<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by blubomber1: Yeah Dave, That was really funny . I've got the Asst. Supt. standing next to me, muttering something about "proper radio procedures". So, I tried to keep my professionalism best I could, but I couldn't help but laugh. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Asst.Supt. Kingsbury ?? He was probably laughing with you If he would have been mad , he would have said somethng Joe is pretty cool . [ 15 February 2001: Message edited by: Davecn5623 ]
Yeah, but you see Dave, I don't actually work for CN, so technically I'm not even supposed to talk o GT channel 1. Joe pointed that out to me when I first started working there, and told me I have to maintain proper radio procedre at all times, because if I am goofing off on the radio and the F.R.A. found out that I'm not an employee of CN.....big fine. But, I still manage to sneek one in here and there.
Well Kurt I must say you do a good job handling the radio from the Port Huron "TOWER" Joe is a good guy . Listen to him and you'll go far . He has done ALOT for me and I look up to him , even though I give him the bird everytime I see him So Kurt , if you were a Engineer at CN , what unit would you like to run ? Just from looking at the power you see everyday .
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Davecn5623- So Kurt , if you were a Engineer at CN , what unit would you like to run ? Just from looking at the power you see everyday . <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Well, looking at the power that rolls in every day, and talking to the engineers, I'd have to say the 5600's, 5700's and the 5800. By the way Dave, theres a Saftey Blitz going on this weekend...oddly enough, it's about proper radio procedures and slipping and trippimg hazards. How ironic,huh?
Kurt , don't let it get you down about not getting in , you got your name in there anyways , I actually applied twice before they hired me With them cutting one for one in Port Huron everytime a guy bumps into PH fro out of town I kinda doubt you would be working out of PH anyways . I don't know BUT the shortage of people is in Battle Creek , that is where all the new hires are now . There are people down there who have been here for 3 years that can't get out of there as of now . Don't get discouraged , it pays really WELL , the railroad , but I am not going to say I don't like it (working there) BUT sometimes I wish I could have a NORMAL job with NORMAL hours and have a NORMAL life . What I am saying is , it's not that greener on the other side . It's a job .
Hey Dave. Still trying to get the hang of my new computer. Big change from webtv to this. I took today off because I wanted to. Take it easy
Cool Kurt , a day off . I called in sick Saturday night after I accepted call for train #397 , it was the first time ever I called back sick . I still have this awful head cold , nausea feeling Last night I drank a half a bottle of cough syrup and passed out [ 28 February 2001: Message edited by: Davecn5623 ]
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Kurt, I hear they're still looking to hire 10 conductors for Port Huron. Is this true?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> As far as I know Dave, Joe told me that they already hired 10 guys for Port Huron. Who knows?
BlueBomber & DaveCN, Thanks for your wonderful conversations. They give great insight to day-to-day train operations from the employee's perspective. As one who has loved trains from early childhood, but worked his entire career elsewhere , I really enjoy "listening" to you guys talk. Hank P.S. I'm still watching for more CN and GT run-throughs.
Hi Hank. Thanks for posting...and thanks for calling me an employee of CN (I wish). You'll find that Dave and I try to do this on a daily basis: Dave gives you an idea of what the road is like, and I try to give you an idea of how things are done in a terminal. My job consists of..... When Toronto faxes us a westbound train supply sheet, it tells us the train I.D.,how many cars are loaded and empty,what engines it has, and the length and weight. I transfer most of that info by hand to a Port Huron Terminal supply sheet. I then normally recieve a fax from the crew center in Troy Mi. to let me know when that crew goes on duty, and who's in it. In some instances, a train will have a Battle Creek engineer on it who brought a train to Port Huron earlier, and I'll go to the motel and pick him up. When the train hits Sarnia, he'll call the Port Huron Yard Office by radio, and let me know if they need a cab back to Sarnia, or London or Toronto. I'll instruct them to call me at 16th street, which is the first crossing they come to after exiting the tunnel. Once they do that, I radio to them that I've called their cab. I then put in a call to Tower Group, which is the customs broker for CN, and let them know the train has arrived. Within about 10 minutes, I get a call back from Tower, and they let me know if there are any custom hold cars in the consist. After that, when the crew is ready, I take them up to their train. When that train departs Port Huron, I note the time it left, fax the terminal supply sheet to the crew center, and staple all of that trains paperwork together. When I receive a confirmation that the crew center got my fax, I take it, punch 2 holes at the top,and post it on a clipboard for the trainmaster's records. I also field calls, make coffee, keep the fax and copy machines stocked with paper.....all that for under 8 bucks an hour. Milepost is getting ready to vote in a union, and I can't wait. Well, I hope you got a little understanding of what I do 8 hours a day. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Wow Kurt , I thought you just drove me to the head end of the train You got ALOT on your plate , but you do a good job . I don't know if I could do all that stuff you do , I don't even know how to run a Fax Machine Going to Rules Class tonight in Flat Rock for 2 days , when I come back to work I am going to move on #275/#396 .
Hi Kurt. I assume you are being paid in US dollars. That would be worth about $11 Canadian. Don't they have a good minimum wage in Michigan? Seems to me that the job you do would have to be worth at least $15.00 an hour
Kurt, thanks for the reply. That's a great explanation for the coordination needed to keep people like Dave happy and honest . I have 2 questions - 1. Do the crew members have to clear Customs also each time a train crosses the borders? 2. Why are you required to receive, record, and transmit all data on hardcopy paper? Doesn't CN use computers to build trains, route and track cars, maintain logs, etc.? Or is it some "Law" that requires a paper record for every action with a train? Thanks for the info, Hank
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hank Coolidge: Do the crew members have to clear Customs also each time a train crosses the borders?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Hank, I can't speak for them and I am certainly not an expert on the matter, but this picture is just down the street from where I live. Everything on the left is in New Brunswick Canada and everything on the right is in Maine USA. The little rail bridge is the only thing in between right there. There is a border crossing a few blocks in each direction. Guilford and Southern New Brunswick Rail interchange here. Many mornings before work I see a solo Guilford unit pushing boxcars across this bridge into Canada. Usually half a train is in Canada and half in the US. There are no customs inspectors but if you walked across this bridge in either direction, you could expect to be hauled into the customs house. Charlie [ 07 March 2001: Message edited by: E-8 ]
Hey Hank , if we are bringing the train into Canada , no the crew do not have to clear customs , but after we get the train to Canada we get off and cab back across the bridge to Port Huron and go thru customs that way , usually the cab driver will say he is Canadian with a US train crew and we are whisked thru . Going to get a train in Canada we go thru Canadian customs on the bridge to get to the yard in Sarnia , hopefully that answers your question . BTW cool picture E-8
First of all, thanks Robin.....when we vote in the union, that will be our negotiating start point . Hank..... question #1: the crews aren't really customs main concern....they're looking for things concealed in the freight cars them selves. Yesterday, we had a freight car leave after customs pulled all of the lumber out of it.... So they could examine in between the walls of the car!! What nonsense! Question #2: ....I'm not really sure; other than maybe just to check and see that some is awake (or alive) in Port Huron?
Thanks. I had hoped that Customs was simple with as many trains and crews that cross the Can/US border in a day. I remember the procedure that US Customs used with the Halifax/Montreal sleeper in the 50's when the trains crossed northern Maine. (I don't remember if it was CN or CP) The train would stop at the border, in the woods(!), where a whole bunch of Customs people would board. They would "seal" and stand guard at every door, including the RPO and Baggage cars. A Customs officer would also be in the cab. When all were in place, the train was allowed to proceed non-stop to the opposite border, where it would stop and all Customs personnel would de-train. This way Customs did not have to "inconvenience" any of the passengers. This all took place in the middle of the night, if the train was on schedule. E-8, that's a great pic, obviously it was taken during your one week of summer . (I grew up in central NH, it brings back fond memories.) Hank
(Engineer's Yearly Certification Exam) Well Kurt I passed the test , got 4 wrong out of 100 , your allowed 15 wrong . I did better than last time and this time I did not study at all [ 08 March 2001: Message edited by: Davecn5623 ]
