I know how the “pool” works, know the timing on it, that it takes a little senority to hold a pool turn, and that they, at least years ago, used to run by miles.
I remember two phrases from back then - “I have my miles in for this half” and “I am off on miles.” Does this still hold true?
And a 2nd thought piggybacked on this one - saw an MT coal train and the DPU had it’s door hanging open.
All sorts of things come to mind - not the least of which is someone getting into the cab for a ride. No I didn’t call it in, since it was heading in from the east and going right into our yard. An OOPS of big proportion?
I’m sorry - I should have explained better - but I always feel like I blather on…
When you got paid back in the dark ages, you were paid every two weeks or every half of a month. What I remember was there is a pool of higher seniority workers that can hold a better paying job that runs over the road about 100 miles one way. (I will use that for rounding purposes) You go from Lincoln to the “end of the line” - or about 100 miles and then stay at that town until they call your turn again - 8-24 hours say, and then you go back to your home base - another 100 miles. Then you are put back in the pool and as crews are called you go from say 12 times out (or 11 crews will need to be called before they will call you to work) back down to zero and your “job” is called. The jobs were always different and you didn’t pull the same job each time. You may go from home to point A one time and then the next time from home to point C. There was always a fuss when they put another turn in the pool, which meant another full crew to wait for before you could start making $$$$ again.
My question is: Do they still set a limit on mileage that you can work per half or every two weeks? Is this a union deal or a railroad rule?
Mookie as a union officer I use the mileage to adjust boards.
If the turns are running over on their mileage then I call CMS and have them adjust the boards by increasing the number of pool turns, and vise versa if the aren’t running enough. CMS likes to keep the boards cut down so they don’t have to pay guarantee to anyone.
This usually ticks some of the guy’s off because they think then can get rich on the railroad and I’m screwing with how much money they can make. But it also keeps some young guy’s from being either cut back or cut off. So it’s all about balancing the board.
As far as laying off miles, very rarely will a crew caller let you “lay off miles”. Must are so young they don’t know what it means. so alot of guy’s just lay off sick, or something else.
Ah - now I understand! It didn’t mean much to me at the time, but can now see where it would be a very effective tool. I just know another turn in the pool was an irritant at our house.