Spring 2001
Volume 108 - No. 1
Spring 2001
Volume 108 - No. 1
Communications
UP sanitation standards stink
I am so happy to see that somebody is addressing locomotive cab conditions.
I work out of St. James, Minn., for the Union Pacific Railroad. The cabs are filthy with trash, sometimes two or three bags are littering the engine cab and the floor is covered with trash.
The UPRR doesn't seem to believe in brooms because of budgeting. The toilets are so neglected that you can't hardly stand to walk through them and at times the toilets are slopping over or they somehow leak from the toilet area out to the walk area.
This is a daily problem, not just an isolated problem. Out of a consist of three engines, two will be trashed and maybe the third as well. The toilet problem is just as bad.
KCS lacking in cab santiation
I want to thank you for the information on the BLE web page concerning toilet conditions on locomotives on Jan. 5, 2001.
I work for the Kansas City Southern and when I see the lack of cleaning on their engines (50 new 4400 GE engines put into service in 1999), it's good to know the FRA is at least considering addressing the problem.
All the KCS engines need toilet work and we have it in our inter-divisional agreement, but nothing is ever done. We have a constant flow of engines from other railroads (BNSF, UP, CSX, NS, etc.) and when I see how the BNSF maintains its engines, it is sure nice to know it can be done.
Please continue to keep up the good job of updating us on this very important problem that faces men and women on the road daily.
A conflict of priorities?
BLE members in North Platte, Neb., have made a clear statement as to where their priorities lie, according to the story in the November 2000 Locomotive Engineer Newsletter titled "North Platte Engineers Reject UP Scheduling Plan."
Apparently, a great deal of time and effort were spent by both management and labor to come up with the proposed schedule and it was something that the membership had asked for. But it turns out that for them, "quality of life" is simply money. Having more time off, predictable work schedules and less fatigue all come in second.
There is no longer any reason for a union person to complain about quality of life issues. The issues are dead and are buried at North Platte.
© 2001 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers