Eastern Railroad Discussion > Crew Shortages Affect Short Lines Also

http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/3e5706924b99c2e99ef1f023069802e9?s=50&d=identicon&r=GCrew Shortages Affect Short Lines, Tooby csanders429

 Crew shortages spurred by employees leaving for other jobs and a dearth of applicants for the openings they leave behind have spread to short line railroads.
As reported by Trains magazine on its website, executives from a number of short line holding companies told an industry conference that in some instances short lines have been able to hire former Class 1 railroad workers despite the lower pay and benefits offered by short lines.

Short lines also offer more predictable working hours with operating personnel often able to return home at night once they complete their shift.
A Genesee & Wyoming executive told the conference the number of workers leaving G&W railroads doubled during the third quarter.
The article can be read at: https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/train-crew-shortage-spreads-to-short-lines/

Are the short lines using PSR?

While the pay scale can be somewhat lower than at a C1, short line benefit packages - particularly with the larger short line holding companies - aren’t appreciably different from C1’s and you’re still covered by Railroad Retirement.

In addition to the regular hours and “in your own bed every night” noted above, in many cases the former C1 employee who moves to a short line is no longer having to pay union dues. That serves to offset the lower pay scale to a degree.

CW

Posted from iPhone

For quality of life, going to a shortline is probably the best move a Class One guy can make. Plus, you aren't in fear of getting fired everyday you come to work so that some manager can meet his quota.

OK, I'm confused. On the one hand, the OP quotes folks leaving Class Ones to join Shortlines for better working conditions but then the last line:  "A Genesee & Wyoming executive told the conference the number of workers leaving G&W railroads doubled during the third quarter"  Since G&W owns shortlines, that last statement seems to contradict the first...

In any event, the sad part is that if the class ones can't provide service, even the most customer friendly shortlines are affected and may lose customers.

Victor

 



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 11/26/21 10:01 by wabash2800.

altoonafn Wrote:
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> Are the short lines using PSR?

A small number of holding companies parrotted the "We're implementing PSR, too!" line when it was all the rage, and most likely to placate their investers.  I can't recall all who did; however, I do know OmniTrax did with certainty.  What did that actually mean for their operation?  I have no idea.  But to describe their operation as much beyond "organized chaos" is a compliment, and I doubt the supposed PSR implementation changed anything.

The biggest effect PSR has had on shortlines is to take what was once predictable interchange from their Class 1 connection and make it "Whenever they bring us cars."

Mike Derrick
 

Mike; that last sentence made me laugh! That’s EXACTLY what my son tells me when I ask him about his short line employer’s interchange with CSX.

CW

Posted from iPhone

I know a guy who worked for NS for almost 15 years.  He went on vacation, came back had to ride the extra board for a brief period.  Strictly by chance, found himself on a local that interchanged with a shortline one evening last year (2020) and while spotting cars at the interchange, he happened across the engineer of said shortline who was also the assistant trainmaster.  Conversations were had, and less than a month later, he was an engineer on the shortline.  Claims it was the best decision he ever made aside from proposing to his wife.  Home every night, mostly reasonable hours, and weekend work is the exception and not the rule.  He did take a paycut, but feels that he made up for the loss of income in the amount of time he gets off and the predictability of his schedule. 

I won't say who or where as he's actively trying to recruit a couple other NS employees from his former terminal, and doesn't want them to be targeted. 

Sean Hoyden
Broad Run, VA

But on some shortlines in addition to the lower pay there is no craft distinction. One day you might be running the loco, on another day you might be laying ties, rails and ballasting. But some folks don't mind.

Victor



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/26/21 14:03 by wabash2800.

"No craft distinctions" may be the rule on a few of shortest of short lines, but all of the ones I'm familiar with there are definite class distinctions between T&E and other crafts (MofW, mechanics, clerks, etc.), although in almost every case engineers, conductors, and brakemen are all cross-trained over time,and when fully qualified for all, swap positions frequently.

I believe you can't put a price on your quality of life. I'm a lower level manager for the state of Pennsylvania and have a lot of room to advance. The question becomes is it worth it? My district manager probably makes about $35,000 more per year than I do but the job owns him. He's on call 24/7 and deals with all sorts of issues every day. He's able to take vacation time but it's limited. 
I have almost no worries and am surrounded with lots of nice people at work. I can take however much vacation time I want and have used that to my full advantage. 
I read what you guys on the class 1's have to put up with and it boggles my mind. It seems like it was a difficult job to begin with three or four years ago but this PSR nonsense has made it that much worse. There's so much out there in life to see and do without being tied to your job day in and day out. Some times money isn't everything.
I hope the best for all the crews out there. Hang in there and be safe!

Matt

wabash2800 Wrote: 
------------------------------------------------------- 
> But on some shortlines in addition to the lower 
> pay there is no craft distinction. One day you 
> might be running the loco, on another day you 
> might be laying ties, rails and ballasting. But 
> some folks don't mind. 
> 
> Victor 

That's generally a folk myth passed along by Class I RRers to justify their resistance to the idea of working at shortline. "Don't do it kid, one day you'll be in the seat haulin' freight, the next you'll be out poundin' spikes!"  As PRR1361 describes above, sure, the lines between 'crafts' may be blurred on the smaller RRs, but most reasonable employers would really not benefit by putting differently-skilled employees in unfamiliar service (outside of an emergency). Most of my T&E career has been spent in Class I service, but I do have a few RRB years in on a few shortlines. I personally never did track work or help put a new roof on the yard office. But to be fair: Once an Engineer and I were told by the GM to take the company vehicle and pick up a machine that had been repaired locally. We may have grumbled about that a little, but I'm pretty sure we turned that into an assignment that involved lunch. :) ha!  
-Manny

with fuel, energy, and food costs increasing, we could see an increase in applicants for ALL jobs.

those currently not interested in applying for jobs for whatever reason may change their minds soon especially if rents or mortgages are in arrears.........

66

goneon66 Wrote:
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> with fuel, energy, and food costs increasing, we
> could see an increase in applicants for ALL jobs.
>
> those currently not interested in applying for
> jobs for whatever reason may change their minds
> soon especially if rents or mortgages are in
> arrears.........
>
> 66

There aren't a lot of those people though. The current unemployment and jobless rates are lower than they've been in decades.

The untapped reservoir here would be those of us who have retired in recent years and are still in good health both mentally and physically. There have been times I would consider returning to work if it was at a reduced schedule and without team meetings and MBA management crap. Us old guys just don’t have the tolerance for that as we used to. ;-)

CW

Posted from iPhone

portlander Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> goneon66 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > with fuel, energy, and food costs increasing,
> we
> > could see an increase in applicants for ALL
> jobs.
> >
> > those currently not interested in applying for
> > jobs for whatever reason may change their minds
> > soon especially if rents or mortgages are in
> > arrears.........
> >
> > 66
>
> There aren't a lot of those people though. The
> current unemployment and jobless rates are lower
> than they've been in decades.

increasing energy, fuel, and food costs COULD get some more people interested in applying for jobs.

i would think some rents could be increasing too...........

66 

Juniata Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The untapped reservoir here would be those of us
> who have retired in recent years and are still in
> good health both mentally and physically. There
> have been times I would consider returning to work
> if it was at a reduced schedule and without team
> meetings and MBA management crap. Us old guys just
> don’t have the tolerance for that as we used to.
> ;-)
>
> CW
>
> Posted from iPhone

Yep. Do that and the RRB will be writing you a little letter informing you of your reduced retirement benefits too.

I’m not 100 percent but I think the cap is around 12 thousand a year.

I’m getting closer and need to talk with those fine folks myself.

I’m chock full of the know nothing know it all’s too.

You Old Heads here have any good info? TIA.

Regards.

Be prepared to be on hold with the RRB for a minimum of one hour before anyone answers. They are terrible to get a hold of. Been that way for years, seems like.

So I’ve heard.

Posted from iPhone

If you go on the RRB website you can pull up the locator map for the office nearest you.
When you do there is an email link you can use to send a question or area of concern.

I have always gotten a return phone call by the next day. Otherwise if you call that toll free 877 number you can be on hold forever and beyond eternity.  Actually what it does is uses your area code to send your call to the closest office, or so I am told. I had a cell phone with a Honolulu number and lived in New York and not sure where it might have been trying to send me (California?) - in any event keep this in mind and with repeated calls and holding for hours over months I never got through. The email message route worked great and the person on the other end was patient and very thorough and helpful. I never did visit an office in person. It was all done over the phone, email and mail.

And yes you will get a packet that tells you what you can earn additional to retirement and what it will cost you, etc. And basically you cannot go back to work directly for a railroad. As for me I wouldn't go back directly for all the tea in China and all the money that could be printed. Enough was enough.

Also note that some shortlines are unionized and you would be paying dues. As noted above there generally are, in my experience, craft distinctions. Anyone interested can pull up the website of the railroad you are interested in and read the job posting and descriptions and take it from there. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/21 19:38 by train1275.