Passenger Trains > NS seeks temporary transfers

It is no secret: Norfolk Southern has more business than it can handle. Some have referred to its
Chicago-Cleveland route as a "parking lot."

Part of the problem is staffing, and here is what NS did late last month into early Sept. to try and solve it:


NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORPORATION
PIEDMONT DIVISION
SUPERINTENDENT'S NOTICE
GREENVILLE, SC - AUGUST 29, 2014

SUPERINTENDENT'S NOTICE NO. G-23

ALL CONCERNED: PIEDMONT DIVISION

NOTICE TO ACTIVE AND FURLOUGHED TRAIN AND ENGINE EMPLOYEES

IMMEDIATE NEED TO FILL TEMPORARY POSITIONS AT

TOLEDO, ELKHART, BELLEVUE AND CLEVELAND

TOTAL TRANSFER ALLOWANCE: $15,000
APPLICATION DEADLINE: NOON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2014
REPORT DATE: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
END DATE: 60 DAYS AFTER QUALIFYING

NS is experiencing higher than anticipated business volumes on the Northern Region, which are expected to continue as we enter what is likely to be a robust holiday and grain season. To ensure NS has sufficient engineers and conductors in place to meetthe needs of our customers, the opportunity is being made available to train and engine employees on the Eastern and Western Regions to apply for a voluntary temporary transfer to a position at one of the locations listed below. In order to be eligible for this transfer opportunity, an applicant must meet the fitness and ability requirements for the position and may not have exercisable seniority rights to the location(s) being offered.

Employees accepted for this offer will be notified no later than Friday, September 5, 2014 and will report to their temporary transfer locations on Monday, September 8, 2014. The temporary transfer will end 60 days following the date that a successful applicant completes the qualification process on the new territory.

During the course of the transfer period, participating employees will receive transfer allowances totaling $15,000 ($2,000 paid at the beginning of the transfer period, $3,000 paid upon qualifying on the new territory and $10,000 paid upon successful completion of the program).

In order to qualify for the above transfer allowance, an
employee must remain marked up during the entire period
unless otherwise authorized by supervision. Scheduled
vacation time will be subject to the terms and conditions
of the vacation buyback program as advertised in the bulletin
system.

At the time of transfer, Company lodging will be provided during the transfer period and a $35 meal allowance will be paid for each day the employee works or is available to work at their new location until 60 days after qualifying on the new territory.
In lieu of company provided lodging and daily meal allowances, the employee may elect to receive a $1,500 lodging and meal allowance to be paid each month. Employees that transfer are also eligible for a personal auto mileage payment to travel from their current work location to their temporary work location and mileage to return when released.

An employee who fails to: a) satisfactorily meet the qualifications of the assigned territory b) remain marked up during the entire period unless authorized by supervision and
c) remain in active service at the new location until released by proper authorization at the end of the temporary transfer period, must repay all payments and allowances issued (including aforementioned transfer allowances).

Employees wishing to participate in this Program must, via e-mail, submit their 1.) name; 2.) seven digit employee id number;and 3.) list the locations, in order of preference, that they would like to be considered for to te.transfers@nscorp.com.
Applications must be received no later than noon September 3, 2014. Employees whose applications are accepted will be notified by September 5, 2014 and will report for training on September 8, 2014, unless other arrangements are made with the new supervisor.

Applications will be considered in the hire date order by location. In the event that more than one employee has the same hire date, the last four digits of the employee's SSN will be used to determine the order. Depending on the anticipated needs of service, we may not be able to accept any applications from a particular location. Therefore, the Carrier may not be able to accommodate all requests for transfer. Once requests have been matched with available vacancies and the appropriate supervisors notified, employees whose applications to temporarily transfer have been accepted will be contacted individually and notified by email.

Carrier reserves the right to modify or rescind the program at any time. Carrier may consider attendance/career service records when evaluating a transfer application and maintains the right to reject any application at its discretion.

DIVISION LOCATION
Dearborn Toledo, OH
Elkhart, IN
Lake Bellevue, OH
Cleveland, OH

BEN T. FENNELL
DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT

CC:
STAFF
DIV ENGINEER GEN SUPV C&S
SPECIAL AGT-IN-CHG ASST GEN SUPV C&S
.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/14 02:29 by GenePoon.

Wow. Nice package for the folks who take it. I hope it helps.

Chessie1963 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow. Nice package for the folks who take it. I
> hope it helps.

For an active employee - this is peanuts. Taxes take 40% right off the top.

Bob

bnsfbob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Chessie1963 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Wow. Nice package for the folks who take it.
> I
> > hope it helps.
>
> For an active employee - this is peanuts. Taxes
> take 40% right off the top.
>
> Bob

And is that Norfolk Southern's problem?

The high taxation rate that hits income outside of normal hourly or salaried compensation is a problem that rests under a big white dome in Washington, DC, not with NS or any of our employers. I'm not a railroader, and I've been hit by it more than a few times. And yes, always to my very great dismay. A number of times a not-so-happy message has gone out soon thereafter to my elected representatives. Whom I then hold accountable in the voting booth.

Sorry, seems to me that this is a pretty good deal. Were I an NS train service employee eligible for it, I'd probably be giving it very serious consideration. An extra $9,000 net into the exchequer is always a welcome thing, even if it can't be more.

MC
Columbia, Missouri

Adding more crews should help if the main problem is rested crews. If the big problem is trains parked on the main, clogged yards, etc, more crews won't help too much.

I'll be interested to see if NS creates trains with blocks that bypass the most congested yards or areas. Like a Conway to CP-Chicago freight that doesn't do any intermediate work.

This circular was for crews from the Piedmont Division. I wonder if the offer will be extended to other divisions?

ironmtn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bnsfbob Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------

> >
> > For an active employee - this is peanuts. Taxes
> > take 40% right off the top.
> >
> > Bob
>
> And is that Norfolk Southern's problem?
>
> The high taxation rate that hits income outside of
> normal hourly or salaried compensation is a
> problem that rests under a big white dome in
> Washington, DC, not with NS or any of our
> employers. I'm not a railroader, and I've been hit
> by it more than a few times. And yes, always to my
> very great dismay. A number of times a
> not-so-happy message has gone out soon thereafter
> to my elected representatives. Whom I then hold
> accountable in the voting booth.
>
> Sorry, seems to me that this is a pretty good
> deal. Were I an NS train service employee eligible
> for it, I'd probably be giving it very serious
> consideration. An extra $9,000 net into the
> exchequer is always a welcome thing, even if it
> can't be more.
>
> MC
> Columbia, Missouri

Maybe he was referring to state taxes. Indiana has a low tax rate. Ohio's is higher relative to the national average, but not relative to most other Midwestern and Northeastern states.

To me, this is strong evidence that Amtrak delays in this area were never "self inflected"; or caused by this nonsense of "missing slots".

I think the NS is doing a very smart thing. Of course, they are doing it for the benefit of their freight customers; but Amtrak should benefit greatly also.

Remember Amtrak's official request to NS that they improve their handling of passenger trains through the Elkhart/Porter area; well, this move by NS will at least offer the hope of some improvement.

Nice going, NS!

Joe

floridajoe2001 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To me, this is strong evidence that Amtrak delays
> in this area were never "self inflected"; or
> caused by this nonsense of "missing slots".
>
> I think the NS is doing a very smart thing. Of
> course, they are doing it for the benefit of their
> freight customers; but Amtrak should benefit
> greatly also.
>
> Remember Amtrak's official request to NS that they
> improve their handling of passenger trains through
> the Elkhart/Porter area; well, this move by NS
> will at least offer the hope of some improvement.
>
> Nice going, NS!
>
> Joe

Agree, Joe!

ep75 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Remember, most on this board are in love with a
> company that pretends to be a private car company
> and is set up like Amtrak, but with a non union
> staff and low wages, which disgraces the workers
> of the past who struggled to get a union with
> great difficulties; Pullman.
> floridajoe2001 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > To me, this is strong evidence that Amtrak
> delays
> > in this area were never "self inflected"; or
> > caused by this nonsense of "missing slots".
> >
> > I think the NS is doing a very smart thing. Of
> > course, they are doing it for the benefit of
> their
> > freight customers; but Amtrak should benefit
> > greatly also.
> >
> > Remember Amtrak's official request to NS that
> they
> > improve their handling of passenger trains
> through
> > the Elkhart/Porter area; well, this move by NS
> > will at least offer the hope of some
> improvement.
> >
> > Nice going, NS!
> >
> > Joe

Huh? Sorry, I'm not understanding the point of your post. Or the relationship it has to this thread, or to Joe's post.

Remember that all of this is in addition to the pay they get
for working.

Essentially, an employee can do this 60-day term and receive
double pay, and a little more if he's careful about how he spends
his meal and lodging money

floridajoe2001 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To me, this is strong evidence that Amtrak delays
> in this area were never "self inflected"

==================================================

...except for the Capitol Limited running into the back of an NS freight train...

And "missing slots" is even MORE of a problem when the railroad is congested. But maybe you don't understand that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/14 11:52 by GenePoon.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> floridajoe2001 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > To me, this is strong evidence that Amtrak
> delays
> > in this area were never "self inflected"
>
> ==================================================
>
>
> ...except for the Capitol Limited running into the
> back of an NS freight train...
>
> And "missing slots" is even MORE of a problem when
> the railroad is congested. But maybe you don't
> understand that.

I wonder if you know the full story?

I am pondering a two track, bi-directional railroad dispatched by CTC that carries mainly multiple-powered long trains all with roller bearings. Into that traffic you have about two dozen of passenger trains, all pulled by diesels, with radio connection and state-of-the-art location equipment.

At the same time I am thinking about the NYCRR using those same two tracks only as a directional railroad dispatched by towers, tracks that mainly carried many single steam powered shorter trains with friction bearings. Into that traffic you had several dozen passenger trains, all pulled by steam, with virtually no communication ability (except for orders on the fly) and only towers to relay location.

How did the likes of Century, Commodore Vanderbilt, Wolverine, Mercuries, Twilight Limited, Chicagoan, Motor City Special, Pacemaker, etc., keep to on-time running (at faster cards) more then than today's trains do with reputedly more reliable equipment and greater track utilization flexibility?

I can't believe there is more traffic today than at the heart of WWII -- am I wrong about that?

(Just wondering if the removal of sidings and the plethora of smaller yards system-wide means that the mains become the parking lots instead of the parking lots?)

To: Gene Poon

Why did you post a Freight Railroad matter like this on the Passenger Board?

You may have failed to draw the connection between the NS's action and Amtrak, but I didn't. It's probably very good new for Amtrak trains traveling the Chicago-Porter area--and all the way to Toledo, for that matter.

Now, if only the CSX would follow NS's example.

Joe

RevRandy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am pondering a two track, bi-directional
> railroad dispatched by CTC that carries mainly
> multiple-powered long trains all with roller
> bearings. Into that traffic you have about two
> dozen of passenger trains, all pulled by diesels,
> with radio connection and state-of-the-art
> location equipment.
>
> At the same time I am thinking about the NYCRR
> using those same two tracks only as a directional
> railroad dispatched by towers, tracks that mainly
> carried many single steam powered shorter trains
> with friction bearings. Into that traffic you had
> several dozen passenger trains, all pulled by
> steam, with virtually no communication ability
> (except for orders on the fly) and only towers to
> relay location.
>
> How did the likes of Century, Commodore
> Vanderbilt, Wolverine, Mercuries, Twilight
> Limited, Chicagoan, Motor City Special, Pacemaker,
> etc., keep to on-time running (at faster cards)
> more then than today's trains do with reputedly
> more reliable equipment and greater track
> utilization flexibility?
>
> I can't believe there is more traffic today than
> at the heart of WWII -- am I wrong about that?
>
> (Just wondering if the removal of sidings and the
> plethora of smaller yards system-wide means that
> the mains become the parking lots instead of the
> parking lots?)

The absence of sidings unquestionably makes a difference in the Water Level Route, but the local dispatching, local towers played a huge role in keeping things liquid back in the 1950s. Today's "key trains" of haz-mat etc also focus dispatcher attention, based on some of the radio conversations I've heard.

Bad management, meaning management at the top, that's what it is. Too many assets tossed away, and now they need them. Those assets include "how to keep a RR fluid", vs. minimizing everything to "just what's needed."

RevRandy Wrote:

> How did the likes of Century, Commodore
> Vanderbilt, Wolverine, Mercuries, Twilight
> Limited, Chicagoan, Motor City Special, Pacemaker,
> etc., keep to on-time running (at faster cards)
> more then than today's trains do with reputedly
> more reliable equipment and greater track
> utilization flexibility?
>

Lets not forget that rules were winked at back then if it meant getting a late train back on time. It was almost expected that posted speed limits would be exceeded to make up time, something that would get the engineer a decert letter today. Thankfully those days are passed us, as those rules are there for a purpose.

RevRandy Wrote:
>
> I can't believe there is more traffic today than
> at the heart of WWII -- am I wrong about that?
>

I've been told and have read in some places that the railroads today are carrying almost twice the amount of material than they carried during WW II, and they are doing it with less than a quarter of the personnel. The issue is the great retrenchment of facilities. The NYC was mostly a four track railroad then and is now double track with a few control sidings. The B&O was Single tracked, the Erie, the Fort Wayne and the Pan Handle are basically gone so all the traffic is bottled up on the remaining routes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/14 17:36 by MW4man.

MW4man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RevRandy Wrote:
> >
> > I can't believe there is more traffic today
> than
> > at the heart of WWII -- am I wrong about that?
> >
>
> I've been told and have read in some places that
> the railroads today are carrying almost twice the
> amount of material than they carried during WW II,
> and they are doing it with less than a quarter of
> the personnel. The issue is the great
> retrenchment of facilities. The NYC was mostly a
> four track railroad then and is now double track
> with a few control sidings. The B&O was Single
> tracked, the Erie, the Fort Wayne and the Pan
> Handle are basically gone so all the traffic is
> bottled up on the remaining routes.

Correct. They are hauling volumes far and way larger
than ever before, with fewer sheer number of individual
trains, fewer people, fewer cars, fewer locomotives and
less track.

floridajoe2001 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To: Gene Poon
>
> Why did you post a Freight Railroad matter like
> this on the Passenger Board?
>
> You may have failed to draw the connection between
> the NS's action and Amtrak, but I didn't. It's
> probably very good new for Amtrak trains traveling
> the Chicago-Porter area--and all the way to
> Toledo, for that matter.
>
> Now, if only the CSX would follow NS's example.
>
> Joe

Maybe he knows, like most of us, that you think NS,
CSX and all the other roads exist for one reason only:

As a life support system for Amtrak, and that anything
else they do, such as fix track and haul freight just
screws Amtrak.