Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF NW melt down

Its coming.... They are out of crews in Hauser for a second week. The extra boards have been cut even more all so the new hires will not be able to come back and mark up. Get some popcorn and watch the trains pile up!
Kevin

Pacific_Division Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Its coming.... They are out of crews in Hauser for
> a second week. The extra boards have been cut even
> more all so the new hires will not be able to come
> back and mark up. Get some popcorn and watch the
> trains pile up!
> Kevin

Has management not listened that they are going to incur a lot more costs when they have to pay lots and lots of OT compared to having enough of the extraboard to cover..

So, when Pasco can't take trains and starts putting them at Yellpit and Hover on the Fallbridge side and at Eltopia and Connell, then the meltdown will be in full crisis mode..


SP8100

There is no historical precedent that October is a busy month. (yes, that's sarcasm)

SP8100 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pacific_Division Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Its coming.... They are out of crews in Hauser
> for
> > a second week. The extra boards have been cut
> even
> > more all so the new hires will not be able to
> come
> > back and mark up. Get some popcorn and watch
> the
> > trains pile up!
> > Kevin
>
> Has management not listened that they are going to
> incur a lot more costs when they have to pay lots
> and lots of OT compared to having enough of the
> extraboard to cover..
>
> So, when Pasco can't take trains and starts
> putting them at Yellpit and Hover on the
> Fallbridge side and at Eltopia and Connell, then
> the meltdown will be in full crisis mode..
>
>
> SP8100

I hear there is a certain region manager up there that is a real yo-yo...likes to cut costs to the bone at the expense of everyone and everything else. True??


AM

bradleymckay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SP8100 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Pacific_Division Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Its coming.... They are out of crews in
> Hauser
> > for
> > > a second week. The extra boards have been cut
> > even
> > > more all so the new hires will not be able to
> > come
> > > back and mark up. Get some popcorn and watch
> > the
> > > trains pile up!
> > > Kevin
> >
> > Has management not listened that they are going
> to
> > incur a lot more costs when they have to pay
> lots
> > and lots of OT compared to having enough of the
> > extraboard to cover..
> >
> > So, when Pasco can't take trains and starts
> > putting them at Yellpit and Hover on the
> > Fallbridge side and at Eltopia and Connell,
> then
> > the meltdown will be in full crisis mode..
> >
> >
> > SP8100
>
> I hear there is a certain region manager up there
> that is a real yo-yo...likes to cut costs to the
> bone at the expense of everyone and everything
> else. True??
>
>
> AM


You hit it right on the head!!! He's been firing crews right and left --sometimes for first time offenses. People are running scared and production has dropped as a result. He micro-manages to a point that drives local managers crazy. My U.P. friends are shaking their heads at this guy --thinking they had it bad! Morale is in the toilet and labor relations couldn't be worse. Let's put it this way... he's no Doug Jones. Hopefully, he won't last long.

That guy sounds like that idiot Marine Major that Gunny Hiway answers to in Heartbreak Ridge. How'd that go "what did you do before you came to the infantry Major? I was in Supply. Was you good at it? Yes! Then go back to it cause you aint worth a ----- as an infantry officer! It is totally amazing how one individual can screw up hundreds of lives and get away with it. Hopefully someone with a little foresight will see it for what it is and make a change.

Hope they figure it out - they want to run 33 grain trains in the next four days.

Did an overnight at Avery on last Thursday night - had 13 go through between midnite and 6 am.

Robert Scott
Rochester, WA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/11 19:56 by FoamersNW.

stampedej Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Let's put it this way... he's no Doug Jones.

It happens everywhere. The new guy shows up and has to put his mark on things. Forget what what the people on the ground know...

Last trip we got relieved at Wishram, and on the way home we got relieved at Wishram...

I just looked at the extra boards and everywhere else on the division they pretty much stayed the same. I dont know why they are zeroing in on Spokane (Hauser). I am interested to see what happens to the new hires this winter. We have a ton in class here in Vancouver, Seattle, Pasco and even Klamath Falls. Furlough I guess.

stampedej Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bradleymckay Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > SP8100 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Pacific_Division Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > Its coming.... They are out of crews in
> > Hauser
> > > for
> > > > a second week. The extra boards have been
> cut
> > > even
> > > > more all so the new hires will not be able
> to
> > > come
> > > > back and mark up. Get some popcorn and
> watch
> > > the
> > > > trains pile up!
> > > > Kevin
> > >
> > > Has management not listened that they are
> going
> > to
> > > incur a lot more costs when they have to pay
> > lots
> > > and lots of OT compared to having enough of
> the
> > > extraboard to cover..
> > >
> > > So, when Pasco can't take trains and starts
> > > putting them at Yellpit and Hover on the
> > > Fallbridge side and at Eltopia and Connell,
> > then
> > > the meltdown will be in full crisis mode..
> > >
> > >
> > > SP8100
> >
> > I hear there is a certain region manager up
> there
> > that is a real yo-yo...likes to cut costs to
> the
> > bone at the expense of everyone and everything
> > else. True??
> >
> >
> > AM
>
>
> You hit it right on the head!!! He's been firing
> crews right and left --sometimes for first time
> offenses. People are running scared and production
> has dropped as a result. He micro-manages to a
> point that drives local managers crazy. My U.P.
> friends are shaking their heads at this guy
> --thinking they had it bad! Morale is in the
> toilet and labor relations couldn't be worse.
> Let's put it this way... he's no Doug Jones.
> Hopefully, he won't last long.


If this guy is firing crews for alleged first offenses and not following the company's policies of disciplinary process, he is in for a rude awakening(not to mention law suits). Once the higher ups are seeing all these people get their jobs back with back pay after the whole arbitration process has been complete, he will be dealt with. I have seen this too many times, and it never favors the rouge manager! They will never learn.

is a region manager at bn the same as a division manager at csx?

Let me understand this.

1st: You work for a company. That company has rules. Violation of rules at most companies can result in discipline up to and including termination...so what's the issue?

2nd: Most companies are in business to make a profit. Salary and benefits are usually highest cost for most businesses. So company manager who is directly responsible for budget makes changes to manpower to reduce cost and make money...what's the issue?

#1. People mess up, some of the things have been little or happened to people that have never been in trouble before.

#2. Service, such as its not there due to manpower shortages.
Kevin

Cutting the board is all well and good..... BUT... you cut so much into it you defeat the original purpose of the cuts.

sd39u Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Let me understand this.
>
> 1st: You work for a company. That company has
> rules. Violation of rules at most companies can
> result in discipline up to and including
> termination...so what's the issue?
>
> 2nd: Most companies are in business to make a
> profit. Salary and benefits are usually highest
> cost for most businesses. So company manager who
> is directly responsible for budget makes changes
> to manpower to reduce cost and make money...what's
> the issue?


You make a good point. But you have never worked for a railroad, apparently. Read through railroad history, fiction and lore for many past decades and you will find similar examples. If you work for a well-managed company, good for you. Unfortunately, rogue managers and martinets exist in many fields and are often allowed to screw things up for years.