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In the wake of the recent ATK derailment, would you agree or disagree with these comments?
Starting in 1972, I worked with the best conductors on the planet on SP's Sacramento and Oregon Divisions. But, not all of them would have made good candidates for promotion to an engineer's position. The primary reason why is there are different skill sets needed to be proficient at either.
Today, conductors MUST take promotion to engineer or have their employment terminated. This is for one reason only. It is a part of the ongoing attempt by the carriers to consolidate the crafts.
So, whether possessed of the necessary skills or not, a person gets forced behind the throttle.
This applies to freight operations as well, and those are far more demanding than running passenger trains.
On what level is this sane? I mean, it's like requiring airline baggage handlers to ascend to the pilot seat, isn't it?
Would you agree?
2 Answers
- AndyLv 76 years ago
Howdy Bob. Good to see you. You've been gone awhile. You know already what a bad idea I think forced promotion is. It's a disaster waiting to happen. I know a few of them that have no business being engineers. I had a few of them fire for me. You can tell when a guy doesn't belong over there. They speak in monosyllables and they get that deer in the headlights look. In spite of that they seem to get through the program and get promoted. The company doesn't want them to fail because they have so much money invested in their training. It scares the hell out of me to think they might be running down the mountain towards me on a 18,000 ton coal train. Thank God I have less than a year to go. Then I'm coming over to Dunsmuir from my place on the Oregon coast to have a beer with you. I was through there last summer but didn't have time to stop and look you up. Next time though.
Source(s): UPRR engineer - Gerd PLv 76 years ago
I am from Europe. I did not understand what I have read, the engineer of the derailed train was a train conductor until 2010, then he became a train engineer.
This would never happen in Germany. To become a train engineer you must have undergone a three years apprenticeship in an engineering or a mechanical profession or you must take a three years apprenticeship as train engineer after school education. Having sold/checked tickets on a train would never ever qualify you to become a train driver.
