CSX and Hunter Harrison

dak94dav Feb 16, 2017

  1. BnOEngrRick

    BnOEngrRick TrainBoard Member

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    The claim that employees will be required to supply their own PPE is somewhat misleading. Each year, T&E employees must take a series of computer classes, called "PODS". Upon completion of the training, you would be given the opportunity to order a pair of work boots from a narrow selection of manufacturers and types, noting that only steel or "safety" toe boots are available. A few years ago, the choices were expanded to offer "packages" that would include high-vis tee shirts, rain gear, that type of thing. The "packages" and boots are what is being taken away. As far as I know, CSX will still supply safety glasses and high-vis vests. I only took advantage of the boots when they offered Red Wings about 15 years ago. Since then I have bought my own Red Wings because I don't care for steel or "safety" toe boots, as they are not required by rule.
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Just curious, in a rather trivial way here. What does the acronym "PODS" represent?
     
  3. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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  4. BnOEngrRick

    BnOEngrRick TrainBoard Member

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    Ya know, I just can't answer that! That is just what they are always called. I think it has something to do with the "modules" that we have to get through to complete each class. Not sure it stands for anything in particular.
     
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  5. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    PODS= "Keeping Employees and Railfans Confused and Bewildered As Much As Possible, For As Long As We Can!"
     
  6. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    I'm sure this "PODS" has nothing to do with the subject, but I mention it in case someone else's memory gets triggered.
     
  7. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    The Railway Age article was interesting. With the changes Harrison is making, does he intend to drive CSX into the ground for his own profit? Sounds like the intentional decline of the MILW....
     
  8. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    I picture Hunter Harrison as a possessed man, working for weeks on end, surviving on 4 Hours of sleep, gallons of coffee and losing grip with reality more each day. At this point, it's almost as it he's throwing crazed ideas at the wall and seeing what might stick. Maybe his goal is to increase the heat daily and drive out the last CSX managers who can't accept his new world order.

    It's a credit to the people on the front line that they're able to keep the cars moving.
     
  9. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    See my post in this topic, #30. What he is doing is standard operating procedure, and not just in the railroading industry.
     
  10. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    Which, of course, is just fine--unless he's arrogant enough to rip out the existing infrastructure before he sees if his new ideas work or not.

    Unfortunately, this brand of 'mover and shaker' usually doesn't want to wait to save maintenance, sell assets and scrap rail. He'd rather operate on a child-like faith that his employees can make his schemes work if he throws enough tantrums-- at least long enough for him to sell his stock options and run.

    Just another stock watering Jim Fisk. Jay Gould eventually learned how to bolster a stock price by building a property up, rather than tearing it down. Guess which historical figure died rich, and which died penniless?
     
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  11. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    This concept is a foreign language for far too many today. :(
     
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  12. BnOEngrRick

    BnOEngrRick TrainBoard Member

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    Toledo (OH) has half the trainmasters it used to have. They are working 2 a day, 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week. No days off or personal days. I think vacations were cancelled too. They are threatened daily with comments like "I can have you all replaced tomorrow"...
     
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  13. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I do hope that whoever is saying something like this, so grossly ignorant, has a great dental plan. Some day, sooner or later, they'll lay that on the wrong person- and get an appropriate reaction. Then when they awaken, they will be sitting in the chair of an oral surgeon.....
     
  14. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    EHH is just a "good ol' boy" from Tennessee, who started out his railroad career with the Frisco.
     
  15. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    Article in today's WSJ reads that NS has indeed gained a small bit of tonnage as a result of CSX's troubles. NS was careful to understate its importance and not opine on CSX's state of affairs. Despite a good showing, all of the rail stocks got badly clobbered this week when they reported expectations of slow growth in the second half of the year.
     
  16. BnOEngrRick

    BnOEngrRick TrainBoard Member

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    I see a bigger loss where the customers have more than just CSX as an option, based on what I see daily.
     
    gjslsffan and Hardcoaler like this.
  17. mmi16

    mmi16 TrainBoard Member

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    CSX operations are as disorganized as Washington DC
     
  18. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    I try to stay in touch with colleagues in industry that I knew before retiring and several have said that they've been forced into trucking inbound chemicals to keep their facilities running and another said that CSX can't deliver empty boxcars needed for outbound loads. Another friend works at a plant served by CSX and NS, and NS is refusing to supply empty boxcars unless they're routed NS, which isn't always possible. What a mess. And to think H. Harrison dismisses events like this as minor disruptions to be forgotten when his bright and glorious vision of precision railroading comes to life.
     
  19. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Arrogant customer service such as this became the standard because railroads were the only game in town for 130 years, since 1830. Unfortunately, freight railroad management has yet to learn that companies stay in business only when it is convenient for their customers to use what they provide. Otherwise their customers will find alternative options, adjusting product cost accordingly.
     
  20. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Carrying goods for a consignor is a service industry. That is what they have forgotten. Customers have no obligations, beyond payment for that service, to the railroad, airline or trucker. When the service declines the shipper just cuts ties. And more trucks hit the roads, laughing all the way to their banks.....
     

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