(Images from Athern Model)
What was Operation Red Block? Who did it relate to, and how long did it last?
Any response appreciated. -Tanks
In the late 80s or early 90s CSX painted some locos into the greyish/blue YN1 “ghost” with the Operation Red Block logo, and if you do some googleing you’ll bound to find pics of locos painted with this scheme. I’ve seen pics of GP38-2s and GP40-2s with the Operation Red-Block markings along with the name of a CSX division. I don’t know if any other type of loco besides 4-axle EMDs had these markings too, or if Operation Red Black was applied to YN2 or YN3-painted locos?
Anyways, Operation Red Block is CSX’s alcohol and drug abuse prevention program.
LOL
Csx has a caboose in that paint scheme here in defiance for their local.(Y101)
stay safe
Joe
If I am remembering right, operation red block allowed a train crew member to admit he had been drinking and decline coming on duty without any penalty. I think CSX offered some sort of counseling or rehab with this program also.
George
Red Block is an industry wide program, administered by the unions that allows an employee to mark off, if he had been drinking, and unexpectedly is called to work. The program also allows coworkers to mark inebriated employees off.
When marking off Red Block, your local Red Block captain is suppose to contact you to see what’s up. If you have a pattern of Red Blocks, you are referred to the EAP for counseling and treatment.
Red Block is still active.
Nick
I am just dying to know what is behind this…
Nick -
Are you at liberty to comment on how effective Operation Red Block seems to be, both with regard to what was in place on CSX before it = early 1980s, ‘Ricky Gates’ pre-FRA license and drug testing days, and with regard to the other Class I carrier in town, either in its former incarnation as ConRail or as NS ? I could see its acceptance and efffectiveness varying by territory, depending on the ‘culture’ there. Likewise, if Foru member Sarah J.M. Warner sees this, perhaps she could comment.
Is it really industry-wide ? I don’t know that I’ve ever seen it publicized or mentioned by any railroad other than CSX - but if it is run by the union, then it may well be - just out of public view and discussion.
- Paul North.
Well, being a wee 10 years old when Chase, MD happened, I can only relate the stories the old heads tell. "You know why there were 5 men on the crew? So one would be sober."
Red Block, while widely promoted internally on both properties I’ve worked for, is rarely mentioned outside of the industry. At least in my area, it’s widely accepted and highly effective. Neither the union or company really wants someone to come up dirty. Every office I’ve been in has a Red Block poster and the contact number for the Red Block captain.
What really cleaned things up was, of course, the random drug testing.
Nick
Your union rep will, on the QT, explain Red Block to you when you hire on.
It is not widly know out side the industry as Nick pointed out.
If the need arose, say, my engineer showed up and I though he was high or drunk, I could call my local Red Block number, and one of our union reps would show up, talk to the engineer, determin if he was under the influence, and mark him off…no questions asked, but of course the carrier now knows the guy showed up that way.
What Wabash is “laughing” at is the fact that that guys “random” drug test will not be so randon for a long, long while.
Officers, and the carriers have a long memory, and while offically nothing is placed in your personal file, well…
A lot of things have happend to clean up the T&E rosters…
Yes, random Federal drug testing has a lot to do with it, but there has been a social change inside and outside the industry also.
MADD and the publicity that they generated have done quite a lot, and with most of the pre 85 guys retired, a lot of the “new” guys simply dont do the drugs or drink like our predecessors.
And most of us dont want to work around guys who do…the old days of dumping the drunk conductor or engineer in the caboose and going on with the work are gone, there is simply to much at stake for most of us.
And trust me, Ricky Gates has done his time, paid his fine, and will never be allowed to work in the industry he loves.
Keep in mind there were 4 other guys on that crew…
Considering how prevailent drug use was at that time, both inside and outside the industry, it was simply a matter of time before an incident such as his occured…Ricky just happend to be the guy with his hand on the throttle.<
Thanks , Nick and ed, for those thoughtful and comprehensive responses.
I was still in the business long enough after the Ricky Gates crash to see the changes start to happen - and I agree, at some levels or with a certain cultural mindset, anymore there is just ‘zero tolerance’ for working with an impaired co-worker - ‘Safety First’ mean me not getting injured ! I sometimes heard it said as ‘‘Go home and sober up - come in drunk or stoned again, and we’ll turn you in ourselves - we’ll not bust our humps to cover for you again.’’ It wasn’t always successful in reforming the miscreant, but at least then he wasn’t in a position to hurt himself or others at our workplace. And as a manager, just having to do the paperwork and endure the 3rd-degree questioning from my boss for the Worker’s Comp and any liability insurance claims was enough to make me resolve to do everything possible to not have to ever do that again. Kind of a Darwinian process at work - survive it and then learn from it, I suppose.
It occurs to me, too, that with today’s only 2 or 3-man crews, there are simply just not enough other people around as there used to be to pick up the slack and ‘cover’ for one who is impaired and still get the day’s assigned work done.&nbs
http://www.utu.org/DEPTS/PR-DEPT/REDBLOCK.HTM
“WHAT IS OPERATION REDBLOCK?”
"Operation Red Block is a labor-developed, company-adopted drug and alcohol prevention and interception program that emphasizes awareness, education, and prevention of alcohol/drug use through union-led prevention committees.
Operation Red Block was started in 1983 on the Union Pacific Railroad by the United Transportation Union and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers based on the idea that employees have the right to a drug and alcohol-free work environment." (Copied from the UTU/ ORB site above.)