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> Subj: webmaster Date: 4/1/2003 1:27:00
PM Eastern Daylight Time From:
> c-sxxxx@telus.net (Stephen xxxx) To: JPaulB1@aol.com
>
> Hi there. Steve XXXX here in Vancouver. My 17yr. old son
is quite
> interested in becoming a railroader......(engineer...of
> course!)....do you have any advice on what he needs and where
to go
> to get info? P.S......the tunes on your site are good.....
Cheers.
>
>
>
>
> Subject: Re: webmaster From: JPaulB1@aol.com Date: Sat, 5
Apr 2003
> 23:09:03 EST To: c-sxxxx@telus.net
>
> Steve : Thanks on the midi music which I have neglected lately.
>
> As for advice for someone with a yearning to become a locomotive
> engineer, I can only give answers in terms of past and present
> practices and the other part of the advice is hypothetical
> prediction based on my own experience.
>
> My grandfather, his brothers and their sons began as 'engine
wipers'
> and the like, then as firemen on steam engines shovelling
coal
> into the fireboxes until examination and promotion to engineers.
> That path ended with the diesel engine, and the new path
for
> promotion came from the ranks of the brakeman-trainman conductor
> with an intra company training course of a couple of years
and
> promotion to engineer. That was my path of promotion, although
I
> did spend some time as an auxilliary yardmaster before the
> engineers training course. Presently, candidates are selected
in
> their order of seniority from the yardman/trainman/conductor
list
> to train as engineers. There is also a college in the Calgary
area
> that for the usual tuition fees, provides certificate programs
for
> a variety of subjects in the railroad discipline. I can find
out
> where to direct you for more information on that one if you
> request. I have watched tremendous change in the railway
> environment in the past, mostly technological change, and
in the
> case of remote control, the elimination of the locomotive
engineer
> position in the marshalling yards. The amount of switching
> required has been constantly reduced as customer service
requirements,
> new kinds of equipment and facilities continue to become
integrated
> into innovative operating planning. (Innovative is the management
catch
> phrase anyway) There are other cases of changes where the
numbers
> of engineers required, have been greatly reduced indirectly.
The
> increase in train size accomodated by new generation high
> horsepower locos, technical improvements on track and equipment
> result in a reduction of the number of both trains and engineers.
Matter
> of fact, the United Transportation Union and big buisiness
have
> and are still lobbying government to amalgamate a number
of job
> descriptions and claim that the craft of locomotive engineer
> itself is no longer a viable craft of its own. There are
more
> changes possible. The introduction of global positioning
satellite
> technology has reduced the tasks of airline pilots to little
more than
> an onboard watchdog, and three years ago, the US military
began
> flying 757s remotely. It is reasonable to assume that railroads
> will follow their lead, how, is not the problem, it's just
a
> matter of when the business, political, and operating components
> will fall into one seamless strategy. One more important
aspect
> worth considering in railroading, if the present trend continues,
> is lifestyle. My own experience has been satisfactory and
I have
> been fortunate enough to have worked most of it with regular
hours, regular days off, although 9 to 5 was mostly- 9 at night
to 5 in the morning,
> I considered that to be lucky.
> For most, however, the hours are odd, unpredictable, and
long. There is a
> saying something like "It's a good living but not necessarily
such a good
> life".
> I am hoping that if change is in store on this aspect, it
will be for the
> good of the lifestyle. That still may happen because there
is an increasing
> emphasis in the workplace, on health and well being. We shall
just have to
> wait and see.
>
> Enough rain on your sons parade. I for one know very well,
that once you
> start railroading, there is only a slight chance that you
will want to do
> anything else.
> Personally, I find that the camaraderie within our ranks,
is especially
> prevalent as it is welcome and would probably be hard to
match in many other
> occupations.
> There is a certain amount of teamwork together with a certain
amount of
> independance from constant scrutiny as responsibility is
primarily your and
> the crews' concern and could not be usurped in the forseeable
future.
> Understandably, just being there in the engineers seat behind
the controls
> is a sense of not only importance, but of belonging. After
all, you are a
> machine operator, and to some degree become a part of that
machine.
> Finally, it never fails to make your day a happy one waving
back at mothers
> and babies and all people alike as you pass crossings and
communities.
>
> Some would say, start early and get a good seniority turn
for your age, but
> I remind you of the precautions you need to take in order
to adapt to changes
> ahead, try a good general education and THEN follow your
dreams.
>
> J Paul Bellis
> BLE 295
> Toronto
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