Eastern Railroad Discussion > Crew Call

How does a railroader schedule work? Does the clock start when they get the phone call to report for work? I know it differs on each railroad. How long can a crew work and when can they be called again? What if the crew time expires and it takes a jitney 2 hours to get to them?

Well, here on CSX Cumberland west most of our runs {ID runs to New Castle,PA} we get a 3 hour call. Our 12 hrs does not start until the time we are called so right there is 15 hrs. Now throw in there once in a while waiting on a cab and that could range from an extra 5-10min or several hours depending on availability of cabs and people to drive them and know the location where you are at. There have been some instances where with adding the phone call, you could be up 18 hrs or more!! With our run however, we go on time and a half after been on duty 12 hrs. 53 min. so at least if we go on the law we get paid xtra while waiting on PTI.

Norfolk Southern - 2 hour call, overtime starts after 8 hours unless you are on a Mileage job, then it's after 12 and a half hours. You blow up at 12 hours but remain on overtime until you mark off, cabs can take a LONG time to get to you depending on weather and other uncontrolled elements, I've waited 4 hours for a cab after outlaw -- and then it took over an hour to get to the yard office to mark off == 17+ hour day, nice on payday but not so nice as it's happenning. Once you mark off you are rested in 10 hours, and if the terminal is working good, the phone rings and you start all over again - if you happen to be a road job and are in a hotel, you can be called in 6 hours for the 2 hour call and you're on duty in 8 ---- Fun, Fun, Fun!!!!

Where on NS do you get a 2 hour call??

Pittsburgh Division - Mingo Junction, Ex Conrail

A 2 hour call is supposed to be standard on CSX unless being called for an interdivisional run in excess of 130 miles, in which case it's supposed to be 3. Of course, CMC (crew mismanagement center) thinks nothing of giving a late call and verbally abusing us when we indicate we may have difficulty making it there in the shortened time we have as a result.

chessie Wrote:
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> A 2 hour call is supposed to be standard on CSX
> unless being called for an interdivisional run in
> excess of 130 miles, in which case it's supposed
> to be 3. Of course, CMC (crew mismanagement
> center) thinks nothing of giving a late call and
> verbally abusing us when we indicate we may have
> difficulty making it there in the shortened time
> we have as a result.


richmond and clifton forge va its a two hour call a few conductors requested a 3 hour call which they are entitled to but CMC tells them just to move closer...

chessie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A 2 hour call is supposed to be standard on CSX
> unless being called for an interdivisional run in
> excess of 130 miles, in which case it's supposed
> to be 3. Of course, CMC (crew mismanagement
> center) thinks nothing of giving a late call and
> verbally abusing us when we indicate we may have
> difficulty making it there in the shortened time
> we have as a result.


This is just someone on the outside looking in, but help me understand.

Scenario: You get a phone call at 1900 and are told to be ready to depart at 2000. Even though FRA/Union agreements mandate a 2 hour advanced call.


If the FRA/Union agreements say a 2 hour call, what is to stop you from taking your 2 hours? Is it the guys in the CMC lying and saying they called you earlier than they actually did?

Or if you don't show up at 2000, do they call yet another crew (with their 2 hours advanced call) and put you off of work?

I guess I'm just having difficulty understanding how they could "get away" with that sort of action and still hold a crew liable for it?


Thanks,
Sean

Sean wrote:
I guess I'm just having difficulty understanding how they could "get away" with that sort of action and still hold a crew liable for it?


Since we are only allowed 1 1/2 hour call I'll answer the question the way I deal with it. Lets CMC calls me at 7:45 for a 9:00 on duty time. That is a 15 minute late call. I personally don't show up until 9:15. I've only had one trainmaster ask me why I was late. I told him to call CMC and see what time they had called me. It is logged on their computers at what time CMC called. In this case they were 25 minutes late. I showed up 20 minutes late. The train I was called for was a really hot train that was way behind schedule. So this trainmaster had someone jumpimg down his throat, that probably had someone jumping down their throat wanting to keep this train moving. I told the trainmaster if the train was so hot why didn't they (the RR) make sure that I got called on time. I even used one of his lines that he had used on me before. "A lack of planning on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on my part." He didn't like it but there was nothing he could do.
Alot of the guys I work with live over 30 minutes away from our home terminal. Sometimes when your not expecting to go to work, you really need 1 1/2 to get ready and to drive to work. I always try to leave myself some extra time incase of problems. I also like to stop at a local gas station to get a cup of coffee, buy some scratch-offs and chat with the hot check-out girls.
Ironically when I'm at my away from home terminal, CMC usually gives me a long call. Nothing for me to do after I get ready but twiddle my thumbs. Its only a 5 minute drive from the hotel to the terminal.
E0

Off-pending Wrote:
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>I've only had one trainmaster ask
> me why I was late. I told him to call CMC and see
> what time they had called me. It is logged on
> their computers at what time CMC called. In this
> case they were 25 minutes late. I showed up 20
> minutes late.


I guess you just have to hope the crew callers don't change the time in the computer to cover their collective a$$es.

Sean

Fortunately, CMC callers cannot change the times in the computer. Also, trainmasters typically don't wait by the door looking at their watches waiting for you to show up. Even if you are late, there are typically a few other delays you will encounter before you actually depart. The relay train might be late, paperwork issues after all these years are still rampant, and your train might not even be built or air tested yet.

Not condoning tardiness, but it is not a serious issue with very many people.

Dearborn Division also has 2 hour calls

Off-pending Wrote:
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> Where on NS do you get a 2 hour call??

IIRC, all the former CR lines.

To expand a bit on overtime pay for through freight (since someone mentioned it earlier), it depends on your overtime "divisor."

For example ... a job advertised for 130 miles (a "basic day") will go on overtime after 8 hours.

For a job advertised as 200 miles, you won't go on overtime until somewhere around 13 hours, because your carded mileage (130 "basic day" miles, plus 70 "over miles") is already paying the equivalent of that time. The advertised mileage earnings will still be paid even if you finish your trip in 6, 8, or 10 hours. Overtime is only tacked on to the advertised amount if you exceed the time said mileage equates to.

For 260 or 300 miles, to get overtime you'd have to be on duty ... well ... a heck of a lot longer than most really care to be.

Now class, DON'T FORGET: There will be a surprise pop-quiz on ALL of this material in the morning...

;^)

For those that don't glance at the dates on this 18-year old thread, much of it is now incorrect.  The hours of service laws were changed years ago, union agreements modified, carrier policies adjusted, etc.

Thanks for the old thread alert.