Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF remodeled NOC dispatch center in Ft Worth

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/bnsf_railway/article/Inside-BNSFs-modernized-network-nerve-center--53621

gmojim

Interesting. Looks like an office!

Having worked in technology since 1976, all I can
say is that photo looks fake. The room appears to
be WAY to nice :-)

How's the dispatching?

It certainly looks good. Wonder how it is to work there. How noisy does it get if you are toward the center?

Gary

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/18 09:07 by SN711.

Oh. Oh. GE's Movement Planner coming this year. Good luck to Amtrak with that, if the NS system is any indication.

Hookdragkick Wrote:
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> How's the dispatching?


Don’t get me started............

One would hope that management policies will allow the dispatchers to do their work !

The article points out moving from 4 over 4 displays to 5 over 5, which makes sense with the traditional way trackage is displayed across a monitor, kinda like a road map.

The photos showing the overall view of the area show 2 over 2, which is basically a workstation in many cubicle farms for software programmers, Network Engineers or even Accountants.

The details of the big board are interesting. The ergonomics and HVAC listed are also pretty standard today, variable height workstations able to allow stand-up time is a big feature these days, alleviating fatigue on long shifts. I would think each dispatcher station would still need 2 or 3 telephones plus the Voice Network. Would also think there would be an additional CPU and monitor for conferencing, also finding Maps and Googling Hotels for the Crew Van.

CZ10 Wrote:
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> Having worked in technology since 1976, all I can
> say is that photo looks fake. The room appears
> to
> be WAY to nice :-)

It's the same "room" the NOC has been in since it was first built in the mid-90s. I've been there twice, and from my recollection it was originally much darker and the layout of the desks and cubicles was oriented much more towards the big screens in front.

Watch the time-lapse video that was linked in the article.

https://youtu.be/TGBwbBnt9C8

Dispatchers are still required to oversee / do crew calling, van summons, etc?

Longer shifts??? It’s 8 hours at a desk that they can get up from and walk around.

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The article points out moving from 4 over 4
> displays to 5 over 5, which makes sense with the
> traditional way trackage is displayed across a
> monitor, kinda like a road map.
>
> The photos showing the overall view of the area
> show 2 over 2, which is basically a workstation in
> many cubicle farms for software programmers,
> Network Engineers or even Accountants.
>
> The details of the big board are interesting. The
> ergonomics and HVAC listed are also pretty
> standard today, variable height workstations able
> to allow stand-up time is a big feature these
> days, alleviating fatigue on long shifts. I would
> think each dispatcher station would still need 2
> or 3 telephones plus the Voice Network. Would also
> think there would be an additional CPU and monitor
> for conferencing, also finding Maps and Googling
> Hotels for the Crew Van.

Posted from iPhone

jointauthority Wrote:
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> Longer shifts??? It’s 8 hours at a desk that
> they can get up from and walk around.
>

I spent many, many, many dispatching shifts that involved only getting up to go at a dead run to the john and back. I often carried the same lunch to work several days in a row then ate it on my days off. I don't suppose that the workload is any better, so it would probably depend upon whether the person assigned to the chair cared about what was happening. Take it from there.

TAW