Re: (erielack) Passenger Train Question

[Jjbchian_@_aol.com]

Hello Chuck,

I will try and answer your questions. 

> 
> Dear JJ,
> 
> You may not be able to answer all my questions (others, please feel free to
> chime in)...but I'm curious...in terms of hours worked, barring major
> delays, breakdowns, etc., how long would the average freight day be for 100
> miles and passenger at 150 miles?  That would depend on each individual 
> assignment. Passenger men would work to their designated crew change point, the 
> same would go for through and local freight. Before we had the 12 hour day, it 
> was 16 hours. If my memory serves me correctly, I think that was gradually 
> phased in around 1968-69.  With passenger, that might have meant
> going 150 miles west and then deadheading (or working again) 150 miles
> east?? No, this had nothing to do with distance. This was the negotiated 
> "basic day" for means of compensation. You could work more then 150 miles, and 
> then you would be paid the "overmiles". Or taking a specific example of, say, 
> the Phoebe Snow, the train would run from Hoboken to Buffalo (pre-EL), but 
> the 150 mile mark would
> have been somewhere around Nicholson Viaduct. No, "home terminals" and "far 
> terminals" were the results of negotiations between the operating  
> Brotherhoods and the carrier. Scranton was at about 130
> miles and Binghamton at about 180 miles, so presumbly the theoretical
> distance was different than the real distance (no crew changes at
> Nicholson, obviously)? Please see above. And how were mileage overages or 
> "underages"
> reconciled--if they were reconciled ata ll? "Overmiles" can get complicated, 
> paid as either miles and/or overtime. Depends on the negotiated contract. If 
> you were on a passenger assignment that only actually ran 115 miles in under 
> eight hours, you would be compensated 150 miles plus initial and final, or 
> any other compensation due as per local agreements.  The same questions apply 
> to
> freight...and would local freight assignments (subject to shorter distances
> but more drilling) be treated differently than run through freights where
> clipping off 100 miles could, in some cases, be accomplished only in a few
> hours. Local freights were paid at "local freight rate", "through freight" 
> was also a different pay rate. This had nothing to do with distance.  One last 
> question relates to the maximum working day...during EL
> days, what was the maximum number of hours that a worker could be on duty
> before "died"? Please see above comments on hours of service.  And what was 
> the procedure for rescuing a crew that had
> outlawed on the road? On EL, and most other roads years ago, it was 
> considered a "disgrace" to "tie up" on the main line. Today, it is common practice. 
> However, it did happen due to unusual circamstances. Crews could be brought 
> out by taxi, and the "hoglawed" crew brought in that way. Another way would be 
> an oposing train would have a "deadhead" dog catch crew, and the crew would 
> be relieved before they ran out of time. Any interesting stories in this 
> regard? Of course. 
> 
> JJBoehner 
> 
> 
>                                                                              
>                                                       
>                       Jjbchian_@_aol.com                                       
>                                                       
>                       Sent by:                                               
>                                                       
>                       erielack-owner_@_list To:     erielack@lists.railfan.net 
>                                                       
>                       s.elhts.org         cc:                                
>                                                       
>                                           Subject:                           
>                                                       
>                                                   Re: (erielack) Passenger 
> Train Question                                          
>                       04/18/2005 09:31 AM                                    
>                                                       
>                       Please respond to                                      
>                                                       
>                       Jjbchian                                               
>                                                       
>                                                                              
>                                                       
>                                                                              
>                                                       
> 
> 
> 
> Not always the rule! Seniority ruled, yes, but the passenger daily rate
> paid
> much less then freight. At that time, the basic day for working passenger
> was
> 150 miles, while freight was at 100. Freight paid much better then
> passenger,
> so many senior men remained on freight, rather then take a substantial cut
> in
> pay working passenger. When I rode No. 6 from Chicago on Dec 29, 1969, the
> men
> assigned to work that assignment out of Chicago and Marion could hardly be
> labeled "Senior Men".
> 
> JJBoehner
> 
> >
> > SENIORITY  RULED!!!  If you were senior, you bid on -- and got --
> whatever
> > job you wanted.  Since passenger was easier than freight, they were
> already
> > senior.  When passenger came off, the lowest ones on the board suffered
> as
> > everybody moved down however many notches it took to get there.
> >
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 



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