Western Railroad Discussion > One man crew

When will we know if the railroads get their way and get one man crews?

Thanks for any info.

Randy Lundgren
Elgin, TX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/20 10:36 by texchief1.

With PSR, there will only be one or two trains out there, so let the conductor drive those icy snow packed roads and put his life in even more danger than it already is.    We're headed down a long slippery slope to Hell.

Rob

OregonOldGuy Wrote:
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> With PSR, there will only be one or two trains out
> there, so let the conductor drive those icy snow
> packed roads and put his life in even more danger
> than it already is.    We're headed down a long
> slippery slope to Hell.
>
> Rob

Slippery slope to hell? A bit over dramatic.

Posted from Android

The unions and carriers are still in contract negotiations.

From what I am hearing.... the brakeman jobs are more likely to go away this round of negotiations than the conductor... its all premature hearsay at this point though....

Posted from iPhone

jc76 Wrote:
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> From what I am hearing.... the brakeman jobs are
> more likely to go away this round of negotiations
> than the conductor... its all premature hearsay at
> this point though....

What "brakeman jobs"?

HotWater Wrote:
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> What "brakeman jobs"?

The trains that still require three-person crews.  Work trains, for one.

Locals, Road Switchers, and Work Trains. I think they are including the Switchmen jobs as well, making just a foreman on yard remote jobs..... Some roads like the CSX already have this at some locations ....

It will be a massive loss of jobs about as big as loosing the conductor....

Posted from iPhone



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/20 11:38 by jc76.

If they were just talking about brakeman jobs, why would they be talking about roving conductors?

Randy Lundgren
Elgin, TX

It'll be any day now!
 

You probably wouldn’t say that if you actually had some skin in the game.

needles_sub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OregonOldGuy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > With PSR, there will only be one or two trains
> out
> > there, so let the conductor drive those icy
> snow
> > packed roads and put his life in even more
> danger
> > than it already is.    We're headed down a
> long
> > slippery slope to Hell.
> >
> > Rob
>
> Slippery slope to hell? A bit over dramatic.
>
> Posted from Android

Posted from iPhone

They might get the conductor too, but the union says it’s willing to negotiate the brakeman jobs away this round of talks....

This is all very early, and could take a couple years to get a agreement, or longer if it goes to arbitration .. plus most everything comming out of the talks now is rumor... so who knows...


texchief1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If they were just talking about brakeman jobs, why
> would they be talking about roving conductors?
>
> Randy Lundgren
> Elgin, TX

Posted from iPhone



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/20 13:57 by jc76.

Brakeman jobs were eliminated December 1st 1995. Any that remain are because someone in management decided they helped. All brakeman jobs are blank-able.

Watch for a big shove from the carriers after the 2020 elections.

fbe Wrote:
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> Watch for a big shove from the carriers after the
> 2020 elections.

The last three appointments to the National Labor Relations Board suggest this could be the strategy. There are three members, two of whom have experience as principals in law firms which specialize  in "workforce reductions".

At the same time, the new Secretary of Labor has experience in union decertification.

Probably just a coincidence, it's not like the government and companies have a plan or anything like that.

swingnose Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You probably wouldn’t say that if you actually
> had some skin in the game.
>
> needles_sub Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > OregonOldGuy Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > With PSR, there will only be one or two
> trains
> > out
> > > there, so let the conductor drive those icy
> > snow
> > > packed roads and put his life in even more
> > danger
> > > than it already is.    We're headed down a
> > long
> > > slippery slope to Hell.
> > >
> > > Rob
> >
> > Slippery slope to hell? A bit over dramatic.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> Posted from iPhone

I don't know about needles, but I was being a bit sarcastic, ya know?   It does seem the UP is about to self implode.  What happened to the anti-trust laws that kept the mega corps from happening??    Oh yeah, the Reagan years did away with them.

Rob

Nope... not nationally... only on some roads at some locations...


MHotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jc76 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > From what I am hearing.... the brakeman jobs
> are
> > more likely to go away this round of
> negotiations
> > than the conductor... its all premature hearsay
> at
> > this point though....
>
> What "brakeman jobs"?

Posted from iPhone

Kinda being sarcastic. Before I retired from driving truck, many drivers were running a around saying they were going get laid off, truck driving jobs were going to disappear because of driver less trucks.
Same types of drama, different mode of transportation.

Posted from Android

I certainly hope the unions are thinking long and hard about how to play this out, and not just keep pushing it out until it’s too late and hope for a miracle. 

Whether we like it out not, there WILL be a day when one-man crews will be a thing.  It may be 10 years, it may be 20, but it will happen, especially when PTC gets sorted out and dialed in.    

I do NOT want to see it happen by any means, but now is the time to start the negotiations surrounding it and make it better for everyone involved when the time does come.  

 

oneblock Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Brakeman jobs were eliminated December 1st 1995.
> Any that remain are because someone in management
> decided they helped. All brakeman jobs are
> blank-able.

This isn't completely true, at least on BNSF.  Locals, road switchers, work trains and conventional yard jobs all must have brakemen or else they cannot run.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/20 11:40 by bnsfjordan.