JamesSwidergal

The UP Healthy....haha!

James Swidergal — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:36:00 GMT

How in the world can anyone in their right mind suggest that the UP cares about anything other than it's own bottom line.

There isn't a soul on that railroad that would give a rat's ass about their employees (at least on the agreement side) health, and when it comes to the employees' health the UP's answer is to fire people instead of get them medical assistance and nuture a potentially valuable employee back to work.

This sounds like some independent (pay to play) advertising ploy, instead of an official statement offed by a legitimate research group. I don't by into it. The UP doesn't care about their employees, they'd just as soon fire the whole lot.

Way To Go Joe Szabo!

James Swidergal — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:14:00 GMT

Hats off to Joe Szabo's appointment as the New Administrator for the FRA, once again President Barrack Obama has picked a solid railroaders' choice. I met Joe Szabo only once in my life and it was at a local union meeting. Something struck a chord with this guy, and I liked what he had to say.

Now that Joe's moved up to a top dog position, maybe FRA enforcement will be directed towards the Carriers' and their foibles as opposed to the forever din of The FRA/NTSB for ever blaming agreement error for all the woes of railroad mishap. Perhaps, with Joe Szabo real change can take place in the FRA. Especially where railroader safety and the future of TEY employees.

It's just a suggestion, let's get the FRA to take a stand on one PTC that will be adapted for all railroads on the continent, one standard of signalling,one standard of radio dispatching, one standard of EOT's (ie,many eot's owned by NS will not work with other carriers HEU's.) I other words, we need a Joe Szabo to return to basics, and formulate basic operating standards across the system and not leave it up to the Carriers' discretion.

Joe Szabo I hope and wish you the best of luck, and may the Holy Spirit keep you vigilant in your tasks, and in your own success. And, maybe one of you professional writers take on a full spread story highlighting Joe Szabo, maybe an in-depth interview with qoutes and promises that Joe Szabo can prescribe.

Welcome and let's hear from all Carriers employees in Chicago

James Swidergal — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 20:37:00 GMT

Looking forward to hearing from both sides of the fence, and from all you different carriers' employees' both agreement and non-agreement, rank-n-file,management,administrative,railroad related,Class 1,2,3, shortline,industry, TE&Y,RT&S,C&C,everyone.

Union news, suggestions, all kinds of input welcome, just keep it clean.

Techno Rails

James Swidergal — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:31:00 GMT

Just some ideas floating around in my noggin' since 2005, I've tried to solicit this information to various railroad general superintendants, over the past few years but noone seems interested.

Once again these are just ground floor ideas as to expedite the Carriers' obligation to start to implement PTC and other techno wizardry to their systems. (Why exactly is beyond me,if it's not broke why fix it?) (Considering the FRA banned cell phone use how can modern hi-end electronics,PTC,GPS,GIS,ECP,and all the other crap that's being forced down the Carriers' throat in the name of progress be allowed to be utilized, ...are they not electronic gizmoes too?

But here goes anyway, it would be more advantageous if the present day Remote Control would be upgraded, in my plan book RCO would be a one man operation instead of the two man operation that presently exists, by utilizing video streaming monitors either manually to the shove portion,or the leader portion, or even incorporated into the leader of the designated RC engine, relayed back to an onboard viewing device attached or incorporated into the present RC controller appliance. Not only would the video portion be viewed by the RCO, but can be intercepted by the terminal coordinator or Manager of Yard operations, or other supervising entity. This video streamer is simply dialed into just as your cell phone camera has the capability to do.

This allows for the RCO to see his/her own moves with out having to physically ride the shove, or ride the lead, it allows for more time on the ground stringing cars together, or choppin' them out what ever the case, from somewhere other than either end of their consist. Now, this device what I call "Fred with eyes", and these remote manual optical appliances "I-Sockets" and in my design they are actually add-ons although they can be encased within the Standard EOT,after retrofitting. But the add-on feature are durable,contain it's own power supply along with it's own photocell charging system, are small enough to fit in a coat pocket, and have the same transmitting range as your cell phone.

There are additional features I won't get into, which can take this system out on the main line (I guess with FRA experimental authority) and with the combined system of my own PTC, and FLIR, and Electronic Engineer (a software program that's still be coded) (Why Electronic Engineer ? Because the rule says a conductor must be on the headend of the train, it says nothing about the Engineer. So therefore this system would require a conductor with a license).

But as far as yard use using this system where most RC occurs, this system compiled with some of these automatic switching systems offered by other vendors, well trained yard employees, orchestrated with oversight from the tower, or eventually operated by the tower for all moves within the yard, would then also create a savings (less employees),because then all that would be needed are the car knockers to lift pins for cutaways, or string cars together for hookem ups.