The Railroad Economic Stimulus Plan: Can the Railroads End The Recession
Posted by Lou on May 31, 2009
Can the railroads end the recession? Here is a plan that could help the country get back on it’s feet. There are a few steps that each railroad needs to take that would create jobs and make our country stronger. This plan call for a little sacrifice on the CEO’s and their Executive Officers. Also, this plan requires the senior railroad workers to become true mentors to co-workers. This is the Yin & Yang plan that would help the entire country to survive a recession. Read the rest of this entry »
Mad As Hell
Posted by Lou on May 31, 2009
Oh yeah, that’s how I feel today after checking the board standings. I feel my Company gave up on me and let me fall. Hired at a time when UP thought of 1000’s of retired people for the next few month. Everything we gave up to get a good nice job with a ‘Great’ Company – many promises were made. Do you remember the Newspaper Adds or the Hiring Sessions nationwide : Come to the Railroad and earn between $40.000 and $70.000 a Year. How can someone miscalculate the retirement of employees so bad ? How can someone willingly destroy hundreds of peoples live ? Nobody would have ever thought that the recession is hitting so bad, but that all happened before the recession started. Did you ever saw someone going on a street telling the people what’s happening here ? How Company’s treat their employees ? Sure, it’s getting old seeing and hearing stories about mistreated employees. It become a normal thing. Nobody, besides the families, care’s about us. I certainly don’t get any nice treatment from the Company. Only two positive things I can remember how I was treated well : when I get the monthly newsletter (but never mentioned anything about furlough employees) and the Company pay’s the health benefit for 4 months. Do they think I will be thankful for that ? Guess I am, because after being furl ought for almost a year, just a call : Be there in 90 minutes will have me ready with my gear and getting the papers to get the Job done. Getting the job done after all this treatment I reserved is my first thought. And getting my family supported who suffered from wrong decisions some managers made.
Furlough Chart Roseville Hub
Posted by Lou on May 27, 2009
Here is the newest Furlough Chart for the Roseville Hub, UP. Collected by French Morgan, SLO Trainman. Welcome to the newest Record High. If you among them, be proud of the Record. If not, be happy.
Please Click on the Picture to see it in it fullest Glory.
198 on 5/11/2009, 197 on 5/15/2009, 191 on 5/18/2009, 221 on 5/21/2009 and 240 on 5/27/2009.
Disaster Assistance Grants Awarded to States to Cover Costs of Railroad Emergency Repairs Following Natural Disasters
Posted by Lou on May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009 (Washington, DC)
Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo today announced the award of $15 million to nine states for emergency repairs to damaged railroad infrastructure resulting from natural disasters.
Funding from the Federal Railroad Administrations (FRA) Railroad Rehabilitation and Repair Program (RRRP) will go to state Departments of Transportation to reimburse short line and regional railroads for the cost of repairs.
“Freight railroads are critical to local economies and we are committed to helping them restore rail service after a major disruption,” said Szabo. “This funding will help the carriers defray repair costs and keep the trains running.”
Funds awarded under the RRRP can cover up to 80 percent of the total cost of a selected project, with the remainder to be provided from non-federal sources. Grants may be used to repair bridges, signals and other infrastructure which are part of the general rail transportation system. The grant recipients are as follows:
Alaska Railroad Corporation is hiring
Posted by Lou on May 26, 2009
Desperate to work ? The Alaska Railroad is hiring Breakman positions. The Opening is until 05/28/09.
More information after the Break
Rail traffic hits year’s low
Posted by Lou on May 23, 2009
Despite some lift from intermodal volume, major U.S. railroads by two important measures had their worst week so far this year, the Journal of Commerce reported.
Rail carloads, which include everything from bulk materials to finished motor vehicles and the in-between factory goods that can ride in large railcars, reached just 247,258 units in the week ending May 16, said the Association of American Railroads.
That is lower than any time since the end of December, when much of the industrial economy was shutting down to wait out the financial storm and ensuing collapse in demand.
Train hauls of intermodal trailers and containers reached 188,435 units, up by nearly 7,000 from a week earlier and the highest since the Feb. 14 week.
Read the rest of this entry »
UP keeps furloughed workers at hand
Posted by Lou on May 19, 2009
The rail-shipping business is off by double-digit percentages, but railroad giant Union Pacific Corp. doesn’t want to worry about meeting demand if and when it rebounds, according to the Wall Street Journal. For that reason, almost a third of Union Pacific’s 5,000 furloughed workers are operating on a retainer, with full benefits and partial wages, even though it is costing the company $50 million a year.
James R. Young, Union Pacific’s chief executive, said the company is determined to avoid a repeat of a 2004 fiasco, when it was caught unprepared for a sharp upturn in business.
Read the rest of this entry »
Newest Furlough Chart
Posted by Lou on May 14, 2009
Here is the newest Furlough Chart for the Roseville Hub collected by French Morgan, Trainman San Luis Obispo. He is in charge for the statistics and gives us the newest ‘Head up’. Impressed by his Data I am not impressed by the Numbers. Folks, it’s not getting any better.
Click on the Graphic to get a bigger view.
Job Listings for Railroaders
Posted by Lou on May 12, 2009
Here are some links where you can find Job Listings for Railroaders. The list is not complete, but you get a lot of links. Hope you can find your Dream Job.
Follow this link to get a PDF List of available Jobs.
More Links after the Break.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) FAQ
Posted by Lou on May 12, 2009
The latest FAQ from the Railroad Tetirement Board Information dated 5/01/09 posted 5/05/09. Noting new, still waiting for my check 
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009, contains a number of provisions that affect railroad retirement annuitants and railroad workers. Among other provisions, this Act provides up to 13 weeks of special extended unemployment benefits for certain railroad workers who exhaust their rights to the benefits normally provided under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA). The following questions and answers provide information about these special extended unemployment benefits.
