Re: (erielack) Snow-fighting on the RR's

["Paul Brezicki" <doctorpb_@_bellsouth.net>]

Reading through the litany of Amtrak cancellations and freight delays every time there's a major snow "event", you realize the RR's are no longer the "all-weather route" they used to be.

Paul B

There has been a lot of talk on many of the lists regarding the 
snow-fighting efforts of "then" compared to "now". On the D&H list a 
lot of banter went back and forth about how the RR's seemed to have a 
better handle on these things in the "old" days. Gordy Smith, their 
senior dispatcher came on with his opinion on why this is so. He 
noted that "years ago, signal maintainers were not under the hours of 
service laws, and could be counted on to be out there 'round the 
clock keeping switches cleared, etc. And there were lots of them; 
same with the track department, you had gangs every 20 miles or so. 
When there was a storm like this (Feb 15), they were also out. And we 
had lots more yards then, and hundreds of more employees. Today we 
only have two terminals on this RR ( Saratoga and Binghamton) for the 
road crews." He then detailed how the road crews now live out of the 
area and when the highways close, it makes sense to shut down the 
railroad because it precludes anyone from making it into work. He 
laments the demise of any real snow-fighting equipment and stated 
that with the limited number of maintainers and M&W men left you can 
only work so long.

   Interesting perspective from a man with a lot of experience.

   Regards;

Rich Onorevole


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