Steam & Excursion > 4014?

Any word on if the are rescheduling the tour west?

Posted from Android

goduckies Wrote:
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> Any word on if the are rescheduling the tour west?


No.

Common sense would indicate that with UP and all the other Class 1's struggling with bad service issues this is not the climate to operate a steam pr special.

    IMHO-Ross Rowland 

STB just confronted UP for not getting food to Foster Farm in Calif. who were about to kill a million chicken account UP can't get the grain to them on time.  UP added a fifth unit to the turnaround service.  STB order that their trains get the crews.  But who otherwise is deprived service account of too few crews.  I would hate to see what that image would be running steam when lack of trains kills million of animals.  When will they fire the official responsible for cutting so many jobs and putting engines in storage?  What is the chain of authority for putting employees on furlough?

 https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/union-pacific-hit-with-stb-emergency-service-order-for-california-poultry-feed-producer/



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/22 09:20 by PlyWoody.

Latest I heard the UP has continued to halt some steam operations due to the service issues.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

There is no 'quick' solution to low morale...
Industrious-minded workers have many alternative choices for career paths.

'Money' is often a factor, but those that jump job-to-job soon find that money 
concerns soon move to lower priorities than other quality of life issues.

Amazon pays very well, but their turn-over rates are very high...
Corporations that rely on skilled, knowledgeable and responsible 
workers are finding-out those attributes are VERY RARE, in numbers, and Expensive.

If you encourage and reward good work habits and attitudes, expect to
provide broad, supportive benefits, and expect to pay high hourly rates.....
soon applicants will beat a path your door.  Most workers bend towards loyalty,
when treated honestly and fairly ..... "Working hard" for a 'Scrooge-mentality'-management
results in costly, & high turn-over rates, low morale, and low loyalties.

A U.S. government security agency that highered my employing-contractor,
had an applicant acceptance rate of 2%.   ( W. is now retired..) 

After a rigorous background-screening process, 98% of applicants were
not brought on-board.  
College degrees, are minimum requirement.  
Multiple foreign language fluencies, a 'plus'.
Most 'new hires' , stay until retirement.
Benefits and family support is superb.

So, how long will it take for RRs to toss out the "stock-price greedy" folks,
and get back to RR'g?    Soon, ALL the RR's stock prices ( "joined at the hips") will
inevitably collapse----when the cash-flow & profits turns to a trickle and the business is lost ---
- and the full container ships wait for months to get unloaded and reloaded with
the empties.  ( they gotta make room, to land the 'loads", somewhere!)

The greatest percentage of RR stocks are owned by incestous banks, stock investment firms
and their other, nation-wide railroads.    Stock trading is executed by 'programmed, price-linked,
trading algorithms' ....called 'program trading'....and multi-million share trades are executed,
completed and confirmed in microseconds...

A true 'house of cards'.

IMHO...

​W.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/22 11:22 by wcamp1472.

Suddenly, treating employees like crap by laying off constantly doesn't seem like such a bright idea.  All those share holders they were trying to please probably aren't too happy with a 17% YTD loss of stock value.  It's sad to see such short sightedness from a bunch of souless executives.

-CSN

Per usual, well said "W."

I forgot "Secretaries Day." Mine came to work and looked at me expectantly. Realizing my blunder, I told her, just go home. A day off with pay. I'll never forget the look on her face. She cried when I retired and sends me A Xmas card to this day.

Yes, it's hard to build moral, but it helps if you give a damn. d

They don't build that back the whole railroad industry's in major trouble!

Posted from Android

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> They don't build that back the whole railroad
> industry's in major trouble!
>
> Posted from Android

No its not, it's as it always been. There was just as much bitching and complaining when the UP took over the WP 40 years ago. And the 10 years leading up to the takeover. Times change, but people will always embrace the negative.

TomG Wrote:
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> ProAmtrak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > They don't build that back the whole railroad
> > industry's in major trouble!
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> No its not, it's as it always been. There was just
> as much bitching and complaining when the UP took
> over the WP 40 years ago. And the 10 years leading
> up to the takeover. Times change, but people will
> always embrace the negative.


Why don't you tell that to the thousands of rail workers that can't see their families or get furloughed and brought back several times.  You must be souless like the majority of the corporate world.  Oh well, they see where pinching pennies got them.  Now they can't find the manpower because the blue collar working man has had enough!

co614 Wrote:
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> Common sense would indicate that with UP and all
> the other Class 1's struggling with bad service
> issues this is not the climate to operate a steam
> pr special.
>
>     IMHO-Ross Rowland 

Correct analysis , Ross. 

CaliforniaSteamin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> TomG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ProAmtrak Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > They don't build that back the whole railroad
> > > industry's in major trouble!
> > >
> > > Posted from Android
> >
> > No its not, it's as it always been. There was
> just
> > as much bitching and complaining when the UP
> took
> > over the WP 40 years ago. And the 10 years
> leading
> > up to the takeover. Times change, but people
> will
> > always embrace the negative.
>
>
> Why don't you tell that to the thousands of rail
> workers that can't see their families or get
> furloughed and brought back several times.  You
> must be souless like the majority of the corporate
> world.  Oh well, they see where pinching pennies
> got them.  Now they can't find the manpower
> because the blue collar working man has had
> enough!

Souless......no, just lived it. I have family that worked for the railroad back to the steam days. You know how many ball games, birthdays or any other things my rail working relatives made...None. Well, thats not totally true, 2 of my cousins were around more, the were laid off for 3 years before they were called back.  The railroads haven't changed as much as your expectations have.
Things are tougher right now as is every industry thats dealling with todays issues.

Bob3985 Wrote:
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> Latest I heard the UP has continued to halt some
> steam operations due to the service issues.


Too bad, but I get it.

Posted from Android

Kill birds with stone, send it West on a Foster Farms grain train!

Out 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/22 13:05 by callum_out.

TomG,

I've spent the past 23 years with two eastern Class 1's and conditions have actually changed quite a bit. The landscape remained fairly stable through the first decade after which began a slow but steady decline that continues to find morale at new lows with each passing year. I have regular contact with most crafts and management since all employees use at least some of our department's services so my sample size is large as well as diverse. 

Sure, its human nature to bitch and moan in unison but to dismiss any potentially legitimate issue as just so much "embracing the negative" really plays to the same mindset embraced by most railroad executives. Current railroad management is very good at painting a pretty picture for the general public, stockholders and potential employees while delivering a completely different reality to their workers. You are right about one thing in that the workforce's expectations have changed. Most are no longer willing to sacrifice a reasonable quality of life for a job that demands so much. Greater satisfaction and financial reward can now be easily found in other fields with equal or lesser qualifications.

No, it isn't the same as it always has been. Today's railroad "leaders" have become very skilled at hiding hypocrisy in management behind public relations showmanship. Yes, things ARE tougher right now for all industries as they deal with today's issues. The difference is the railroads traditional lack of concern and flippant disregard for their employees is currently getting some uncomfortable exposure at the very same time they are having trouble finding applicants (let alone keeping current employees...) for jobs that historically have had people asking "how do I get in?"

For what its worth prior to the railroad I spent 25 years in electronics / mechanical design for several large national brands, a single proprietorship and a consulting firm so the railroad isn't all I've known.

Respectfully,
                  Gary

    



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/22 07:29 by grizzledgary.

Grizzledgary wins the intertube today.

Posted from iPhone

Excellent analysis, Gary...
Well put observations.

One thought that I'd like enlightenment on is the conditions at
BNSF, owned by Berkshire Hathaway:  Does Buffett's Team tolerate
similar lousy managerial atttutdes and low employee morale?
Is BNSF service to its customers as dismal as the other 
RR conglomerates?

W.

 

BNSF is the worse far as keeping the train crews. It's so bad at the Class 1's that on June 14th the NMB (National Mediation Board) started a 90 day countdown clock calling for strikes if management and labor can't hammer things out. 

 

Oldtyme Wrote:
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> BNSF is the worse far as keeping the train crews.
> It's so bad at the Class 1's that on June 14th the
> NMB (National Mediation Board) started a 90 day
> countdown clock calling for strikes if management
> and labor can't hammer things out. 
>
>  

Don't be surprise if that happens, and that's when Peak Season gets going too!