible for no more than 50 people at a time, usually 25 or less. This allows the TL to provide management for each employee individually - and also allows the management above the TL to make decisions based on opinions from a larger management group. Decentralized management has been used to describe this, and frankly, it works well.
If a railroad were operated in this fashion, I can imagine it would be much more efficient than the traditional 'Evil Empire' approach.
Incidently, soolineexec: direct, to the point people, are often the ones who get things done!
cya, Joey

[northgandydancer]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth. All things considered, not a bad company to work for. Things are not equal for everyone but I guess that is to be expected. You can work all you want and the company will let you take it off, even when you want, on an even basis. That is to say you can have an hour off for every hour you work over 40 in a work week. Neat huh. But when you get 24 hrs built up you can cash in anything over that at time and a half. In reality it does work out good in most cases and I am not totaly against it. Then I did hear Mr. B tell employees at a meeting that the BAR employees and their overtime was what put that company into bankruptcy. That was about as badly as I have ever been instulted in my life and I for one will never forget it.
As I said, just my 2 cents worth.

[Realityrail]

But remember---that over time was unmanged by the morons of the iron roads. And what Mr. B did not say is that the Iron roads officers paid themselves $300,000 in annual salaries for a small company. If there were still a debtors' prison, the iron roads managers would have a dedicated wing of cells.

The mismanagement of the Iron Roads destroyed the old B&A. MM&A took a mess and is making it a viable company.

[northgandydancer]

Realityrail, you are correct. Mr B at no time said the big problem was the mismanagement of BAR and the sucking dry of it's assets. He only stated it was the employees and overtime that put the BAR out of business. This has never been the problem with any railroad in the country that went out of business. But as we all know, it does run downhill doesn't it. I don't recall the employees wanting to work overtime just to move facilities around the countryside when the company was in financial ruin. "We do not believe in contractors. We will do our own work with our own people". This a direct quote from Mr B also but contractors are on the property.

[Realityrail]

What contractors? What are they doing?

I am curious!

[northgandydancer]

Realityrail,
Contractor is on the property now just north of Brownville Jct on the old BAR main line installing CWR. When they are done with the rail they are supposed to replace ties. I repeat the words of Mr. B, "We do not believe in contracting out work. We will do our own work inhouse."

[JAJ]

Realityrail,
Contractor is on the property now just north of Brownville Jct on the old BAR main line installing CWR. When they are done with the rail they are supposed to replace ties. I repeat the words of Mr. B, "We do not believe in contracting out work. We will do our own work inhouse."

Does the MMA have all of the skills necessary to lay that CWR in-house? I could imagine that, if some of the CWR equipment is rented/contracted, that contracted employees would accompany it, for the duration of the job. But I've never laid a foot of CWR (except in HO scale) so I'm just speculating.

JAJ

[Realityrail]

Found out that JAJ is correct---so that is why it was contracted out. It would not be safe or cost effective to use employees that are not installing it on a daily or annual basis, and the equipment costs would kill the bottom line.

[northgandydancer]

Sorry realityrail, I can't buy that. A lot of the employes are ex-BAR and they laid CWR for several years with machines that were 20 or more years old. They just don't have the men to put a crew out and maintain the strength on the sections. If they could hire the manpower necessary and use the older guys who have the experince to train the newer workers I am sure they could put in thier own rail in. As with any aspect of trackwork in northern Maine, you can't wait until July to get your summer projects started.

[JAJ]

Sorry realityrail, I can't buy that. A lot of the employes are ex-BAR and they laid CWR for several years with machines that were 20 or more years old. They just don't have the men to put a crew out and maintain the strength on the sections. If they could hire the manpower necessary and use the older guys who have the experince to train the newer workers I am sure they could put in thier own rail in. As with any aspect of trackwork in northern Maine, you can't wait until July to get your summer projects started.

But why hire additional full-time labor into the MMA workforce if they're only laying CWR for a few months of the year, a few miles at a time? Unless you can afford to keep these folks busy with work for the remaining months of the year, it may make more sense to contract out the CWR labor.

JAJ

[murray83]

if they contracted all this out would MMA avoid liability? plus would doing this in house cause more important projects to be delayed?