Railroad Forums
Moderator: MBTA F40PH-2C 1050
Tonight I worked with a conductor with less than 2 years seniority. He wasn't qualified over all the railroad we were going so they gave him a pilot for that area that was hired NINE months ago. This is what we have to put up with. Blind leading the blind. And I have to babysit both of them making sure they don't make any mistakes plus worry about the job I have to do.I'm gonna think twice about being trackside if THIS is how trains are getting crewed!
CSX Conductor wrote:Hate to ruin your day CSX Engineer98, but I heard that they called "giddie-up" / "you got a flashing clear" man to the school along with our female conductor out of Beacon Park for the class in May, but ended up not sending either of them.Every terminal has a few of those...sometimes more than a few.
Unfortunately we both know, as well as everybody who knows that fool, that he will never get reprimanded due to the fact that the company is afraid that he will "pull the race card".
Sadly we all know how dangerous this particular guy is, especially you from first hand experience. but we just have to be extra careful around him. Last good one I heard was he told his engineer that they had an Approach on track #2 @CP-43 to shove off in the yard, engineer looked back and saw track #2 all red & track #1 had an Approach for a westbound MBTA Commuter Train. Good thing the engineer didn't move.
conrail_engineer wrote:And they keep taking noobies who are adequete conductors but not suitable as engineers, and cranking them through Choo-Choo College.They sometimes send people who don't have a clue to the engineer program hoping the fools won't pass and then they can be terminated, as stated in writing when hired.
The mentality seems to be that the job is so simple, any monkey can do it. That's an arrogance borne of never having worked our jobs on the ground; of coming off the street into management positions on the railroad; and it's the elitism of the college set which looks down at those of us with dirt under our fingernails.
DJ wrote:I know in the old days they used to hire firemen who would train with the engineer for years before becoming one, and not even spend ANY time on the ground. Same for the conductor and his flagmen and brakemen, but they were on the ground, but didn't become engineers. With two man crews, doesn't it make more sense to promote someone that has a working knowledge of the railroad than to hire someone off the street?That's what we're getting at!!! Many guys are sent to engineer school before they even get any experience on the ground, which is a problem.
BigMike wrote:Yea i do agree with you there, it seems like the hiring of employees is last on anyones minds, but they have to realize these guys will be driving those Engines one day.Surely you're not suggesting the carriers exercise some foresight. That makes far too much sense, not gonna happen!