Someone who values the prestige’ of being an official over their checkbook balance. First level supervision is the gateway to higher levels of management. How many will actually move up the corporate ladder is the question. Just like fish climbing ‘fish ladders’ to surmont dams to get to their spawning grounds, not all fish make it. After a period of time (unique to each individual) the tea leaves will be read and the individual will make the decision to go back working for money and not prestige.
Publications by The Traveling Engineer’s Association
The collector and those interested in steam operation can find a wealth of information in the publications of the Association. For example I have a 478 page bound volume of the proceedings of the 26th annual convention held in Chicago in 1918 which contains several papers presented at the convention and verbatim transcripts of the discusions that followed. Regarding how to make the traveling engineer more effective one member said, “Cut out the office work, cut out the Trainmaster’s work, cut out Fuel Supervisor’ work in so far as making daily reports, a new duty which has been assigned to Road foreman on some roads in connection with his 723 other duties (my italics). Get down to actual duties of a Road Foreman of engines. Follow up your power and see that it is put and kept in good condition. Have all defects corrected, follow up your enginemen, and assist them in their shortcomings and instruct them in the economical use of fuel; follow up your enginehouse and shop men, many of which are unskilled; assist them in every way you can…”
Among the many papers presented about engine operations was one about cabs and cab fittings on modern locomotives from the viewpoint of the engineman. It even got down to storing the broom and the best squirt hose fittings. (I once rode a Canadian Pacific engine where the fireman was dillegent about keeping the engine deck washed down with the squirt hose and swept clean with the broom – many enginemen were quite serious about keeping the cab clean.) There was a lengthy discussion about vestibule cabs because according to the report New York State had passed a law prohibiting use within the State of any locomotive without a vestibule cab after January 1, 1919 – it applied to all new locomotives and all shopped for heavy re
A lot of people who went into management did so because of somewhat better benefits offered management. Especially (for our company) the access to the company’s management pension plan.
That perk has since been terminated for people going into management positions. Now they get a 401k with, I believe, a set amount given yearly by the company and possible company percentage match to the employee’s contribution. (Agreement employee’s 401k contributions are not matched at all.) From what others have said it’s not as nice as the pension.
Some have gone into managment just long enough to get vested in the company plan, and then returned to the ranks. Those who come out of the ranks retain their original craft seniority and most still pay a maintenance fee to the union they belonged to. I’ve heard they now want anyone coming out of the ranks to relinquish their craft seniority as a condition of going into management. I don’t know that they’ve actually pushed that. No one in their right mind who’ve seen how they sometimes treat their management people would do that.
Jeff
For us (CN in Canada) unionized employees used to retain their seniority when they went into management for as long as they continued to pay dues, similar to what Jeff described. This changed about 20 years ago, now you can only keep your seniority for one year.
While this change happened well before I hired on, from what I’ve heard the unions had been getting fed up with managers dropping back to the ranks after their turn had gained considerable seniority, while at the same time management (then headed by Hunter Harrison) wanted to eliminate this fallback.
Since that time some of the union officials who pushed for the change have come to regret it, as it resulted in very few experienced employees seeking management positions and led to a wealth of inexperience being placed in positions of power.
Last I heard the starting average rate for the position begins @ $69,000 and capped @ $83,000. Added on to that are the management bonus payments but has been reduced a large degree over the past couple years. That salary rate still is not close to what many hogheads earn, especially the ones who hold high mileage pool turns.
Was not sure what RFE duties were, there are so many different supervisors, Roadmaster, Trainmaster, Yardmaster-I know what they did, as Dad would take me and cousin into the Tower at yard where he worked. He always went first up the steps and knocked on the locked door, they all knew him so would open the door. You could either walk all the way from the ground, which I did not like, afraid of heights, or use steps from overpass bridge for cars that was right next to Tower. Dad used to say too many Chiefs and not enough Indians at a railroad, lots of managers, but not as many grunts who did the real work That phrase would be politically incorrect today.
Separation by job functions and areas of responsibility.
Roadmaster has the responsibility to see that his subordinate employees properly maintain the track structure.
Trainmaster has the responsibility to see that his subordinate employees properly operate trains within his territory.
Yardmaster has the responsibility to see that employees perform the work necessary for the fluid operation of the yard(s) he supervises
Road Foreman of Engines has the responsibility to see that the subordinate Engineers perform the duties required.
In the CSX organization structure, there are 3 Chiefs and on Head Indian. Roadmaster, Trainmaster and Road Foreman of Engines are all non-contract Official positions. Yardmaster is a contract craft position. Train Dispatchers are also contract craft positions.