Binders for employee timetables

This is for anybody who carries the Metro North Operations manual. Has anybody come up with a better alternative to the binder they issue with it? I have been carrying this monster for years because it's kind of an odd design both in size and number of rings. Anybody know of a thinner binder that would work in place of the one they issue?

Thanks in advance.

OH MY!!!! You are working under one of the best contracts in the industry and you are complaining because you have to
carry some papers in a binder.
Just imagine if you were working for Amtrak out of Rensselaer, you would have to carry rulebooks and timetables for six
different outfits, Amtrak/NORAC, CSX, Metro-North, CP/Consolidated Code, Vermont Railway and CN/Canada Rules.
If you are looking for sympathy from me, sorry, you should consider yourself lucky you have a good job, there are lots of
good railroaders who would gladly carry the stuff you have to carry if they could just work, unfortunately they can't because
there is not enough business to keep them working.
Noel Weaver

Noel Weaver wrote:OH MY!!!! You are working under one of the best contracts in the industry and you are complaining because you have to carry some papers in a binder.

First off, i dont work for Metro North. So who cares about thier contract. Secondly, learn how to read. I am not complaining about having to carry papers in a binder. I am complaining about having to carry papers in a binder that is larger then nessecary for the task.

Noel Weaver wrote:Just imagine if you were working for Amtrak out of Rensselaer, you would have to carry rulebooks and timetables for six different outfits, Amtrak/NORAC, CSX, Metro-North, CP/Consolidated Code, Vermont Railway and CN/Canada Rules.

I do have to carry to up to that many mauals. CSX, Metro North, NORAC, GCOR, ST, CP Rail, NECR and Amtrak. So what is your point? The idea of being able to make more room in ones grip is not a new idea. If i can shave an inch off of a binder, thats one more inch of room to store other essential items. The question i posted is perfectly logical to anybody who carries alot of books and does not want to have multiple bags or a giant bag. I work some runs where i have to carry an entire seperate bag for all the rule books i need to carry.

Noel Weaver wrote:If you are looking for sympathy from me, sorry, you should consider yourself lucky you have a good job, there are lots of good railroaders who would gladly carry the stuff you have to carry if they could just work, unfortunately they can't because there is not enough business to keep them working.
Noel Weaver

Looking for sympathy? Asking if a thinner binder is made to hold a rule book comes off as asking for sympathy? Maybe in your world, in my world, it's a simple question that would never be interpreted as anything even remotley like a sob story.

Perhaps if you bothered to read my question, you would see i clearly stated the question was for "People who carry the Metro North Operations Manual". Since your retired and are not even a railroad employee, you do fall into that catergory. So no, i am not looking for sympathy from anyone, especially not from a person who seems to be unable to read a simple question. The question does not pertain to you, so just move along.

NV290 wrote:This is for anybody who carries the Metro North Operations manual. Has anybody come up with a better alternative to the binder they issue with it? I have been carrying this monster for years because it's kind of an odd design both in size and number of rings. Anybody know of a thinner binder that would work in place of the one they issue?

Thanks in advance.

Take out the pages, and leave the dividers?
Don't replace the pages when they fall out?
Bungee Cord?

Or, you could go to staples and see if they can copy it and rebind it to you're liking? That's what I did with the MNR revenue instructions book we received. Cut the size down by about 30%.

A few conductors also do the same thing with the run book so it fits in your bag.

RearOfSignal wrote:

NV290 wrote:This is for anybody who carries the Metro North Operations manual. Has anybody come up with a better alternative to the binder they issue with it? I have been carrying this monster for years because it's kind of an odd design both in size and number of rings. Anybody know of a thinner binder that would work in place of the one they issue?

Thanks in advance.

Take out the pages, and leave the dividers?
Don't replace the pages when they fall out?
Bungee Cord?

Or, you could go to staples and see if they can copy it and rebind it to you're liking? That's what I did with the MNR revenue instructions book we received. Cut the size down by about 30%.

A few conductors also do the same thing with the run book so it fits in your bag.

The issue is not so much the books contents. Its the thickness of the binder that is the issue. My main grip i carry is a hard case. So there is no room for expansion. I have a large full size binder for all my CSX and Amtrak books. The trouble is, the Metro North book is so thick that i have to literally force it into my grip in order for it to fit. And then it makes pulling anything out of the case a pain. If the binder was an inch thinner, it would be perfect. And after measuring the paper thickness, i could definatley go with a thinner binder. But they use a fairly unique style ring setup. Staples had nothing close.

Your suggestion about having the entire book re-copied and then re-sized may work. The only question is that is ALOT of paper. It would be pretty labor intensive to do it, having to line up the pages just right so they copy straight. Not sure of the cost either. But worth a look.

In the military, we used these split rings that were individual. So you could basically turn any hole punched pages into a book. The downside is they offer no protection to the papers edges.

At Staples or Kinkos or where ever you go, they have a machine that does it, so you don't have to do it by hand. Probably drop it off and comeback in an hour or two. The revenue book I did in b&w was around $20 I think, copied and bound. I guess the Ops Manual might costs more. Though one thing if you do get a smaller binder, it will make it harder to change/replace or add pages with new G.O.'s, that being the reason why I think it's so big, it does make it easier to replace stuff. Or you could split it into two parts, that might work.

Some have suggested translating it into a PDA type of system. But in all likelyhood MN (and most RRs) will stick with the time honored book style for rules and timetables.

Noel Weaver is quite right about MN engineers having it easy only being required to carry just one MN book. Think of what some Amtrak and freight railroads have to contend with. I've known some who actually carry small suitcases full of books.

capecodlocoguy wrote:Some have suggested translating it into a PDA type of system. But in all likelyhood MN (and most RRs) will stick with the time honored book style for rules and timetables.

Noel Weaver is quite right about MN engineers having it easy only being required to carry just one MN book. Think of what some Amtrak and freight railroads have to contend with. I've known some who actually carry small suitcases full of books.

Using a PDA would not be an option. Electronic devices of any kind are prohibitied in the cab now.

NV290 wrote:

capecodlocoguy wrote:Some have suggested translating it into a PDA type of system. But in all likelyhood MN (and most RRs) will stick with the time honored book style for rules and timetables.

Noel Weaver is quite right about MN engineers having it easy only being required to carry just one MN book. Think of what some Amtrak and freight railroads have to contend with. I've known some who actually carry small suitcases full of books.

Using a PDA would not be an option. Electronic devices of any kind are prohibitied in the cab now.

It was said that the BoR would be available digitally in the TIMs machine for Conductors, but that never happened, and I guess that wouldn't help engineers.

I have found that most binders I have carried over the years have been the same size as the MN one. In fact my NS one was even thicker and the LIRR one didnt even include the operating rules. When I was working for ST, their book was the only one of a different size altogether. I never had to carry a CSX one, just an appendix to attach to my NS one, but I think the CSX one is similiar to the ST one in size, is that correct?

As for the MN book, am I wrong in saying that you can take out certain sections, like the MN safety rules, since the safety rules of your employer govern you? Same with the Roadway worker portion?

Are we having a discussion about something no one here can change?

it would appear so

Jayjay1213 wrote:As for the MN book, am I wrong in saying that you can take out certain sections, like the MN safety rules, since the safety rules of your employer govern you? Same with the Roadway worker portion?

The safety rules do have their own smaller yellow binder. So I would think it wouldn't matter if it was in a separate binder, even for MNR employees. Same as the EoI and MN 401 used to be in a separate smaller book.

NV290 wrote:

Noel Weaver wrote:Just imagine if you were working for Amtrak out of Rensselaer, you would have to carry rulebooks and timetables for six different outfits, Amtrak/NORAC, CSX, Metro-North, CP/Consolidated Code, Vermont Railway and CN/Canada Rules.

I do have to carry to up to that many mauals. CSX, Metro North, NORAC, GCOR, ST, CP Rail, NECR and Amtrak. So what is your point? The idea of being able to make more room in ones grip is not a new idea. If i can shave an inch off of a binder, thats one more inch of room to store other essential items. The question i posted is perfectly logical to anybody who carries alot of books and does not want to have multiple bags or a giant bag. I work some runs where i have to carry an entire seperate bag for all the rule books i need to carry.

.

wow, you have to carry 8 different manuals? what Railroad are you employed by? what runs do you do?

Jayjay1213 wrote:I have found that most binders I have carried over the years have been the same size as the MN one. In fact my NS one was even thicker and the LIRR one didnt even include the operating rules. When I was working for ST, their book was the only one of a different size altogether. I never had to carry a CSX one, just an appendix to attach to my NS one, but I think the CSX one is similiar to the ST one in size, is that correct?

The CSX and ST books are the same size, 3 ring, 8.5x11.

Jayjay1213 wrote:As for the MN book, am I wrong in saying that you can take out certain sections, like the MN safety rules, since the safety rules of your employer govern you? Same with the Roadway worker portion?

Yes, i can take out certain sections and i have, but that is not the issue. Once again, the issue is the physical thickness of the binder itself, NOT what is inside it. The rings are designed to accomodate way more then i need to carry. So just like they make 3 ring binders in many thickness, i am looking to see if a website or store carries these 7 ring binders in different thicknesses.