A group of eight students made history last month as they became the first class to graduate from the BLE's Locomotive Engineer Training Center in Saskatoon, Sask.
The class consisted of seven students from the Hudson Bay Railroad, which is owned by OmniTrax, and one from the Hudson Bay Port Authority. Both are shortline railroads located in Canada. The students were trainmen studying to become locomotive engineers.
"It was an historic moment for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers," said BLE Canadian Director Gilles Hallé. "Many months of hard work were put into creating the school, preparing curriculum, and getting things off the ground. It was gratifying to see our persistence finally pay off."
Doug Bahniuk, a member of BLE Division 898 (Jasper, Alberta), serves a dual role as an instructor at the BLE's Locomotive Engineer Training Centre in Saskatoon. Here he instructs the students attending the first-ever class in the Training Centre's history.
BLE President Clarence Monin offered congratulations to Brother Hallé following the successful conclusion of the first class.
"Locomotive engineers have always served as mentors to younger crew members," Monin said. "In the old days, engineers were mentors to the firemen. Today, we engineers continue serving as mentors, and the BLE Training Centre is the perfect way to mentor up-and-coming engineers."
The course began on February 15 and concluded on February 28. Students spent long days training in the classroom and on the school's full-motion locomotive simulator. The students' began each day at 8 a.m. in the classroom, then spent the rest of the day on the simulator and performing other interactive training.
Doug "Pee Wee" Bahniuk and Frasier Montrose were the instructors for the 14-day course. Both are active BLE members.
"They had never worked together before, but in the end they made a good team," said Training Centre Chief Instructor Michel Marcoux. "They had a good class and everything turned out very well."
Bahniuk, a BLE member for 19 years, belongs to BLE Division 898 (Jasper, Alberta). Montrose, who joined the BLE on Aug. 1, 1976, belongs to Division 390 (Windsor, Ontario). The two BLE members were also instructors at CN's Training Centre in Gimli.
Brother Marcoux, local chairman of BLE Division 558, said the response from the students was excellent.
"The students filled out a survey after the class was over and we received very positive feedback," Marcoux said.
The technical portion of the course covered motive power, air brakes, train handling, and train/track dynamics.
Students were also taught locomotive fundamentals such as traction motors, cooling systems, fuel systems, lube-oil systems, and mechanical and electrical failures for all major locomotive manufacturers.
Brother Hallé, Canadian Director, reports there has been a great deal of interest in the school ever since it opened in December. In addition to inquiries from Canadian railways, he has received calls from several railroads in the United States.
Brother Hallé negotiated the purchase of two locomotive simulators from the Canadian National Railway in late 1997. The BLE is currently searching for a site in the U.S. to house the second simulator and establish an additional training school in the U.S.
The school officially opened on Dec. 3, 1998, with much attention from the local and national Canadian media.
"We see 80 percent of locomotive engineers retiring in the next 10 years," Hallé said. "That's the purpose of this centre: to provide quality training for their replacements."
BLE officials have yet to announce a date for the next class of students at the Training Centre in Saskatoon.
A close-up of the car control valve and engineer control stand that BLE instructors use in teaching students about the locomotive braking system.
Un groupe de 8 étudiants song entrés dans l'histoire le mois dernier, en devenant la premiere classe a graduer due Centre de formation pour ingénieurs de locomotives de la FIL a Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Le class était composee de 7 étudiants du "Hudson Bay Railroad" qu appartient a la Compagnie OmniTrax, et un etudiant du "Hudson Bay Port Authority." Le deux sont des chemins de fer d'interet local au Canada. Les étudiants etaient des cheminots postulant pour devenir des ingenieurs de locomotives.
"Ce fut un moment historique our la Fraternite des ingenieurs de locomotives," a dit le Directeur Canadien de la FIL Gilles Hallé. "Plusieurs mois de travail assidu ont ete consacres dans la creation de l'ecole, la preparation du curriculum et pour partir les choses du bon pied. Il était agreable de voir quie notre perseverance a finalement porte fruit."
Le President de la FIL Clarence Monin a felcite Confrere Hallé apres que la premiere classe fut menee a bien.
"Les ingenieurs de locomotives ont toujours servi d'exemples aux plus jeunes membres des equipes," a dit Monin. "Dans les annees passees, les ingenieurs etaient des mentors pour les chauffeurs. Aujourd'hui, nous, les ingenieurs, continuons a servir de mentorpourles étudiants, et le Centre de formation de la FIL est un excellent tremplin pour devenir ingenieurs de locomotives."
Le cours a debute le 15 fevrier pour se terminer le 28 fevrier. Les étudiants ont passe de longues journees de formation en salle de classe et aux commandes du simulateur de locomotive a mouvement complet. Les étudiants ont commence la journee a 08 h 00 en salle de classe et ensuite passe le reste de la journee sur le simulateur et a recevoir de la formation interactive.
Doug "Pee Wee" Bahniuk et Fraser Montrose etaient les instructeurs pour le cours de 14 jours. Les deux sont des membres actifs de la FIL.
"Ils n'avaient jamais travaille ensemble comme instructeurs auparavant, mais ils ont forme une tres bonne equipe," de dire l'instructeur chef du Centre de formation Michel Marcoux. "Ils avaient de bons étudiants et tout a bien ete."
Bahniuk, un membre de la FIL depuis 19 ans, appartient a la Division 898 (Jasper, Alberta). Montrose, qui s'est joint a la FIL ie 1er aout 1976, appartient a la Division 390 (Windsor, Ontario). Les deux sont d'anciens instructeurs du Centre de formation de Gimli.
Confrere Marcous, president local de la Division 558 de la FIL, a dit quie la reaction des étudiants fut excellente.
"Les étudiants ont remplli un sondage a la fin du cours et nous avons recu une appreciation tres positive," dit Marcoux.
La partie technique du cours couvrait les moteurs de traction, les systemes de refroidissement, systemes de combustibles, systemes de lubrification, et les defauts mecaniques et electriques pour tous les grands manufacturiers de locomotives.
Confrere Hallé, Directeur Canadien, rapporte qu'il y a un grand interet envers l'ecole depuis son ouverture le 3 decembre. En plus des requetes des chemins de fer canadiens, il a recu des appels de plusieurs chemins de fer des Etats-Unis.
Confrere Hallé a negocie l'achat de deux simulateurs de locomotive a mouvement complet du Candien National a la fin 1997. La FIL cherche presentement un site aux Etats-Unis pour recevoir le deuxieme simulateur et etablir un autre centre de formation.
L'ouverture officielle du Centre a eu lieu le 3 decembre 1998, avec beaucoup de couverture des medias locaux et canadiens a l'echelle nationale.
"Nous anticipons que 80 pour cent des ingenieurs de locomotives prendront leur retraite d'ici les 10 prochaines annees," dit Hallé. "La raison de l'existence de ce Centre est de fournir une formatoin de qualite a leurs remplacants."
Les dirigeants de la FIL annonceront bientot une date pour la prochaine classe d'étudiants au Centre de formation de Saskatoon.
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