Sending Conductors to Engineer school

CSX is hiring alot of conductors here in Richmond, VA. More than needed really. Stacking them up on the extra board. They are getting out 1-2 times/week at most. They never did this up until the past year. They use to send conductors to engineer school when they knew started getting short of engineers. Now it's constant flow of 3 at a time to school. We have more engineers now than needed, they still keep sending them. I don't know what caused this sudden change in CSX to do this. Bad part of this is, just as these conductors start to get familiar with their jobs, they send them off to engineers school. Now everytime your getting an extra board conductor, they haven't a clue what's going on. They are relying on the engineer to get them through the trip. With the older conductors retiring, good conductors with experience are getting hard to find.

blippo wrote:good conductors with experience are getting hard to find.

So many newbies just don't get it.

As for the engineer program, I believe it is their intention to have as many people have their license as posible. This way everybody is versatile, but I don't know how to feel about that.

On the subject of engineer school, it has been asked before on here, but no definate answer was given. Has the REDI in Atlanta started doing engineer school yet?

I know they are going to Atlanta for school.
The rumor I heard and I don't know if it's true is the FRA is going to require an employee to be a conductor for 5 years before the railroad can send them to engineers school. I don't know how true that is

blippo wrote:I know they are going to Atlanta for school.
The rumor I heard and I don't know if it's true is the FRA is going to require an employee to be a conductor for 5 years before the railroad can send them to engineers school. I don't know how true that is

It's a good idea! Same should be true for RCO as well...........

I agree with CSX ENG 100% !!!!! Especially with alot of these new conductors we have in the Boston area. There are a few that are good, but the bulk of them seem to be clueless. For example this past week I had a guy with about 1 year, if that, working with me and threw a wrong switch and told the engineer to shove ahead for a clear alley, I look up from double checking my switch list and see he's about to slam into a drag on the wrong track!!! Glad I looked up when I did.

I also agree with there being a requirement of years on the ground before engineer school because most people never get to work alot of the territories around here that the engineers have to cover spare from time to time. (I.e. Amtrak & MBTA Commuter Rail property). At least if they got more time on the ground they might have more of a clu as to where they are and such.

CSX Conductor wrote "There are a few that are good, but the bulk of them seem to be clueless"

Yeah, just what the railroad industry needs, clueless people that can't even tell which way a switch is lined, but they are so-called "qualified" to run a remote control locomotive! What a damn joke!!!!!!!!

Fortunately remotes are banned in Massachuestts. Where this happened the cars could have piled-up onto a track where passenger trains pass in excess of 90MPH.

I honestly wonder if this guy I am referring to could switch-out a 2 car train.

Its worst then that out there I can attest to this have been there and seen this. I can name But I wont a few guys out there with MORE than 2 years on the job doing the same thing just about every trip and still cant get it right...."GIDDIE UP...FLASHING CLEAR COME ON BACK I CAN SEE FOR MILES.... Give me a break......QUALIFIED Dont get me started. Would you want to be working with theses guys.....? 02:00 am in the morning with a mile and a half of train shoving into a foreign RR to a track that is "Prelined" and is know to be CLEAR..! And the guy for what ever reason stops the movement and relines the track to a track with cars on it. then says clear track good for 30 cars...and less than a minute later yells stop and we make one hell of a hitch at 5 mph knocking me out of the seat. How can these guys even be considered for Engineer school when they cant get the basics down.............. I support the 5 year plan

I think the main problem is a lot of people lack common sense, which is one thing you really need out there. Some new guys do pretty well, let's face it, the job is definately not rocket science but it does take some common sense and good training to make it work. Not all of us new guys are all bad, some of us do really try and do a good job but I can understand where you guys are coming from. As for the 5 year plan, I definately support that!

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.

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.

She will make a fine engineer I had her running with me and was starting to teach her the road when she got off the job for a better turn. And Yes Common sense is a must...I was green to but I knew my ass from my elbow. I also blam some of the Senior conductors also Making the new guys sit in the Power while all the ground moves are being made. This makes it difficult when the spare New guy fills in for the regular Guy and everybody wonders why hes standing there with his Pud in his hand....? Old MR Framingham " Blinky" is Famous for this.....I will not miss that Jackass when he goes...... Glad he never went to Choo Choo U...

CSX Engineer 98 wrote:Old MR Framingham " Blinky" is Famous for this

FS? If so, he's on a time-out for a derailment at Sacks Storage in the spring.

CSX Engineer 98 wrote:She will make a fine engineer I had her running with me and was starting to teach her the road when she got off the job for a better turn.

Good to know she was doing well. PS, I never heard any complaints from you when we were together, unless you kept it to yourself. LOL

Just my .02 cents here. Do you guys notice the "new 30/30" employees? (Thirty days on the property, and they strut around like a thirty year man). usually on day thirty one, they start begging/whining about "when am I going to engineer school?" FNG's don't even know how to kick a car, make a drop, bottle the air, etc.... and all of the sudden, they have dreams of the right hand seat. You gotta keep 'em on the engine, they might get someone killed, otherwise, what with "all of the knowledge" they got from Choo-Choo-U. As long as the railroads won't pay for peer training, or mentors, this is the crap we will be stuck with. Old heads don't have time to teach tricks, to the "know-it-alls", who seem to be infiltrating the ranks, these days. You know what I mean, you start to tell a guy something, and he pipes right in "yeah, I know what to do, don't worry about me", right before he throws the switch, you are moving over (SIGH ) I have given up mentoring, unless I am getting paid specifically, to do it, just for that reason. And then, you better listen and learn, or you will crash and burn. Just my humble opinion

You and about 3 other people Have been a pleasure to work with. When It comes down to the time you are out on the Main line for seat time for real I hope I am one of your choices for tutorage... You will have no problems on the Main line you run better than some of the good old boys do with 20yrs under there belt......

On the other note......"FS" is Famous "F" known from Beacon Park to the 5th street yard in Chicargo...As the only Man to put TV-7 on the ground 2 nights in a row at the same switch.....

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.