Fall 2002
Volume 109 - No. 3
Fall 2002
Volume 109 - No. 3
GIA Dialogue
Danger Signs
Remote Control Operations coming to a neighborhood near you!
By Onita Wayland, GIA International President
I would like to thank International First Vice-President Becky Schneider for her GIA Dialogue in the last issue of the Locomotive Engineers Journal. Most families share this concern about being the "Lone Ranger." The lifestyle of railroad workers affects every member of the family and is of great concern to this organization.
We have another concern now - remote control locomotives. The public - all across the United States - needs to be warned about the potential dangers associated with Remote Controlled Train Operations. Locomotives are being operated without experienced and qualified locomotive engineers on-board, while insufficiently trained and inexperienced railroad employees are controlling trains from a remote location.
Remote control locomotives are very dangerous. Many of the rail yards where these operations are taking place, are within many cities' limits. An accident, especially one involving hazardous materials, could have disastrous consequences, not only for the railroad employees, but for the public at large. We already have to share our highways with trucks that carry hazardous materials, which is dangerous enough, but now we have to share our neighborhoods with trains being operated by railroad employees who have not been adequately trained to operate these remote controls.
All of the nation's Class 1 railroads are currently implementing Remote Control Operations at many of their switching terminals across the country. Railroads are major transporters of nuclear waste, hazardous materials and other chemicals. These deadly materials will soon be handled by remote in a neighborhood near you. Since this program was been implemented, the railroads have experienced numerous accidents. We, as spouses of railroad employees, need to get the word out before any employees are killed and alert the public about this danger.
I have attended two informational pickets regarding remote control. It is surprising to be how little the public knows about this issue and it is up to us to inform them. Let's get on the phone and let's email people to get the word out about this danger. It is not just the railroad families who are involved, but the public as well. We need our engineers on these controls.
GIA Members help with Informational Picket in St. Paul, Minn.
by Mabel Grotzinger, GIA First International Vice President
While attending the National Association of State Legislative
Board Chairmen (NASLBC) meeting in Minneapolis, the GIA joined the BLE in
an informational picket on August 6.
Jeff Cheney of BLE Division 236 (Portland, Ore.) contacted me for assistance. International First Vice-President & National Legislative Representative Becky Schneider, International Vice-President Mabel Grotzinger, and International Alternate Secretary Debbie Keele were able to join the picket lines, along with the spouses of the State Legislative Board Chairmen.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters sent in their Drive Truck for the event. The truck made quite an impression.
BLE International President Don Hahs spoke on the dangers of operating locomotives by remote control with uncertified employees. He explained the difference between the time given to these employees to train on remote control and the amount of training given to a certified locomotive engineer.
We as GIA members need to be at the forefront of this fight and inform the public of the hazardous conditions. These yards sit in the center of most cities. There are untold hazardous in the cars of these trains that are operated by remote control. How long will it be before a major remote control accident involving hazardous materials forces a city to be evacuated because of a spill? For more information on remote control operations, see: <http://www.remoteinfo.org>.
Call or write your congressmen to stop this unsafe practice. When the BLE is holding informational pickets in your area, join them on the line. You can also write or call the media and inform them of this unsafe practice in their communities.
Mobilize, Educate, Make Changes! ·
© 2002 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers