You'll do what yer told, you little &%#$@!!!     CSX likes to picture itself as a company where all of it's employees, customers, and contractors are treated with the highest levels of courtesy, professionalism, and respect. The employees, customers, and contractors know differently....

Webmaster's note: Since I go through the server logs regularly, I just thought I'd take this opportunity to point out that all of the comments in defense of the company seem to come from Jacksonville, while complaints come from everywhere that the company does business. You do the math.

Name: 
E-mail: 
Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years
Posted: 04 July 2009

I'm sorry I posted prematurely about a comment about Mike Ward being
like Daniel in,"There will be blood." I started watching the movie in
the middle right when he shot the man that said he was his brother.I
walked out of the room before the old man woke him up to take him to
his church. I returned at the part where he was sipping tea and his
deaf son walks in to ask for his blessings on a business venture. I
watched it till the end and boy, for me he looked like a Psycho killer
fat cat. I thought this guy would suit Ward.

I watched the movie from the beginning and thought it was amazing, 
just things got a little nuts for him at the end. Those were the times
back then, no regulation and he got out of control.

So I can't even speak of Ward on the same day when speaking of this
epic movie.

I went out and bought it today. Reminds me how my Uncle started out,
but not the end lol

Ward is just a HARVARD bum, He should have gone to Sloan. CSX would be
a better railroad. but wait, if he went to Sloan he would have a better
lifestyle and career lol 

Balz to the wall BABY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B35rYEkYgvs

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 04 July 2009 That's funny. On the Attendance Policy thread on this site we have people complaining about working to much being on call 24/7. On here someone posts about the possiblity of a lower income due to the new regs on July 16 which gives time off. People you can't have it both ways. People didn't you think the railroads would try to get rid of excisting contracts when the playing field changes? That was a no brainer. They sure in the heck don't want to pay gaurentees for less work. It now becomes a question of the unions. Do they have the backbone to stand up and make the carriers honor the excisting contracts? This is the last year and section 6 notices will be served later this year for new negotiations. That would be the appropriate measure let this contract end. One problem is it sometimes takes 3 years to get a new one and the carriers have to honor the old contract under the RLA.

Name: Rail Rat E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 03 July 2009 Here are some operational and safety differences between the airlines and the railroads that BOTH operate under the "Railway Labor Act" They are regulated by the FAA We are regulated by the FRA They use Flight Releases with Dispatcher Messages We use Train Releases with Dispatcher Messages They have FAA certified Captain and Co-pilot crews We have (soon to both be FRA certified) Engineer and Conductor crews They fly more miles We roll more tonnage They haul less revenue per trip We haul more revenue per trip When they "crash" they take out a building When we "crash" we take out a town They have "reserve" crews We have "extra board" crews They have reasonably good pay at the "major airlines" We currently have reasonably good pay at "Class 1 railroads" THEY HAVE A 100 HOUR CAP PER MONTH WE WILL HAVE A 276 HOUR CAP PER MONTH AND NOW WE ARE SUBJECT TO PAY CUTS????????????????????????

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 30+ years Posted: 03 July 2009 The BLET and UTU ought to have a blanket strike against all these class 1 railroads. Since they want to do something illegal, so should we. How much more are the unions willing to lose? So far they do not have an impressive "track record" On backs and pocketbooks of employees The nation's major railroads have asked a federal court to permit them to violate existing collective bargaining agreements with the UTU and the BLET when the railroads implement new hours-of-service regulations that take effect July 16. The soon-to-be-implemented hours-of-service limitations are directed by Congress in the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA), whose intent is to reduce train-crew fatigue and improve the quality of life of train crews. The lawsuit was filed by the carriers in U.S. district court in Ft. Worth, Texas, and the UTU and the BLET intend to mount a vigorous defense. The carriers acknowledge in their lawsuit that they intend to implement the new regulations as they fit; and, in so doing, may violate existing labor agreements with respect to wage guarantees. "Quite simply, the railroads have asked the court to overturn their collective bargaining agreements with the UTU and the BLET," said UTU International President Mike Futhey. "The carriers want court approval to disregard collective bargaining agreements in violation of the Railway Labor Act.

Name: me E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 02 July 2009 Trivia Time: Who use to be a Trainmasster (A.K. Steel scab)at Queens Gate yard. Then transferred to Indiana as a trainmaster.

Name: SAm E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 02 July 2009 Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 28 June 2009 I just saw this movie. It's called, "There will be blood." I wonder if Ward was like this? ******************************************************** There are some dis-simalarities. The guy in the movie was not a drooling spastic lunatic who cheated on his wife and family, and shit on his workers 24/7. Everything else, though, is the same.

Name: slack action E-mail: Employed as: M of W, for 10-20 years Posted: 02 July 2009 It was a water spout and never went over land. Even if it did hit the GOB it was not strong enough to do any damage...

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 02 July 2009 Photo: Twister misses CSX HQ building This photo was taken from the 27th floor of the AT&T building in Jacksonville, Fla., at approximately 5 p.m. on Friday, June 26, 2009, by an unidentified photographer. http://www.utu.org/tools/pics/CSX%20hurricane.jpg Damnit!

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 01 July 2009 I think I'll pass on the sorry, Goofy. I'll just take it as you owe me one seeing you have this uncontrolling urge to troll almost every post I've written. I'm begining to like the critisism and feel hurt that snide remark wasn't directed towards me. I guess you can't win them all.

Name: Steve Gordon E-mail: sgordon@gordon-elias.com Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 30 June 2009 Hello All- I am seeking any information from anyone that knows: (1) about the relationship or contract [if any] between CSX and Goodyear Tire Co. to service/replace and/or repair its Goodyear tires that are utilized, for instance, on backhoes including, but not limited to, (a)is it a national agreement, i.e., are Goodyear tires used in all the CSX operating states?; (b) who at CSX would be the person that would negotiate for CSX with Goodyear on tire purchase and (c)service "after the sale", if any, topics; (2) Is there any studies that CSX did/does and/or that they rely upon for working in the heat and protection of its MofW workers; (3) What is the CSX policy (if there is one) on working conditions (regarding heat exposure) it will allow its MofW workers to be exposed to? If anyone has this knowledge, I would prefer to use my email to receive this information at sgordon@gordon-elias.com instead of a response to this post and I would be extremely grateful to anyone that can shed some light on these issues. You obviously do not need to give your name to me. Thank you all for what you do. Steve Gordon http://www.Gordon-Elias.com

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 20-30 years Posted: 30 June 2009 NoMo 1000 MPG on the CSX but this is TOP SECRET CSX just piggy backs Q363 or other trains on the Q377 back to the UP Salem IL and drop off in Anderson IN or Avon IN for FREE. Yes free paid by the UP. Just fucking the UP because CSX says you can not spell StUPid with out UP. Now just put that in your MPG and bonuses. Just the CSX way. Core Values. ID Dispatcher to UP 5483, Q377. Set off 40 Q363 cars at Anderson, BendOver !! CC: James R. Young UP CEO

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 30 June 2009 CSX will break their arm patting themselves on the back over a plan to reduce CO2 emissions by 8% per revenue ton mile by 2011; but won't say anything about the fatalities they cause over "its vast and economically vital train operations." Revenue ton mile? As opposed to what? Perhaps Bob Sullivan can define what a revenue ton mile is so every one understands just what a 8% reduction really is...but it makes Mike and the BoD look good which is all that really matters. CSX Announces Commitment to Cut CO2 Emissions by Eight Percent Emissions Reduction Goal is First-Ever Commitment to EPA from a Major Transportation Provider JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CSX today announced a plan to reduce the CO2 emissions associated with its vast and economically vital train operations by 8% per revenue ton mile by 2011. The company made its commitment as part of its participation in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Leaders Program, a voluntary program for businesses to inventory and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. CSX's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the Climate Leaders Program is the first ever from a major U.S. transportation provider. CSX's commitment will reduce C02 emissions by 2.4 million tons -- the equivalent of taking 441,000 cars off the road each year, or burning 5,598,000 fewer barrels of oil. "Freight rail is the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly surface transportation option. We are pleased to enhance these benefits with our firm commitment to reduce CSX's carbon footprint," said Michael J. Ward, Chairman, President and CEO of CSX. "The Climate Leaders Partnership shows that by working together, business and government can serve our nation's economic needs while improving our environment." In CSX's non-railroad operations, the company plans to use building space more efficiently, improve HVAC systems, and install energy-efficient lighting and automatic computer-shutdown software. "As we work to strengthen our nation's infrastructure, stimulate the economy and compete in a global marketplace, investment in freight railroads will be critical," said Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell. "CSX's commitment to improving the environmental efficiency of its operations will further drive improvement in what is already one of the most environmentally friendly forms of surface transportation and strengthen our country's position as a global leader of a sustainable economy." Since 1980, the railroad industry has invested more than $1 billion to upgrade its fleet with more efficient, Tier II clean air locomotives and has improved locomotive fuel efficiency by over 80%. By the end of 2009, an additional 1,200 CSX locomotives will be upgraded to further reduce emissions and lower fuel consumption by nearly 10 million gallons. CSX has a long standing commitment to air quality and clean operations. CSX Transportation Inc. is a principal operating company of CSX Corporation. CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans 21,000 miles with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and connects to more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at the company's web site, www.csx.com. Contact: CSX Transportation Bob Sullivan 1-877-835-5279 SOURCE CSX Corporation

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 30 June 2009 Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 27 June 2009 No one talked about the DOW you dipschidt. Go away isn't it time for your meds.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX RRJ No one rang your chain, go to 23 june 2009, then say sorry. You may not know it, but most post's are not directed your way old man.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 28 June 2009 I just saw this movie. It's called, "There will be blood." I wonder if Ward was like this?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 28 June 2009 orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-locscott-maxwell-column-sunrail062809jun28,0,6827366.column OrlandoSentinel.com Friendly advice for SunRail's boosters: Get real Scott Maxwell TAKING NAMES June 28, 2009 So, SunRail's back on track. Maybe. Sort of. I'm not sure whether to cheer or roll my eyes. Inherently, I support transit options and rail. And I think it's shortsighted and simple-minded to blast this project because it costs a lot of money and wouldn't carry many people at first. That's how the first leg of most any rail system would be. I have to imagine there were skeptics back in 1869 when New York's first underground tunnel — a mere 312 feet in length beneath Broadway — was constructed. It certainly wasn't practical. But the visionaries knew then that you must walk before you can run. And that first step is the most painful. That said, I have never liked the way this town's "visionaries" have handled rail. They can be heavy-handed, condescending and less than forthcoming with the facts. They offer vague and misleading answers to legitimate questions and then seem puzzled by the fact that everyone doesn't jump on board. They help create the very gadflies that drive them so batty. There's also the fact that so many of them seem to have their hands in the cookie jar. I remember last month when we got our hands on the documents that showed how much public money had been spent promoting this thing — well over $1 million on lobbying and public relations alone. More than a quarter-million of that went to the regional civic group, Myregion.org. Taxpayers already support this well-intentioned but amorphous chamber-of-commerce outgrowth, which is bigger on feel-good talk than concrete results. So the taxpayers help fund this group ... which then bills the taxpayers for more money ... so they can convince everyone to spend more taxpayer money on a massive project. Nice gig if you can get it. (And by the way: Nearly $1 million for sell-jobs that failed? Maybe someone should throw a few expected-results clauses into the next contract.) There are a lot of people who support this project. SunRail proponents should find more of them who are willing to give help — without also giving them a bill. Even the so-called "deadline" that was miraculously extended last week was an artificial one. It was simply a date CSX chose to try to force lawmakers to strike a deal as quickly as possible. There's a reason that CSX both set the deadline and now agreed to extend it — because the company is going to make out like a bandit. That's something else proponents have trouble admitting. When pressed about whether CSX is getting too much from taxpayers, they resort to the well-that's-how-everyone-else-did-it response. My mother didn't buy that excuse when I was back in grade school. Maybe I need to sic Mom on the SunRail strategists. On the flip side, though, you have an extreme (and extremely loud) portion of the anti-rail crowd that complains about everything associated with the project. Some have legitimate concerns about costs and getting more trains coming through their towns. But some simply don't want to spend any money — on this or most anything else. They propose loopy, unresearched ideas like extending Disney's monorail to downtown. They assume everyone who likes rail is getting a payoff. And they accuse most any medium that won't parrot their conspiracy theories of getting paid for their silence. I don't blame SunRail supporters for giving up on trying to placate that crowd. Some don't want to be placated. They are most happy when miserable ... and eager to make others feel the same way. And then somewhere between the constant complainers and paternalistic pom-pom shakers are what I think is the majority of us — people who want more transit options but have some legitimate concerns and questions. We are the people who understand that SunRail would simply be a first step, but a crucial one. People who understand that nothing this significant comes cheap. But we are also people who expect those championing this project to act more like responsible stewards of the public's interest than starry-eyed cheerleaders. People who want public officials to drive a hard bargain on their behalf. And people who want civic leaders who will do that without looking to get paid for it. The best thing proponents have going for them is the possibility of tapping even more stimulus money for the project. They should tout that fact, answer all the hard questions and retool their sales pitch — perhaps with some new pitchmen. Scott Maxwell can be reached at smaxwell@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-6141. Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 27 June 2009 No one talked about the DOW you dipschidt. Go away isn't it time for your meds.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 26 June 2009 Fool's always run in a pact. It is not buy low and sell high. It is buy on the dip and sell when it is time. The dow has only 30 companies. That is by far not an indicator of the market.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 25 June 2009 Autopsy: Drugs, no alcohol in murder-suicide dad June 24, 2009 - 4:45pm http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1703959 FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - The Frederick County Sheriff's office says an autopsy found a father involved in a Middletown murder-suicide that claimed the lives of his wife and their three young children had prescription drugs in his system, but not alcohol. The autopsy also found 34-year-old Christopher Alan Wood died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The sheriff's office said the drugs matched those found in the home and the case is being closed as a murder-suicide. Police say Wood, an account manager for railroad operator CSX Corp., shot his children and 33-year-old wife, Francis Billotti Wood, with a small-caliber handgun as they slept on the night of April 16 and then killed himself with a shotgun the next day. (Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - The Frederick County Sheriff's office says an autopsy found a father involved in a Middletown murder-suicide that claimed the lives of his wife and their three young children had prescription drugs in his system, but not alcohol. The autopsy also found 34-year-old Christopher Alan Wood died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The sheriff's office said the drugs matched those found in the home and the case is being closed as a murder-suicide. Police say Wood, an account manager for railroad operator CSX Corp., shot his children and 33-year-old wife, Francis Billotti Wood, with a small-caliber handgun as they slept on the night of April 16 and then killed himself with a shotgun the next day. (Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 23 June 2009 UTU Rail Safety Alert No. 1 (revised) (Following is the first safety alert, revised June 22, issued by the UTU's recently appointed Rail Safety Task Force. UTU International President Mike Futhey appointed the task force in response to a sharp spike in railroad on-duty employee fatalities. The UTU and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen also have petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration for an emergency order to prohibit the use by railroads of one-person operating crews, including in remote control operations.) SAFETY ALERT NO. 1 (revised) While the UTU has consistently taken exception to single-person operations, in reality it exists today. Accordingly, our members should be aware of the safest course in an unsafe situation. UTU members working in single-person operations are strongly encouraged to question any order by a railroad official to perform any activities that may result in an injury, loss of limb or life -- short of insubordination. If your request to be relieved of such a task is denied, please immediately contact your local chairperson, general chairperson, local legislative representative or state legislative director for further handling. In doing so, document these actions as soon as you are able, providing as much information as possible, including witnesses, times, dates, locations and names of all involved. Following is the proper procedure to handle any types of incidents you feel cannot be safely accomplished by a one-person operation: 1) Call for help, such as a utility employee and/or the mechanical department to assist with the function while the RCO operator maintains control of the RCL transmitter (belt pack) and provides three-step protection. All blue flag rules still apply. Following are FRA regulations relating to the functions of a "utility employee." A utility employee properly attached to a train or yard crew, per the requirements of 49 CFR 218.22(c)(1), (2), (3) and (4), may go on, under or between rolling equipment that the crew is called to operate to perform any of the six functions permitted by 49 CFR 218.22(c)(5), without blue signal protection. The following are the only six functions permitted: 1) Set or release hand brakes. 2) Couple or uncouple air hoses and other electrical or mechanical connections. 3) Prepare rail cars for coupling. (This means opening knuckles, adjusting drawbars, arranging air hoses etc. It does not mean making repairs, such as changing a knuckle or replacing an air hose.) 4) Set wheel blocks or wheel chains. 5) Conduct air brake tests to include cutting air brake components in or out and position retaining valves. 6) Inspect, test, install, remove or replace a rear-end marking device or end-of-train device. Under all other circumstances, a utility employee working on, under, or between railroad rolling equipment must be provided with blue signal protection in accordance with §§ 218.23 through 218.30 of Subpart B to Part 218. 2) If help is not available, notify management that you are concerned the function you are being required to perform is unsafe, and that you would prefer not to perform the function. 3) If the carrier official (supervisor, manager) insists that you perform the unsafe function anyway, tell him/her you feel this would place your personal safety in jeopardy and ask that they reconsider your request. 4) If the carrier official denies your request, perform the function as instructed, taking every safety protection available, including: a) Making sure everyone working on both ends of the yard knows where you are, and that you are about to be on your own under or between cars on the track and without blue-flag protection. b) Make sure the belt pack is set to prevent the locomotive from moving. c) Secure cars on a cut located on the oppose side of where the locomotive is attached (to prevent rollback). d) Keep a constant eye and ear out for any movement whatsoever. e) Keep the belt pack on, to ensure the man-down feature is operable (or as near as safely possible without creating a tripping hazard), just in case it's needed. 5) After being required to perform the function, report these occurrences to you local legislative representative, safety chairpersons and local chairpersons. In solidarity, UTU Rail Safety Task Force Greg Hynes, UTU assistant Arizona state legislative director Steve Evans, UTU Arkansas state legislative director Jerry Gibson, UTU Michigan state legislative director Scott Olson, UTU Arizona state legislative director For more information on the UTU Rail Safety Task Force and its mission, click here: www.utu.org/worksite/rail_safety_taskforce/safety_taskforce_home.htm June 23, 2009

Name: E-mail: Employed as: CSX Customer, for N/A Posted: 23 June 2009 Ape: Citigroup is run worst than CSX and they robbed so many people. There are lots of reasons to sell and buy at different times. Here is just a little info on Citigroup. Rumor has it that Citigroup and GM may soon be removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average. If this happens, who would take their place? John Prestbo, Editor and Executive Director of the Dow Jones Indexes and Chairman of the Dow Jones Index Oversight Committee joins The Takeaway with a look at who makes it on the Dow and why. "We're running an index, not a portfolio. So it's not like we're making investment decisions, we're making representation decisions." — John Prestbo, chariman of the Dow Jones Index Oversight Committee, on the Dow as an economic indicator Does anyone really know the truth on anything anymore?

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 23 June 2009 I think it has more to do with the artificial inflation of stock prices recently. It's obvious some are pushing stock prices up then selling them off to make a quick buck. CSX in my opinion will make money and the stock will rise in the next few years. Transportation stocks are one of the geiger counters for the stock index. I can't complain I sold off everything in my 401K bought CSX stock when it was around $23.84 a share and have recovered around 27% of my losses since March of this year. I'm not in a position to wait any longer with the financial advisors constant advise of buy low sell high especially in mutual funds. I'm to the point of having 5 years left to work till retirement. To have the stock market crash twice in the past 10 years has been devistating. Citi Group needs capital just like TCI did and railroad stocks are one investment that still has some value. I don't look at the experts anymore they were the problem to begin with that caused this mess. If I still had 15-20 years left to work then my investment stratigy would be different. I wouldn't be so worried at this point investing has to become conservative. When CSX stock gets high enough I'll sell and put it in a money market. Once retired I'll be no longer confined to the strict policies of a 401K with it's limited investment choices.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 23 June 2009 I guess Citigroup thinks CSX sucks too xD Citigroup sells CSX Citigroup Inc. has sold off about 18 million shares of Jacksonville-based CSX Corp. recently, according to an SEC filing last week. That leaves Citigroup with 3.3 million CSX shares, or 0.9 percent of the stock. Citigroup had owned 5.4 percent when CSX filed its annual proxy statement in March. With Citigroup selling off most of its stake, the only party owning more than 5 percent of CSX would be Capital Research Global Investors, which was listed in the proxy with a 6.6 percent stake. The SEC requires investors to disclose ownership stakes of 5 percent or more. Citigroup’s filing did not give any details on its sell-off of CSX shares.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 23 June 2009 Now that's an old head, he had 10 years before Goober hired in and I wasn't even a twinkle in my old man's eye. I bet he could tell a few stories about the "Golden Age" of railroading! How about it Jet...there's a lot of us on here that would enjoy a history lesson, guys like you are hard to find...not too many of you left!

Name: JET E-mail: Jetcherokee@yahoo.com Employed as: Brakeman, for 30+ years Posted: 22 June 2009 To whom this may concern:I worked for the railroad over forty(40 yrs.) I worked as crew caller, fireman and enginer some times in engine service, I tranfered to brakeman a few yrs. later and worked as yard conductor, road brakeman,I started for the B&O Railroad in 1953 and I also worked for the Tennessee Railroad back in 1944 as crew caller,o.k.last but lease, The CSXhad the railroad when I Retired in Aug. 1993, let me tell you this, when the CSX had taken over, yes it was a new ball game, The CSX wasn"t a railroad co., they was more for Export and import, well I"ll shut up now, may have said to much, all tho I don"t think so. Thank you. Sincerely:Jet.

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 22 June 2009 This Week's Message Hello, this is Michael Ward: On July 16, new Hours of Service rules will go into effect, requiring changes for both T & E and Signal employees. These changes, mandated by the federal Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, will have a positive impact on safety by reducing fatigue in the workplace. A cross-functional team of CSXT employees is preparing training materials to ensure that all covered employees fully understand the new rules as well as the FRA's resulting changes to its record-keeping requirements. Technology is revising our computer programs for crew calling and recordkeeping to follow the new rules. Our team has worked with other railroad and labor representatives in an advisory group convened by the FRA to develop the new Hours of Service recordkeeping rules. We have also talked extensively with labor representatives about how the new law will affect covered employees and our collective bargaining agreements. Our goal is to work together for a smooth transition. You will be hearing more from your managers as we near the July 16 implementation date. Materials are being distributed to post in the workplace as well as on the Gateway so that all employees covered by this law will be well informed as this process unfolds. These new rules are designed to ensure that covered employees get adequate rest between times on duty. One aspect of the new law requires 10 hours of undisturbed rest, which means that no one acting on behalf of the company may call a covered employee during this 10 hour period. The law makes significant changes in hours of service rules for covered employees, so it is critical that we all work together to make sure the new rules are well understood and implemented properly. Thanks for listening, have a safe, productive day, and I'll talk to you again next week.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 22 June 2009 Now that's a crock of shit if I've ever seen one! "The International’s General Fund, as detailed in the most recent GS&T report, has grown since the Futhey administration took office almost 18 months ago -- from $2.1 million to $4 million, which is a 90 percent increase". Hey Kim...put the union's financials on the website and let the members judge for themselves. The General Fund has almost doubled in 18 months...how did that happen? Lets see...increase in dues...more members...reduce and/or cut redundant expenses...fail to act on members claims and disciplinary proceedings, you are now monitoring instead, just to name a few things the union is doing for their membership. I just love this,"Separately, our strike fund has grown by 45 percent, to $2.7 million...". Is there any wonder why the UTU won't call a strike? Because the don't have the money to last more than a couple of days! Besides, I wouldn't be surprised if they have the money pledged as collateral! Thompson goes on to say "Our investment advisers are paid directly for sound financial advice and do not profit by moving our money from one investment alternative to another, or as a percentage of short-term investment gains. As a result, our International finances have withstood the effects of this recession and associated financial calamities far better than most organizations." Most "Investment Advisers" are paid based on the value of the portfolio they manage, usually on a quarterly valuation. Now this is where I have a problem...Advisers move money based on the short term, mid term and long team goals of the client, in this case the UTU. Thompson's statement,"...our International finances have withstood the effects of this recession and associated financial calamities far better than most organizations." just doesn't track. Perhaps they have fared better than most but not without moving money. They were either invested in CD's which pay very little; or invested in stocks which don't pay much better but appreciate in value as the Stock market increases. Remember, Thompson said earlier that the strike fund grew 45% and that the International's money grew from $7.5 million to $13 million (73% increase). You don't have gains like that in 18 months being invested in CD's, T-Bills and high grade corporate bonds...in order to achieve results like that, you have to be invested in stocks. Which is it Kim? The UTU is playing their membership for chumps...think about it for a moment then ask yourself this...is it really true? Then ask you LC for the last annual financial statement and the most recent quarterly report and see what happens!

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 22 June 2009 Spending your dues money wisely By Kim Thompson UTU General Secretary & Treasurer Nobody spends someone else’s dollars as carefully as we spend our own. The UTU International leadership is especially sensitive to the fact that members entrust us with their own hard-earned dollars, and every member rightfully expects their union to gain the most value for their dues money. We do not take this obligation lightly. Since taking office in January 2008, we have instituted new cost controls and conservative investment policies that, even in the face of significant furloughs by rail carriers and problems in financial markets, have made the UTU more efficient and financially secure. The International’s General Fund, as detailed in the most recent GS&T report, has grown since the Futhey administration took office almost 18 months ago -- from $2.1 million to $4 million, which is a 90 percent increase. The General Fund pays for International operations, including employee wages and benefits, travel tied to assistance provided general and local committees of adjustment, and headquarters rent. Separately, our strike fund has grown by 45 percent, to $2.7 million, and our convention fund is on track to have the necessary minimum on hand to pay traditional and contemplated costs of the eleventh quadrennial convention in 2011. Total International funds have grown from $7.5 million, when we took office in January 2008, to more than $13 million, which is an increase of more than 70 percent. This is in the face of sharp carrier cutbacks of employees -- many being UTU members -- in response to a sour economy. Among cost-cutting actions was the reduction of one full-time administrative officer in the Cleveland headquarters and redistribution of that work to headquarters staff and other International officers. We have gone from 15 full-time International officers to 11, which is more than a 25 percent reduction. Travel expenses have been reduced by combining International officer assignments and assigning officers geographically closer to the committees they are assisting. Every travel expense is checked to ensure it is necessary and proper. Our International funds are invested conservatively so they are available when needed without undue risk of principal. Our investment advisers are paid directly for sound financial advice and do not profit by moving our money from one investment alternative to another, or as a percentage of short-term investment gains. As a result, our International finances have withstood the effects of this recession and associated financial calamities far better than most organizations. The UTUIA, meanwhile, earned more than $300,000 from operations during the first quarter of 2009. The UTUIA remains strong with more than $23 million in surplus, as recently validated through an annual audit. As for the DIPP, premiums exceeded claims for the first quarter 2009, which boosted the fund’s balance. We continue monitoring this fund, as claims are tied directly to the level of carrier discipline. We have met -- and continue to meet -- with carrier officers to discuss what we consider to be arbitrary discipline that unjustifiably damages employee morale, impeding our ultimate goal of providing world-class transportation service. At the local level, we are assisting local treasurers through workshops, individual assistance and the UTU University to better equip them to carry out their duties in managing their local’s funds. The financial state of the United Transportation Union is strong and secure, and we intend to keep it that way through careful spending and improved productivity within every department and through every activity of the International. June 19, 2009

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 21 June 2009 Hey Joe: CSX is just getting ready for the new HOS law kicking in and the Summer vacation vacancies. I don't think it'll get everyone back to work...maybe 25-30% of those furloughed.

Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 20 June 2009 They're re-establishing jobs on the C&O like there's no tomarrow. The furlough lists are shrinking every day. Hope this trend spreads to the other divisions.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 20 June 2009 Memorial day for rail workers "Black Shirt Friday" meant to commemorate those killed on the job http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=811838&category=BUSINESS First published in print: Friday, June 19, 2009 Prompted by the recent death of railroad conductor Jared Boehlke at the CSX Selkirk yard, Railroad Workers United plans "Black Shirt Friday" today to commemorate all rail personnel killed on the job. Boehlke's death on May 10 brought the national death toll this year to 12. Despite a 25 percent decline in rail traffic, the rate of employee deaths has been on the rise, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Boehlke, 33, was hit by a train while coupling cars. He belonged to a railroad family; his father and brother are conductors and his uncle is a retired engineer. To mark the event, Railroad Workers United is asking its members across the U.S. to wear black shirts as a show of solidarity. Black Shirt Friday will also "protest the deteriorating situation" in safety measures, according to the railroad workers news release. The union wants to have the Friday before Father's Day declared "Railroad Workers Memorial Day" by the railroad community. -- Juliette Price

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 19 June 2009 It would be great if all these Liers got pinched getting kick backs from CSX. http://www.wvrecord.com/news/219607-n.c.-plaintiffs-file-legal-malpractice-suit-in-w.va. N.C. plaintiffs file legal malpractice suit in W.Va. Thursday, June 18, 2009 By Justin Anderson (jdanderson70@gmail.com) Cook Bernsen WHEELING - Fifteen North Carolina residents are suing a number of Texas and Georgia attorneys in federal court, claiming the lawyers mishandled a consolidated lawsuit against CSX Transportation. The lawsuit was filed June 3 in U.S. District Court in Wheeling. Named as defendants are law firms Provost and Umphrey and Law Offices of David E. Bernsen and individual lawyers Rodney B. Barnwell, Matthew C. Matheny, Matthew Willis, David E. Bernsen, Edward Shuff Cook, Donald F. Ruzicka and 10 unnamed lawyers. Cook is the nephew of Warren McGraw, former state Supreme Court justice and current circuit judge in Wyoming County. The plaintiffs, both individuals and representatives of estates, all had previously filed lawsuits in different states alleging that while they worked for CSX, having to maneuver on large and irregular ballast caused them to develop arthritis and other injuries. The defendants consolidated the cases and filed a lawsuit in Marshall County in 2004, the complaint says. But the lawyers failed to properly handle the litigation in a number of ways, according to the plaintiffs. Among the plaintiffs' allegations are that the lawyers failed to timely engage expert and medical witnesses; failed to investigate the plaintiffs medical claims; failed to investigate the admissibility of certain evidence. The plaintiffs also alleged they were kept in the dark about developments in the case and that the lawyers failed to properly prepare for and represent three of the plaintiffs at a trial that was scheduled for June 4, 2007. Foremost in the list of allegations is that the lawyers settled on behalves of all but one of the plaintiffs - Carroll W. Garner - for amounts that were less than what the plaintiffs believe they would have received from a jury. One of the plaintiffs, Lloyd D. Wheeler, alleges that his case was settled without his authority. In Garner's case, the complaint says his representation failed to tell him that he needed to be at the trial and didn't engage a medical witness to support Garner's claims. Under these circumstances, Garner's case was dismissed by the court, the complaint says. The other plaintiffs are: Ernest R. Bryant; the estate of Mitchell L. Cockman by personal representative Elaine Cockman; David H. Davenport Jr.; Hiram T. Davidson, Sr.; Jerry W. Hinson; Bobby C. Lambert; John S. McIver; Russell D. Pait; the estate of Jerry M. Snead by personal representative Linda C. Snead; A.B. Strickland; Matthew Stroman, Jr.; Gregory Warnock; and James R. Williams. The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages for emotional distress and monetary loss and reimbursement of legal costs. Donald J. Tennant Jr. and Jay T. McCamic are representing the plaintiffs. The case is before U.S. District Court Judge Frederick P. Stamp Jr. U.S. District Court case number: 5:09-CV-61

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 19 June 2009 The rail gangs and tye forces have always traveled the system to work on the track. It's not a job they hire local people to work temporarily 90% of the work is done by machine. Years ago most of it was done by hand they hired hundreds for the summer they would travel around living in camp cars. Those days are long gone. NS was still using camp cars up until last year when they were forced to shut them down because of deplorable living conditions.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 18 June 2009 Hey Lloyd: Yeah...you're right, it's a start. I'm just sorry it took a tragedy to get the UTU to get off their ass. If I'm not mistaken, both the UTU and BLEt had preexisting "Safety Task Forces", in the case of the UTU, they just tweaked it a little and gave it a big red button. Lets see if it's not just for show! Personally, I think the only reason the union and FRA has acted is for self preservation. I'm sure both were inundated with emails and phone calls, not to mention this site, demanding action. It's up to the membership to keep the momentum going!

Name: layton fugnutz E-mail: laytonfugnutz@csx.biz Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 18 June 2009 lazy SOB's from all over the country come here to repair track while thousands remain without jobs RIGHT HERE. Can I go to Alabama with a banjo on my knee and get paid 40 an hour? no.

Name: Lloyd E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 18 June 2009 Guys, you know I usually don't speak well of either of our unions but this time you have to give them a little credit. Getting this thing to the FRA and coming together is very positive for us. I'm with you on the fact that our unions have very little backbone and our probably in with the carriers but what else do we have besides them? It's obvious that we can't come together as workers so I guess the BLE and the UTU are all we have. I will never give up on trying to get everyone united and getting a railroad wide sick out day but unless some guys grow a fucking pair this is all just a wild dream. This just in....do not try and get 3 step unless you have all eyes on your engineer and no 100 percent without a doubt he is at the controls of the locomotive. These pansies will do just about anything to fire your ass.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 18 June 2009 Hey Z: Not having anything better to do, I was checking out the the Rail Safety Task Force on the UTU website: http://www.utu.org/worksite/rail_safety_taskforce/task_force.htm That's one hell of a "Task Force"...4 men in all, 3 State Legislative Directors, an Assistant State Legislative Director; 2 of the 4 from Arizona, 1 each from Arkansas and Michigan. With a "Task Force" that impressive, the carriers must be shaking in their boots. This must be the equivalent of a "Safety" day for the insiders. Several rounds of Golf a week, lunches every day and cocktails every night, all on the members nickle while "lobbying" for your safety. I know everyone feels safer just knowing these 4 got your back!

Name: Z E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 18 June 2009 My exact sentiments, NoMo. I read it earlier today and thought, where were the unions when all this crap started and not a peep out of them. Now we have more union money allocated to another segment of useless union BS and all remains the same.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 18 June 2009 No Doh! So what's new? Same old sputum out of the union...beg, cajole threaten to tell but don't be insubordinate, and then crater. Pure eye wash for the membership...something to make you feel good, the union is looking out for me. I've got news for you...the union leadership is looking out for themselves!

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 18 June 2009 Rail safety alert (Following is the first safety alert issued by the UTU’s recently appointed Rail Safety Task Force. UTU International President Mike Futhey appointed the task force in response to a sharp spike in railroad on-duty employee fatalities. The UTU and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen also have petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration for an emergency order to prohibit the use by railroads on one-person operating crews, including remote control operations.) SAFETY ALERT NO. 1 UTU members working in single-person operations are strongly encouraged to question any order by a railroad official to perform any activities that may result in an injury, loss of limb or life -- short of insubordination. If your request to be relieved of such a task is denied, please immediately contact your local chairperson, general chairperson, local legislative representative or state legislative director for further handling. In doing so, document these actions as soon as you are able, providing as much information as possible, including witnesses, times, dates, locations and names of all involved. Following is the proper procedure to handle any types of incidents you feel cannot be safely accomplished by a one-person operation: 1) Call for help, such as a utility employee, who can perform the function (i.e. change the knuckle, adjust the draw bar) while the RCO operator maintains control of the RCL transmitter (belt pack) and provides three-step protection. 2) If help is not available, notify management that you are concerned the function you are being required to perform is unsafe, and that you would prefer not to perform the function. 3) If the carrier official (supervisor, manager) insists that you perform the unsafe function anyway, tell him/her you feel this would place your personal safety in jeopardy and ask that they reconsider your request. 4) If the carrier official denies your request, perform the function as instructed, taking every safety protection available, including: a) Making sure everyone working on both ends of the yard knows where you are, and that you are about to be on your own under or between cars on the track and without blue-flag protection. b) Make sure the belt pack is set to prevent the locomotive from moving. c) Secure cars on a cut located on the oppose side of where the locomotive is attached (to prevent rollback). d) Keep a constant eye and ear out for any movement whatsoever. e) Keep the belt pack on, to ensure the man-down feature is operable (or as near as safely possible without creating a tripping hazard), just in case it's needed. 5) After being required to perform the function, report these occurrences to you local legislative representative, safety chairpersons and local chairpersons. In solidarity, UTU Rail Safety Task Force Greg Hynes, UTU assistant Arizona state legislative director Steve Evans, UTU Arkansas state legislative director Jerry Gibson, UTU Michigan state legislative director Scott Olson, UTU Arizona state legislative director For more information on the UTU Rail Safety Task Force and its mission, click here: http://www.utu.org/worksite/rail_safety_taskforce/safety_taskforce_home.htm

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 17 June 2009 CSXT Prepares For New Law That Affects Hours of Service Rules Released: June 16, 2009 Effective July 16, 2009, the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA) imposes significant changes to hours of service (HOS) rules for Train and Engine Service and Signal employees that will have a positive impact on fatigue in the workplace. Changes for T&E employees (excluding passenger operations) under the new law include: Prohibiting an employee from accumulating in a single calendar month more than 276 hours of (i) on duty time, (ii) time spent waiting for or in deadhead transportation to the place of final release, and (iii) time spent in any other mandatory service for the carrier; Prohibiting an employee from accumulating in a single calendar month more than 40 hours of limbo time (defined as time after 12 hours on duty spent waiting for or in deadhead transportation to the place of final release), dropping to a limit of 30 hours on October 16, 2009; Requiring an employee to receive 48 hours off duty at his or her home terminal after initiating an on-duty period for six consecutive calendar days. An exception allows a seventh day of work to return to the home terminal, provided the employee then receives 72 hours off duty; Requiring an employee to receive at least 10 consecutive hours of undisturbed rest between tours of duty; Requiring an employee to receive additional undisturbed rest if limbo time (as defined above) was accrued on a previous tour of duty. Changes for Signal employees under the new law include: Requiring an employee to receive at least 10 consecutive hours of undisturbed rest between tours of duty; Eliminating dual HOS requirements for signal employees driving motor vehicles. These employees will now be covered only by FRA HOS rules. A cross-functional CSXT team has been actively engaged both internally and externally preparing for implementation of the new HOS rules by doing the following: Participation with other railroad and labor representatives in a Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) Working Group convened by FRA to develop new HOS record-keeping and reporting requirements. FRA recently issued its amended recordkeeping rule, which largely follows the consensus recommendations of the Working Group. Discussions of the major new T&E HOS rules with labor representatives to assure a complete understanding of how the new rules will impact our work force and collective bargaining agreements so that we can work together towards a smooth transition. Revision of crew calling and HOS recordkeeping computer programs to reflect the new rules. This process will continue as FRA issues additional interpretations of the new rules. Development of a training plan and materials for managers and employees to ensure that employees fully understand the new HOS rules and the process for recording the additional information required by those rules. As we get closer to the July implementation, we will continue to update employees on how the law applies to CSXT operations and how employees will be affected.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 17 June 2009 This may also help Mr.Smith http://www.trainlawblog.com/2009/02/federal-railroad-safety-act-1/frsas-sharp-teeth-starting-to-bite-railroads/ http://www.osha.gov/dep/oia/whistleblower/acts/frsa.html http://railroadworkersunited.org/sites/rwu.prometheuslabor.com/files/CSX%20Harrassment%20FRA%20Report.pdf

Name: csmith E-mail: Employed as: Engine repair, for 1-10 years Posted: 17 June 2009 does anyone have a phone number of an FRA AGENT in Georiga, I had an injury requiring surgery, and was told at my investigation during a break, that if I only reported one injury, the plant manager would have a talk with me when I got back to work, making me think I would keep my job, but they fired me anyway. They only reported one injury and showed the second injury as non reportable

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Friend or family of employee, for Less than 1 year Posted: 16 June 2009 I am so glad working in an environment now where someones hard work ethic is appreciated. I left this crap hole this past year. CSX can honestly go to hell. UTU and the BLE can follow them...:0) I honestly felt while I was there that I did a serious crime and I was assigned community service, but just got paid for it. But of course, I worked in the Baltimore Terminal. From what I here, I heard other trainmasters around the system (even the REDI Center) threatens employees who do something wrong that they will send them to Baltimore if they do something else wrong. LMAOOOO HAVE A SAFE CSX DAY!!!

Name: Johnny Cash E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 10-20 years Posted: 16 June 2009 Hey SillyBadAssTrainmaster If you do not want to give your name then who were your trainmaster instuctors? I can just about guess one of them based upon your comments. You are just in Stage 1 of your career, wait until you find out what is demanded of you later from the Nazi Management. BTW bring your wife, girlfriend, sister or boyfriend over to the BBQ and you show all of us what you can do with your limp gay hot dog you claim to have. Real Man in Black

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 16 June 2009 badd$$mofo: maybe you cant read, mikewardisgay = mike ward ( the guy that feeds you cock when he feels like it) is gay at gmail.com = google mail.com why u keep posting with some lame non existant email tells me 1. you aint a trainmaster 2. you aint got the balls 3. trying to be internet tough guy anonymously... Tell Ward i said hello next time you have to kneel.

Name: Just out of training E-mail: BaddA$$MoFoMastah@csx.net Employed as: Train Master/ supervisor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 16 June 2009 Oh I hear you brother! Barney Frank reminds me of a Gay Elmer Fudd. But it seems you may have a problem. Gays are like flies? Are you saying that Gay's buzz around you so much that you need a swatter? Well you may have poopie in your pants. What attracts flies may attract Gays I've heard that a fart is like a moose call for Gays That was info from my roommate in Jax Get back to us when you find out. NoMo, That's so sweet you posted video from your Honeymoon I wish you and the Misses the best of luck and a lage family!

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 16 June 2009 I just can't stand it any longer...here's Just Out of Training's final exam at Trainmaster school: http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80651161/ He'll fit in well...you can see for yourself why women love him!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 16 June 2009 Barney Frank, I see him on TV every day. Prime mover behind Nancy Polosi, and Obama. Who is really proud of this deviate thinking, queer. I guess it must be the voters, and a few posters, on this site. I never really liked queers or their lifestyle, however I always thought it is OK as long as they stay away from me. Kinda like fly's they are OK but stay away, I have a swatter. This place is filling up with Queer bastards, time to cut them off and refuse to comment, they will move to a queer site, looking for a hard one. If we respond to the Queers they will call their queer friends, and yep this site will be a Queer site. Time to cut it off.

Name: Just out of training E-mail: BaddA$$MoFoMastah@csx.net Employed as: Train Master/ supervisor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 16 June 2009 Let's see, 1) mikewardisgay@gmail.com 2) no point talking about women 3) love to nibble on cock 4) re-insert cock in between your lips 5) camp And 6) Does does "g" in gmail stand for Gay? Gay Mail? Is that you? Are you the Homo of this board? You and the guy with the Intimidator hat should get togeher sweety Have a Gay Day XD

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 16 June 2009 Just out of training: there is no point talking about women, we all know that trainmasters only love to nibble on cock....so if you are done playing on this website, please re-insert cock in between your lips and do what they taught you at training camp.

Name: Just out of training E-mail: BaddA$$MoFoMastah@csx.net Employed as: Train Master/ supervisor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 16 June 2009 Wow. all you guys got is bad spelling as a comback? Hay guys why don't you stop worring about my spelling and worry about those extra inches your womens been looking for all these years. Summer time is coming and its time to have those BBQs Why don't you invite me over and we will get to know each other. While Im there I'll give those extra inches to your womens she been missing all these years. When God made me he told me I had two choices. You can be a master at word smithing or you can have a big male member. I asked, "Well what will open up doors for success?" He said, well having good grammar and spelling will certainly get you thru the door. But if your grammar sucks and also your spelling, and they try to shut the door, you can block it open with your big dick. Oh buy the way, when I come over tell your wife to wear those tight short shorts :) Have a safe day

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 15 June 2009 no trainmaster has the balls to post their name ;) besides thats probably a bs post, its too hard to type on a keyboard with your head in someones lap.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 15 June 2009 Alright trainmaster if that is a real post and your such a bad ass whats your name.

Name: Santa Claus E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for N/A Posted: 15 June 2009 Just out of training didn't get his round mouth from eating candy bars!!

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 15 June 2009 My...my...my: 26 years old and fresh out of training...how special. This guys balls haven't dropped yet and he talking like he has juice!

Name: Just out of training E-mail: BaddA$$MoFoMastah@csx.net Employed as: Train Master/ supervisor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 15 June 2009 Im a new trainmaster fresh out of training. Im 26 years old and got this job at a job semminar at my Commuity College. If any of you give me any shit you will help me make a name for myself. They taught me well and I know exactly what to do. I have a very big spoon over my shoulder the size of a spike puller. If you people hide or ignore me I will start sturring this spoon till someone or ones rise to the top of the tird pool. I will test you. If you don't like it I will fire your ass! Oh ya, If I see anyone wearing BLACK or if you are Black on June 19th YOU ARE FIRED! Have a safe day :)

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Employed in other capacity, for N/A Posted: 15 June 2009 Willard Ohio, A furlowed empoylee has been run around the other forlowed empoylee's to come in work safety a couple a days a week. The U.T.U. general com. quote, this is an elective job, so the company can pick anyone they want. So hows it feel to have the senority roster thrown in the trash can. You are no longer empoylee's you are just part time help.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 14 June 2009 I tell you what. I am so glad I have left this place..:0) CSX is horrible. Their management needs to realize "The way you treat your people is the type of work ethic you will get in return"!!! Then the low life union (other wise known as the UTU) took close to $400.00 out of my vacation paycheck this week!!!! And what the hell have they done for me in the last 6 months besides tell me what they are trained to say (they can do that, they can do that, they can do that, they can do that,etc...over and over again)?? HELL, WHAT THE F DID THEY DO FOR ME MY WHOLE 4 year CAREER??? Both the BLET and UTU are in the companies left hand pocket!!! That place is the biggest joke. So I can not wait to see what they take out of my second vacation paycheck for 6/19/09-6/27/09 but I will definitely keep you up to date on just how much our (more like yours now) unions are low lives (UTU & BLE). I have said it before and I will say it again (like my mother said), That place is for prison inmates who just got out of prison and looking for a career!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For you old guys and mid-career guys (and gals), I understand, your putting in your time to get your pention. Most importantly, you started when this place was a GREAT place to work at. But you new guys?? What the hell are you thinking about?? Honestly?? This place is TTTHHHEEEEE biggest joke. And what more proof do you need when this site was sued by CSX and went to court and this site/owner WON??? HHHEEELLLOOOOOOO???????? When you work for a place that has a web site that goes in depth about how bad it is, then that web site gets sued by the company, AND THEN THE WEB SITE WINS??? What more proof do you need that you are working for/in a bad environment?? But I had a guy who worked in my terminal who was SHOT (YES, GUN, SHOT) twice and out of service. I thought you had to pass a background check to get into this job?? Criminal background check at that. Again, that place was a joke and I could go on and on and on...I just want to say, I made some great friendships at CSX among my so-called brothers and sisters (BLT & UTU, just not the the reps BECAUSE I WAS SMART). And I hope the best for all of you non-management people. For you management people, I work M-F, make just as much as you do, and you know where you can go. Oh, by the way, I do not get called at 2:00a.m. for a derailment caused by another idiotic, inner-city kid by my a manager (Superintendant in your case) and I do not get called period when I leave the office..LMAOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I am working M-F, do not get called by an ignorant caller who my 7 year old's IQ is higher than, etc. (Again, ON AND ON AND ON AND ON)...LMAO When it comes to CSX callers and management, lets face it, it doesn't take much!!!LMAOOOOOO By all means, I am not bragging (just to CSX LOW LIFE MANAGEMENT).. Good luck to you older guys. This is one (and an on-going) hell of a transition you must be going through from your earlier years. For you younger guys, get out while you can. Realize the schooling/$4800 was a waste and move on to another career. I am now working for the gov't and I am going to the aviation school of maintenance. I plan on being a mechanic in the aviation industry and having my engineering degree within two years (80 credits to go)....:0) Good luck and god bless..:0)

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 14 June 2009 http://jacksonville.com/news/2009-06-10/story/jacksonville_ceo_wins_statewide_lifetime_achievement_award feel free to post comments at the bottom of the article

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 13 June 2009 We're asking FRA to ban all one-person crews A petition for an emergency order prohibiting the use of one-person operating crews, including remote control operations, has been filed with the Federal Railroad Administration by the UTU and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. UTU International President Mike Futhey and BLET National President Ed Rodzwicz signed the petition for the emergency order. The request for the FRA emergency order applies to all train operations, including conventional and remote control yard switching operations. Although the UTU has collective bargaining agreements in force with most railroads requiring at least one conductor on each train start, there currently are no federal safety regulations prohibiting use of one-person crews in yard or road operations. One-person crew operations "have been nothing more than the industry's attempt to reduce operating costs to increase profits, at the expense of worker safety," says the UTU and BLET petition seeking the FRA emergency order. The FRA is told in the petition, "The evidence shows that no conditions exist where a lone engineer or remote control operations are safe." The need for such an emergency order, says the UTU and the BLET, is demonstrated by a May 10 accident on CSX in Selkirk, N.Y., which killed UTU-represented conductor Jerod Boehlke, who was working alone and using a remote control device. "The workload associated with [remote control operations], while performing other safety critical tasks, demands too much of a single individual, including loss of situational awareness," says the petition. There are numerous incidents of accidents, injuries and fatalities where railroads utilized one-person crews, and the injuries and deaths caused by remote and single-crew operations "have continued unabated since its inception in the early 1990s," says the petition. "This has been caused in part by the inaction of the FRA to a number of petitions filed both by the UTU and the BLET for emergency orders to prevent such operations. The petition says that while the FRA has reviewed the safety aspects of one-person crews, it "has really done nothing affirmatively to assure the safety of the employees in such operations." The UTU and the BLET also take "strong issue" with FRA conclusions that the safety records of remote control and conventional operations are "basically the same." Pointing to a 2006 FRA report entitled, "Safety of Remote Control Operations," the petition for the emergency order says, "We believe FRA cooked the books here. Most of FRA's erroneous figures resulted from the formulas used for calculating the statistics. For example, by using the number of hours worked instead of FRA's use of yard switching miles for determining the data, the accident rate was 2.3 times higher for RCOs." An emergency order prohibiting the use of one-person operating crews, including remote control operations, would take effect immediately upon issuance by the FRA. Click here to read the petition for the emergency order. June 12, 2009

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 13 June 2009 That's funny. I needed a good laugh this morning.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 12 June 2009 http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-06-11/

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 12 June 2009 I am using this post, as a example of the difference between a real Engineer and a poster, that says he is. This tells the true feeling's of a IMPOSTER. This boy never seen a switch, just has a opinion. I can assure you this is not RRJ. He is not this smart. Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 12 June 2009 CSX won't run into the ground. CSX proves that even with incompetent management a class 1 railroad can still be profitable. If they spent 10% of the energy they waste on needless bullschidt their profits would see a significant increase. Ward is happy with mediocre. He's happy with being the lowest paid railroad CEO which still isn't to shabby at $7 mil last year. He seems to be content that CSX has the lowest stock price of all class 1 railroads. They stress about fuel conservation and costs then stored all the good power while running all the junk that puffs out black smoke out of the stacks. Nothing will wake these people up to reality. We as employees are their scape goat. We are considered their enemy that is sabotaging their railroad. We are blamed for everything. Till someone finally smacks Ward with a two by four up his head to wake him up and get rid of those running transportation it's more of the same.

Name: robofuq E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 12 June 2009 Even though Csx's plans to close Frontier have been known for some time now, watching it happen sucks. The retarders are silent, the pulldowns are gone, the engine house closed, rosters in all crafts gutted. 50+ years of virtually non-stop operation. Sacrificed to bump quarterly/yearly returns by a couple pennies per share. RIP FNT

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 12 June 2009 CSX won't run into the ground. CSX proves that even with incompetent management a class 1 railroad can still be profitable. If they spent 10% of the energy they waste on needless bullschidt their profits would see a significant increase. Ward is happy with mediocre. He's happy with being the lowest paid railroad CEO which still isn't to shabby at $7 mil last year. He seems to be content that CSX has the lowest stock price of all class 1 railroads. They stress about fuel conservation and costs then stored all the good power while running all the junk that puffs out black smoke out of the stacks. Nothing will wake these people up to reality. We as employees are their scape goat. We are considered their enemy that is sabotaging their railroad. We are blamed for everything. Till someone finally smacks Ward with a two by four up his head to wake him up and get rid of those running transportation it's more of the same.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 12 June 2009 There will come a time when CSX runs into the ground and I hope that Mr Ward and Ingram are held legally accountable for there actions.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 12 June 2009 I agree the railroads are scrambling to get as much done as possible anticipating the July 16th deadline for the new HOS. Their already cutting more yard jobs which doesn't make sense seeing they've already been cut done to the bare minimum. Call it selfish but after 95% of my 32 years working the road with a few retirements this year I was banking on holding at least a 2nd trick yard job. Now the possibilty of even working a 3rd trick job has deminished. This year I've only been awarded a yard job twice (two weeks) on the bid system compared to last year I worked 8 1/2 months in the yard. If yesterday was a preview of the outcome of their decision it was chaotic. Trains were at a stand still nothing moved for 4 hours. Amtraks were delayed over trains piling up that couldn't be yarded because of these cut backs. The unions at the general commitee level are worthless there have been over 20 extra yard assignments used over the past 3-4 weeks. Under the agreement if a yard assignment is worked two consecutive days it must be established as a regular assignment which several of these extras have been worked over 5 days consecutively. CSX circumvents the agreements holding over regular assignments on to another time ticket. Which is profitable for those yard assignments that are making 2 1/2 days pay in 10-12 hours. While those on the extra board are being affected. In most cases the switchmen board is being held for remote jobs instead of conventional assignments. When you think it can't get any worse it does.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 11 June 2009 If you think traffic is picking up on the HU it is not because the economy is getting better it is #1 because of the jamboree getting ready to hit and #2 the railroad is trying to get ahead on the game for the new hours of service in July so if they are adding turns enjoy it while it last because they will run really slow with skeleton crews come july 1st through spring of 2010. If they can hold back now then they do well then it is slow in the fall anyway. If you are laid off expect to be there until may or june of 2010 anyway. I have four years as of today june 10th and i dont even have 1 7 months of employment on the railroad.

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 10 June 2009 Sam: tell them to email me if it bothers them that much

Name: Binheer2long E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 10 June 2009 Steve--I had not posted on this site since Clarence Gooden was outed for not being totally up front about his college resume. There was a jibberish contest between myself and another poster whose name I do not remember. I suggested that any of us union employees who would have been caught falsifying information on a resume or time ticket would expect to be fired and that there might be some ammo for use in investigations ect., that the Gooden case might set some precident for appeal or better yet, reversal of some already settled cases. I was enlightened as to the social structure of management as it compared to labor. Did you know that big dogs eat little dogs and dogs eat cats as cats eat mice--or something along that line. Anyway, the post was a flashback to the jibberish contest--absolutly no harm intended, just enjoying some of the rational posts of late. Does anyone really know what has become of Robert Pines?? He had some really good info, just a strange way of presenting it.

Name: sam E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 10 June 2009 mikewardisgay@gmail.com, Now see, that is just the kind of post that will get all the CSX management's panties in a knot. I can hear them now..... beating their fists bloody on the board room conference table. And it is not polite to say, 'FUCK U MIKE WARD', on a public forum like CSX SUCKS. That really gets em riled. Such a pity.

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 10 June 2009 anything i say here about management, id say to them personally, makes no difference.... and maybe if they had brains, this site wouldnt have been able to remain but: "In fact, it seems that by suing CSX-Sucks.com, CSX accomplished two things: They wasted a huge pile of money They established legal protections for CSX-Sucks.com that might not have existed otherwise" Like i say every day, CSX management is a bunch of idiots in suits and skirts. Fuck u Ward.

Name: Sam E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 10 June 2009 Tank, you should be carefull about bad mouthing CSX Management. Writing about "jackassville management" and "moron" will not win you any favors. I know, for a FACT, that CSX Management is VERY irate at us calling them bad and awful names on this site. They also dispise being talked about behind their backs - they are VERY SENSITIVE to being called dumb asses, shit heads, butt fuchers, morons, bubble brained idiots, incompetent, stupid, etc. etc. etc. CSX Management hates this site. They'd like to burn it down. Us talking about Mike Ward's teenage mistress and messy divorce just has them boiling. Also, they do not like us talking about worker injuries and deaths. CSX fervently believes that the RR never caused anyone to get cancer or asbestosis. Just ask them. Basically, critizing CSX management for their colossal incompetence makes them mad as HELL. They get so mad their ears shoot out steam and their bulging eyes turn as red as the Devil's Dick. Let all be nicey nice. We should have a "Trainmaster Day". When you see your TM, instead of saying he is a moronic whack job without the common sense god gave a goose, say something nice, like, "My, what a smart guy you are. (then drop your trousers, bend over and say, 'Sir, may I please have another, sir!" (this one is sure to get you in Employee of the Month status). These are just some of the more common nice comments you say to support your trainmaster, or your boss - whatever the case. Remember, don't talk about management behind their backs. CSX HATES negative gossip about them. They are very sensitive pumpkins and you'll hurt their butterfly wings & feelers if you talk them. Practice barking like a dog. Fetch a stick. Roll over. Play dead. Walk around like a three legged pooch with a limp. Anything that entertains and makes em happy. That's our purpose here on earth. How do I know this? Mike Ward told me so.

Name: Tank E-mail: Employed as: Car repair, for 20-30 years Posted: 10 June 2009 C&O Joe, Good lord man you got to be kidding....... fantastically high gas prices are precisely what precipitated and initiated the destruction of the world's economy, which collapse eventually put thousands of railroaders out of work. Follow the dominoes. High gas prices were the culprit for the beginning of the economic collapse. People had to choose between jobs - and the necessity of driving to work at $4.50 a gallon gas, or paying their mortgages. You gotta eat, so you gotta have a car to get to work. So, the bills wait. The credit card bills skyrocket, mortgages defaulted, credit default swaps went sour, banks collapsed, and here we are. The oil companies can stick their high gas prices up their collective asses. I will be buying a hybrid or electric - NOT a gas or diesel engine vehicles. CSX carloads have DECREASED 20 to 25% overall, and many commodity areas have 50% or higher carloading decreases. You can thank OPEC and the gas monopolies for that. Gas prices might have increased RR carloadings slightly - which is debatable given the phenomenal increase in highway truck traffic. The overall effect of higher gas prices has been devastating to CSX and the other roads. With gas prices over $4 last year, railroad car loadings plummeted because the economy (consumer spending) plummeted. Gas prices were at an all time high, but RR loadings begain to drop and then went into free fall, and a zillion guys got furloughed. That's what high gas prices did for us. The RR could pick up more Intermodal business - its there for the taking. CSX Intermodal is not taking advantage. Someone in jackassville Intermodal is sitting on their ass. But that is to be expected when Mikey Ward has been too busy screwing his secretary. Fuel efficient cars will take the place of gas engine cars and trucks. That doesn't mean the RR will loose business. It means the RR will have a different commodity mix, and they will pick up business in other areas that will offset the overall debilitating affect of sky high oil prices. Well, lunch break is over. Back to the torch.

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 10 June 2009 C&O Joe: Looks like things are picking up in Russell, noticed they have been adding a couple turns to the xb over the past couple days.

Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 09 June 2009 Hey Tank, Word to the obviously un-wise. The higher gas prices are, the more attractive rail shipping becomes. Even an old carman can understand that.

Name: Steve Gordon E-mail: sgordon@gordon-elias.com Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 09 June 2009 Dear Safety Strike- I agree with EVERYTHING you said. ------------------- Dear APE- I took the liberty of posting your most important post here: http://www.yardlimits.com/forums/ask-attorney-steve-gordon-gordon-elias-law-firm/13276-railroad-workers-united-june-19th.html#post123340 Our firm will be joining you all. ------------------- Dear Just one more law firm searching for business???? I would ask that you not generalize please. Steve

Name: E-mail: Employed as: CSX Customer, for N/A Posted: 09 June 2009 To: Mike Ward Is that new pussy worth it. Guess the old wife got lots of cash and stuff. What will you give your new slice? Keep us informed and bring her along to outings. Guess you need too keep up a image for your Hero Tony

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 09 June 2009 Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 06 June 2009 Thes CEOs do not have degrees and some of them just did not finish college or go to the big fancy school. You do research you will find there companys are running great. Maby this is what the rest of america needs to catch on to. The great fact that you not onley need the education to run a company, but you need to be able to step into the shoes of the old blue coller worker.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Ok get er going, first thing is go get some money, guess you have some. Now go set that money where it can make money. I know you already have done that. Sit back rest and collect. Enjoy life rest from all of your work. Or buy a lottery ticket and hit the big time. I think the lottery ticket is the easiest, Keep on doing that, it is going to hit, just need to get the numbers right. By the way pull up those awful nasty jail pants.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 09 June 2009 Might need a little screening on this site... Question number one- How many points on a switch. Pick the best answer. 1 ( ) 2 ( ) 3 ( ) 4 ( )

Name: Tank E-mail: Employed as: Car repair, for 20-30 years Posted: 09 June 2009 Dear Mr. Ward, You can stick those gas guzzling cars up your ass along with all those empty car carriers. I'm buying hybrid, or electric. Duh. (and, your competitors TRUCK them over the road. Duh, anybody home?). Oil companies can stick their gas and their prices up their asses. The middle East can stick their monopolistic oil prices up their asses, too. P.S. Mikey, if you had half a brain, you would be figgering out a way to get truck traffic off the highways and onto the rails, instead of spending time picking your ass and banging your secretary. Have a safe and productive day, moron.

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 09 June 2009 This Week's Message Hello, this is Michael Ward. With the bankruptcies of Chrysler and General Motors dominating so much of the news lately, I know many of you wonder what it all means for CSX. Especially with our automotive volumes down so sharply and so many multi-level racks sidelined. Year-to-date, our automotive carloads are down about 49 percent from a year ago. It remains to be seen how these bankruptcies will play out. We know the automobile business will suffer in the near term. Both Chrysler and GM have shut a number of plants, which also has a big impact on the vendors in their supply chains. As new vehicles begin to roll off the assembly line, they will offer consumers better gas mileage. Congress is talking about enacting a "cash for clunkers" program that would provide car buyers with a financial incentive to trade in their current vehicles for new ones. Such a program could generate as much as one million incremental sales of cars and light trucks. I understand how some may be pessimistic over the prospects for our automotive business. But there are hopeful signs on the horizon. Volkswagen has begun construction of its $1 billion assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where it will produce a mid-size sedan. The facility is jointly served by CSX and NS through the Hamilton County Railway Authority short line. KIA has begun training workers at its new assembly center in West Point, Georgia, where it will begin production of a new sport utility vehicle. CSX is the only railroad to serve this plant. As the economy begins to recover, buyers will start returning to auto showrooms and the current inventory on the car lots will have to be replaced. I believe that CSX can once again play a key role in moving cars from assembly plants to towns across America. Thanks for listening, have a safe, productive day and I'll talk to you again next week.

Name: Steve Gordon E-mail: sgordon@gordon-elias.com Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 08 June 2009 Dear Been Here too Long- What did you say? Steve

Name: Binheer2long E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 08 June 2009 Steve--If you are not on a retainer or are somehow otherwise rescued from representing labour employees, you should contact the CSX Legal Department for your bailout money. I will be quick to question your legaleeze prater and your real motive for posting heer2long. I used to post heer but was not able to relate to the Boolian Algebra in using truth tables define computer charachatures.

Name: Steve Gordon E-mail: sgordon@gordon-elias.com Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 08 June 2009 Dear All- Thank you for the honest responses. I will tell you that we work VERY hard and since there are only two lawyers in our "boutique" law firm you've always got a named partner on your case (LOL!). Seriously, I was hoping to get the responses I received. I think the concept of unions, on paper, are a necessary thing. Lord knows the company has your back alright...to stick a knife in it. So, Unions are a necessary evil...sort of like lawyers! I must say whatever tune we had to sing to get designated was the wrong one we chose. I swear I thought that (1) getting excellent results; (2) making sure the railroader was only treated by Board Certified physicians; (3) advancing money interest free [where ethically permitted to do so so the client could pay their bills]; (4) giving the client the lawyer's cell phone in case they NEED to talk to their lawyer; (5) never settling more than one case ata time instead of "group case settlements" and (6) busting the railroad's ass with a 'take-no-prisoner' mentality and approach would have been enough to get our name in the hat. BUT I WAS WRONG! So...here we are...not able to just call someone up when they are hurt but having to wait till they call us. Please do not get me wrong, we have good business. But I just needed to know that we had a fighting chance in the minds' of railroaders without the designation. Thanks again!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 08 June 2009 almost ten years and a almost ten years with an average of $4000 in unpaid claims per year. i can see cmc and both unions in the flames of hell . are there any other charities i can give my dues to. i need a list of unions other than the utu blet. spineless blood suckers. they are worse than the company.the company will tell you they are going to screw you. the union says we can help and then stab you in the heart. from behind of course. 44

Name: Ed E-mail: edward.oliver@gmail.com Employed as: Friend or family of employee, for 1-10 years Posted: 08 June 2009 Union Pacific is the same way. Make a profit above all else.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 08 June 2009 Mr. Gordon asks this question..."If you were hurt, would you consider hiring a "non-union designated" FELA law firm? If not, why not and if so, why so? Loco 30+ stated under Safety First..."I used a union designated FELA law firm it took over 2 years to settle an I definitely wasn't satisfied with the results". Additionally he stated..."The injury in 2000 I went with settling with the railroad on my own and was very satisfied with the results". It is in the carriers, and in my opinion the employees, best interest to avoid litigation if possible. However, should that become impossible it becomes necessary to retain legal help. Now, with the above in mind and with my twisted logic; consider this...we all know the carriers and the unions are in bed with each other. A "union designated" FELA law firm is, by definition, in bed with the union and therefore a de facto representative of the carriers. Loco 30+ said he was unhappy with the settlement the "union designated" law firm got and did better handling his second claim himself. The carriers like to manipulate every aspect of their business...what better way to do that than have your union direct you toward a "union designated" law firm; while the carriers fight to abolish, or at least weaken, the current FELA statues. You say professional ethics will keep that from happening...I say bull shit, CSX has no ethics and didn't Byron Boyd and his predecessor both get jail time for accepting "gratuities". So to answer your question Mr. Gordon, if legal assistance became necessary, I would try to avoid a "union designated" lawyer!

Name: Steve Gordon E-mail: sgordon@gordon-elias.com Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 07 June 2009 Dear All- I have a question and since this is about as anonymous a place to post as one can get in the railroad industry, I thought I would ask here so here goes. As you probably are aware, our firm http//www.gordon-elias.com is not Union Designated. That is, we do FELA work but we were unable to do whatever the heck was necessary to get anointed by a Union Designation from the "higher-ups". You can see and hear my explanation at http://www.gordon-elias.com/CM/Custom/Unions.asp as to what happened. Here is my question: If you were hurt, would you consider hiring a "non-union designated" FELA law firm? If not, why not and if so, why so? The courtesy of a straight answer would be GREATLY appreciated and thank you. Steve Gordon

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 07 June 2009 Ward didn't mention anything about the deterioration of CSX employees mental health. Which isn't good.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 06 June 2009 Thes CEOs do not have degrees and some of them just did not finish college or go to the big fancy school. You do research you will find there companys are running great. Maby this is what the rest of america needs to catch on to. The great fact that you not onley need the education to run a company, but you need to be able to step into the shoes of the old blue coller worker. CEOs Without College Degrees by Rebecca Reisner Monday, June 1, 2009 provided by The thousands of wait-listed would-be MBAs who may not get the chance to go to their dream B-school might want to draw inspiration from the following group of CEOs. Not only did they not get graduate degrees, they didn't get undergraduate degrees -- and some never even attended college. Of course, not having a degree didn't stop them from being a big name on campus. You'll find Alfred Taubman's name at Brown, Harvard, the University of Michigan, and Lawrence Technological University; at least one building on each campus bears his name, although the retail magnate and philanthropist never finished college. Read on to learn who else made it into corporate top spots without the benefit of a bachelor's degree. More from BusinessWeek.com: • The Richest Man (or Woman) in Town • America's Most Promising Startups • The Best U.S. Business Schools 1. Dennis Albaugh Chairman, Albaugh Type of Business: Pesticides Education: Associate's degree from Des Moines Area Community College Fun fact: He has a collection of more than 100 classic Chevrolets 2. Paul Allen Founder and chairman, Vulcan Type of Business: Media, telecommunications Education: Dropped out of Washington State College after two years Fun fact: He persuaded Bill Gates to drop out of Harvard. They later founded Microsoft (MSFT) together. More from Yahoo! Finance: • The Surprising Truth About Who's Most at Risk for Layoffs • Government Jobs You Should Apply For • To Land Work, Dumb Down Your Resume... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit the Career & Work Center 3. Richard Branson CEO, Virgin Group Type of Business: Travel, radio, TV, music, venture capital Education: No college degree Fun fact: He became an entrepreneur at age 16 with the creation of Student magazine. 4. Maverick Carter CEO, LRMR Innovative Marketing & Branding Type of Business: Marketing Education: 3.5 years of college at Western Michigan University and University of Akron combined Quote: "Don't be afraid if you see an opportunity to go and give it shot. You can finish school later; it's always there." 5. John Paul DeJoria CEO, John Paul Mitchell Systems Type of Business: Hair-care products Education: No college Fun fact: He started out selling greeting cards at age 9. 6. Michael Dell Founder, chairman, and CEO Dell (DELL) Type of Business: Computers Education: Attended University of Texas, Austin; did not finish. Quote: "When I started our company, it was very much an idea outside of the conventional wisdom, and if there were people telling me that it wasn't going to work, I wasn't really listening to them." 7. Felix Dennis Founder and chairman, Alpha Media Group, formerly Dennis Publishing Type of Business: Publishing (Maxim, The Week) Education: No college degree Fun fact: He wrote a biography and published a magazine about Bruce Lee; sales surged when the martial arts star died suddenly in 1973. 8. Barry Diller Chairman and CEO of IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI) Type of Business: Media Education: Dropped out of UCLA after three weeks Fun fact: He started his career working in the mail room of the William Morris Agency

Name: Ape from the Zoo E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 06 June 2009 "He said one gallon of gasoline can fuel the movement of one ton of freight for 436 miles." I maybe an Ape 1-10 years but when was the last time Locos ran on Gasoline? It takes one doughnut, a cup off coffee and a smoke to fuel this Ape's morning movement. How's that for efficiency?

Name: Ape from the Zoo E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 06 June 2009 CEO Michael Ward: CSX will be ready when economy recoversTampa Bay Business Journal - Jacksonville Business Journal CSX Corp. CEO and Chairman Michael Ward said the current economic challenges will make the business community stronger. With experts predicting that the country’s demand for rail service will increase by 90 percent within 15 years, CSX will be ready since it continues to invest in its infrastructure. Although the industry historically cuts back on infrastructure spending in hard times, CSX plans to spend about $1.6 billion this year, Ward told luncheon attendees Friday. “We [were] really doing stimulus before stimulus was cool,” said Ward, who has headed CSX (NYSE: CSX) since 2003. The company also is promoting itself as good for the environment and essential to the movement of goods throughout the country. He said one gallon of gasoline can fuel the movement of one ton of freight for 436 miles. He said the company’s run of four years of record profits ended in the first quarter and was a result of decreased demand. The company has since furloughed about 2,800 of its 34,000 employees. About 380 of the employees worked in Jacksonville, where the company is based. CSX contributes about $300 million to Jacksonville’s annual payroll and spends $200 million for services, Ward said. He said the company has 21,000 miles of track in 23 states and operates 1,200 trains daily. It serves and has offices in Tampa.

Name: old rr guy E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 05 June 2009 Haa.I gotta say. I do not beleive that most of the posters on here actually work for the railroad. On second thought some of the whining does sound vaguely familiar. Example#1: "I can't believe they laid me off after only four months." C'Mon this guy can't be serious. I was laid off more than I worked the first three years I was employed by Conrail. Then, as now there was a huge recession on . No cars were being bought,steel mills were closing up thus no steel was being made, etc, etc.Thousands of cars and engines stored.Thousands laid off. Its a freight railroad. If the freight is down , theres no work. It is not a mystery or someome playing a game with your life. No one put a gun to your head to sign up. Get used to the lousy hours, and sporadic work, you will be living it with no seniority.Otherwise, hang it up and do something else.They are not going to treat you like anything other than an hourly employee. You will not like some of the people you work with. Sorry to rain on your parade. Its a business , not a jobs program.Feel bad for the guys in Buffalo where I started. I am surprised they didn't close down most of the Frontier operation a lot sooner, after the 99 split with NS

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 05 June 2009 If the RR's maintain their limited antitrust exemption the status quo continues and nothing will change. The captive shippers have been getting gouged for years and have had enough...they brought this to a head. Whether the RR's have to cut their rates or the shippers find alternative shipping, or they reach a comprise or nothing changes: what makes the RR's stop furloughing? I believe I would write, email or telephone my Congressmen and Senators and tell them you support the Legislation. As long as the RR's have this get-out-of-jail free card nothing will ever change...status quo remains intact. If the RR's lose their antitrust exemption, everything will change...the status quo is gone. I'll call it the ripple effect...ever thrown a rock in the middle of a pond? What happens? You have a splash and small tight ripples, as the ripples move farther away from the impact they grow larger and farther apart until they reach the shore as waves. The bigger the pond, the bigger the waves. The Class 1's and the unions are a big pond...their boat would certainly get rocked if not outright swamped!

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 05 June 2009 Well I read an article about NS threatening more furloughs if the antitrust thing is pushed through. So i am guessing that is why the union is trying to side with the carriers on this. But dont they understand the carrier is going to continue furloughing anyway? So why the hell should i waste my time writing letters to congressman to persuade them to vote NO on this bill? This is the type of shit that makes union members not want to pay dues, cause if it were up to me, carriers would be in this fight on their own...,.,

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 05 June 2009 Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 04 June 2009 You've heard the expression "sleeping with the enemy"...now you've seen it. The worst sex I've ever had was still delightful! The unions need the carriers to stay in business and the carriers need the unions to stay in business...the status quo. Too many high paying jobs on both sides depend on the status quo!xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Just a power struggle, it has been that way for many years, neither side recognizes the value of the other. One side gives an inch and the other side takes 2 inches. Respect is the only way out, and it must come from both sides. This comes down to people skills that both sides are lacking. Union fighting the fat cats, company fighting screwed up claims and local folks with a poor attitude. The unions are not doing a thing to get both sides together, why?? DUH they do not work, they just live off the sweat of the members. How do they keep them paying? Promises! Folks ya got to go a little deeper!

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 04 June 2009 You've heard the expression "sleeping with the enemy"...now you've seen it. The worst sex I've ever had was still delightful! The unions need the carriers to stay in business and the carriers need the unions to stay in business...the status quo. Too many high paying jobs on both sides depend on the status quo!

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 04 June 2009 NoMo: that was the question i was trying to get around to, why is the union asking people to call their senators and try to get a no vote on this antitrust.... why do the unions always jump on side with the carrier, knowing in the end CSX is going to give them the shaft?

Name: Steve Gordon E-mail: sgordon@gordon-elias.com Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 04 June 2009 Dear Sam, Z, Safety Strike and All Others That Are Interested- I apologize for not responding sooner. I posted the Press Release and just checked back just now [0018HRS---06/04/09]. Anyway, I would like to point out that it was not our firm that handled any part of this case. I think that the underlying firm did an admirable job to get a $5 million dollar JURY award. I have only had one in my professional career and I can tell you they are very hard to get no matter what the damages. So, in that sense, they are to be commended. I was not at the trial and I am only speaking from conjecture. However, having said that, I would like to point out some basic trial "truths" that go through a trial lawyer's wacked out brain. It is hard enough to get a verdict that is sizeable, you kind of want to do everything you can at the trial level to hold on to it when it is appealed. The general consensus on the modus operandi of the railroads are that, anytime you get a sizeable verdict, they will appeal. Hence, protecting your trial record is an all important process ever-present in the back of a trial lawyer's brain during the entire process including, but certainly not limited to, (1)juror selection, (2)medical causation issues [usually dealing with the famous Daubert case, and its progeny, at the federal level], (3)the sufficiency of evidence to support the individual elements of damages, (4)the sufficiency of liability evidence and, (5)as in the CSX v. Hensley case, the wording of the charge. Obviously, CSX prepared the "genuine and serious" instruction and the Plaintiff's counsel argued against it. Sometimes, just to protect your verdict, you will actually let the defendant's proposed instruction go to the jury. This is when you truly believe you've got the jury and there is almost no instruction that will persuade them not to go with you. This is only a call that the trial lawyer can make. The general rule is to try to submit a "plaintiff's favorable" charge and the defense submits their "defendant's favorable" charge and the Court makes up its mind after hearing argument of counsel [and maybe, if you're lucky, actually reading the law]. The CSX lawyers read Ayers as "requiring" the extra instruction, I could easily see how the Plaintiff's lawyer could have been worried that its inclusion could have been an obstacle for the jury to award big damages. It was a call he/she made and they won...at least till it got to the Supreme Court level. From reading the CSX v. Hensley case, Hensley had asbestosis from a long term exposure from working on the railroad. A reading of the Ayers opinion reveals: “Norfolk presented the question whether a plaintiff who has asbestosis but not cancer can recover damages for fear of cancer under the FELA with-out proof of physical manifestations of the claimed emotional distress. Our answer is yes, with an important reservation. We affirm only the qualification of an asbestosis sufferer to seek compensation for fear of cancer as an element of his asbestosis-related pain and suffering damages. It is incumbent upon such a complainant, however, to prove that his alleged fear is genuine and serious.” Norfolk v. Ayers, at 157, 123 S.Ct. 1210 After reading the above, if you had been Hensley's counsel, would you have vehemently argued for its exclusion? How about if you knew that, if it was excluded, that you would risk a reversal on appeal....would you still argue for its exclusion? .......Tough call isn't it? I can not fault the trial lawyer in this decision. I do have one issue that I would like to raise. There are many articles on the following point and they go either way. There is, I believe, a consensus of opinion of good trial lawyers that your 'bigger' awards are usually found with a general damage submission rather than specific damage questions. I will be more specific so you will understand. In some instances you can submit to the jury damage questions like this: "'What sum of money, if paid now in cash, do you award for medical expenses, loss of wages, loss of earning capacity, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical impairment, physical disfigurement' Answer in Dollars & Cents $__________" OR, one could submit it this way: "'What sum of money, if paid now in cash, do you award for medical expenses $_________, loss of wages and/or loss of earning capacity $_____________, physical pain and suffering $__________, mental anguish $___________, physical impairment $__________, physical disfigurement $________' Answer in Dollars & Cents." The latter way permits the trial court, or the appellate court, to take away one element with out disturbing the remainder of the award. The Hensley case was a general/broad submission and, therefore, there was no way for the Supreme Court to determine what part of the $5 million was attributed to the "fear of cancer" award. Once, the Supreme Court determined the CSX proffered instruction should have been given, the ENTIRE case had to be reversed and remanded. This could have been different. Once again, the general belief among trial lawyers that are worth a damn is that bigger awards are found in the one damge line approach BUT......when CSX was denied an instruction that arguably should have been given, don't you think the trial lawyer might have "re-visited" the one line submission before it went to the jury? Well, I do not know if any of the above helps understand this case a little better. I think it was Sam that said something like "Whats the bottom line?" Here it is: A FELA claimant that seeks 'fear of cancer' monetary damages needs to put on evidence that his/her fear is 'genuine and serious' AND submit an 'instruction' worded as such. I do not believe you have to have psychological/psychiatric testimony but I know, if I had a client where this was an issue, I would damn sure make sure the client visited with a a psyche doctor so they could testify how genuine and serious the fear is. Ya'll take care out there and be safe. Steve http://www.gordon-elias.com ps-the Hensley opinion can be downloaded at: http://www.yardlimits.com/forums/legal-news-announcements/12920-csx-v-thursten-hensley-signiificant-u-s-sup-ct-court-fela-decision.html

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 04 June 2009 And why would the unions oppose this: http://www.ble.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=4822 It's called the status quo. If the RR's lose their limited antitrust status it could upset the unions applecart and a lot of overpaid pompous asses lose their jobs!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 30+ years Posted: 04 June 2009 Locomotive Engineer 10 - 20 years: The same guys who lament the Conrail takeover and talk about what a great company Conrail was are the same Conrail guys I knew 15 years ago who would have been posting on Conrail - Sucks if it had been available.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 04 June 2009 la·ment (l-mnt) v. la·ment·ed, la·ment·ing, la·ments v.tr. 1. To express grief for or about; mourn: lament a death. 2. To regret deeply; deplore: He lamented his thoughtless acts. v.intr. 1. To grieve audibly; wail. 2. To express sorrow or regret. See Synonyms at grieve. n. 1. A feeling or an expression of grief; a lamentation. 2. A song or poem expressing deep grief or mourning. --------------------------------------------------------- Two days late and several thousand dollars short, but I wanted to lament the tenth anniversary of the death of Conrail. In the Conrail days, while labor and management did not always see eye-to-eye, they still treated labor fairly and decently. The company still made money, and most of us actually liked coming to work. R.I.P. Conrail. June 1st, 1999. Day one. Split date. Dismantled by CSX and the NS. Condolences also go out to the employees and retirees of all the other fallen flags who worked or are now stuck working under the current CSX regime such as: Seaboard Air Line, Atlantic Coast Line, L&N, B&O, C&O, Western Maryland, P&LE, RF&P, Georgia, Clinchfield, Monon, and any others I may have forgotten. Hey, we're all in this together.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 04 June 2009 Heads up new employees!!! Unless you have at least 7-10 years of service, time to dust off the old resumes... CSX plans to continue running on skeleton crews thru the July hours of service law change, and if they can still move their trains... yup, you guessed it... MORE FURLOUGHS!!! Get out now while you can... How the hell do you know have you been sucking on the trainmasters titty again

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 04 June 2009 http://www.ble.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=4822 this antitrust issue.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 03 June 2009 I like it. Bog this website down with cut and pasting. Maybe the poster is tired of the BS of certian people who like C&P critizing every person's point of view. Keep up the good work.

Name: Ape from the ZOO E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 03 June 2009 May I ask what antitrust issue?

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 03 June 2009 I just want to know other peoples opinions on the antitrust issue going on right now. Is it good or bad in your opinion?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 03 June 2009 Get the point yet.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 03 June 2009 (Norfolk Southern issued the following on June 1, 2009.) NORFOLK, Va. — On the 10th anniversary of Norfolk Southern Corporation's acquisition of nearly 60 percent of Conrail, CEO Wick Moorman today thanked customers, suppliers, stockholders, communities, and employees for their hard work and support. "On Day One -- June 1, 1999 -- we set out to build the best freight transportation system in the world," Moorman said. "We have made steady progress toward that goal, and together we have enjoyed a decade of growth and financial success. All of us at Norfolk Southern are grateful to everyone who has played a part in this success, and we look forward to what the next decade brings." Since Day One, when Norfolk Southern added 7,200 miles of Conrail routes and 10,000 former Conrail employees to its system, the railroad has moved 3.5 trillion gross ton-miles of freight. A single train of every carload NS hauled in the last decade could stretch to the moon and back twice -- and then some. In order to meet increased demand and better serve customers, NS over that period has invested nearly $10 billion in capital expenditures to improve track, equipment, facilities, and technology. In new rail alone, NS installed the equivalent of a brand new transcontinental railroad. NS' industrial development activities since Day One resulted in the location or expansion of 1,115 industries along the railroad's lines, representing customer investments of $23.6 billion and creating nearly 55,000 customer jobs in the territory served by the railroad. The Conrail transaction returned competitive rail service to the Northeast for the first time in 20 years. NS sharpened its focus on customer service markedly following the transaction -- especially through its Thoroughbred Operating Plan -- and today is the industry's service benchmark. Most important, it all has been done safely. NS employees have earned the E.H. Harriman Memorial Gold Medal as the safest railroad workers in the U.S. for each of the last 20 years. "The numbers tell an impressive story, but as satisfying as it is to see how far we've come, it's more exciting to look ahead," Moorman said. "Our progress has given us the strength to weather the current economic storm. This recession will pass, and the long-term future for rail as the safe, clean, and fuel-efficient transportation alternative has never been brighter. NS is ready to take advantage of the opportunities that a recovering economy will bring. Ten years from now, along with our partners, we will look back again with amazement at how far we've come together." Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is a leading North American transportation provider. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 21,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal and industrial products. Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 03 June 2009 Railroad accidents have terrible consequences, safety advocates say (The following story by Nicole Printz appeared on the Abilene Recorder Chronicle website on June 2, 2009. T.A. LaCombe is a member of BLET Division 261 in Herington, Kan.) ABILENE, Texas — When people think of train collisions, they generally think of train crossings. Thomas LaCombe, Union Pacific train engineer and a presenter for Operation Lifesaver, is raising awareness about trespassing incidents. Operation Lifesaver had a car crushed in a train collision and displays at Flour Power Family Fun Fest this past weekend. LaCombe stressed the importance of railroad safety in Abilene. “There are two major railroad companies that run though Abilene,” he said. The multiple tracks through Abilene increase the risk for train collisions, either at crossings or trespassing incidents. “Railroads are private property,” he said. “Almost everyone crosses railways at some point. There were 2,000 people killed on the rail right of ways last year.” In Kansas last year nine people were injured and four people killed on railroad property, according to the Federal Railroad Association. LaCombe explained that many people do not think that fishing on a railroad bridge or walking on tracks is trespassing. The only legal place to cross a railroad track is at designated public crossings. Children are often fascinated with trains and will cross underneath stopped trains. LaCombe was starting a train and noticed movement in the rearview mirrors. There were three children playing underneath the cars. If he hadn’t noticed them, the children probably would have been severely injured or killed. “Don’t set things on the track. A railroad spike set on the track can derail a train,” LaCombe said. “If the train is carrying federal property and is derailed it becomes a federal incident.” Coins placed on the tracks can be flung with great speed when run over, potentially injuring someone. Drivers make poor decisions that lead to accidents as well. “The railroads have their own police,” he explained. “If I see someone go around the gates I am required to report that.” Going around crossing gates is illegal, and you can be ticketed even if the gates have been down for several days. If gates are down for no apparent reason, look on the crossbuck or near the crossing for the toll free number posted near every crossing. Trains can crush cars as easily as a car can crush a pop can. “If your car dies on the tracks, walk toward the direction the train is coming from.” LaCombe said. “If you walk the other way, the train could knock your car into you.” “There are no accidents with trains,” executive director Darlene Osterhaus said. “The train doesn’t come off the tracks and hunt you down.” LaCombe is available for free presentations for children and adults interested in learning more about train safety. Visit www.oli.org or call 1-800-537-6224 to schedule a presentation. Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 03 June 2009 Heads up new employees!!! Unless you have at least 7-10 years of service, time to dust off the old resumes... CSX plans to continue running on skeleton crews thru the July hours of service law change, and if they can still move their trains... yup, you guessed it... MORE FURLOUGHS!!! Get out now while you can...

Name: Sam E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 20-30 years Posted: 03 June 2009 Mr. Gordon, could you please respond to Safety STike's request about providing more info on the Hensley case? Name: SAFETY STRIKE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 30+ years Posted: 03 June 2009 Nice WSJ article, Z, but we need to hear MUCH more in the way of specifics from the law firm that handled the case. We need to know more of the facts of Mr. Hensley's case. He had brain cancer (?) and lung cancer (asbestosis) from exposure to toxic chemicals....what chemicals? How much exposure? What was the causative connection? . He had cancer(?), or he had symptoms of it (?), or he had a fear of the symptoms (?), or he had a fear of pending death from cancer, or.....something else was pleaded? It makes a difference. It is odd that the Court would not consider that Hensley had no fear of cancer (or a fear of dying for that matter) if he had no present ongoing stage one cancer. The Ayers standard for fear of cancer was 'proof of their apprehension of developing lung cancer in the future', which indicated that one did not need to actually have cancer, but had symptoms that could lead to cancer (plural plaques, cysts, high white cell blood count) but not actual cancer itself. Is the court saying something different? Is there now a higher standard based on something else? If so, what is that something else? What is the legal standard now for fear of cancer under FELA? Higher than merely apprehension, or apprehensions with associated predictive medical conditions. What is the standard now for 'genuine and serious'?. How high is the standard?. What would be threshhold examples? Is there a balancing test? What did Ayers say that the Court relied upon - or did not rely upon? Fear of cancer is fairly common in asbestos cases, and the standard is not "high".....seems like the FELA plaintiffs lawyers may have left the door open for a company friendly conservative court to come in and restate the rule of law. Why is FELA different from any other non-FELA fear of cancer case where brain cancer and asbestos related cancer are at issue? CSX argued that the instructions given to the jury were too friendly to Mr. Hensley - the jurors were ot instructed that Hensley needed to demonstrate that his fear of cancer was genuine and serious. How so? Is it simply a matter of issuing a jury instruction, or does plaintiff have to add additional facts to prove his case? "Although plaintiffs can seek fear-of-cancer damages in some...cases, they must satisfy a high standard in order to obtain them,". Ok, great. Ok, so again, what exactly meets the Court's definition of a "high standard" when seeking fear of cancer damages. Did Hensley win on other aspects of his case? What were they? Did he prove that his cancers (?) were caused to his exposure to toxic chemicals and to asbestos? Anything else this law firm can SPECIFICALLY tell us about the case would be EXTREMELY beneficial to every single railraod worker employed by CSX as well as the other carriers. We may be railroard workers, but we read these cases, and we like to know exactly what is going on. Thanks.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 03 June 2009 Can you say Paid $$$$$ Them justices got some money under the bench.

Name: z E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for Less than 1 year Posted: 03 June 2009 Court rules for CSX in worker-injury case WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court Monday (June 1) threw out a $5 million jury verdict awarded to a former CSX Corp. railroad worker who alleged that he had been negligently exposed to toxic chemicals and asbestos on the job, which caused him to develop brain injuries and asbestosis, a lung disease. Among other things, Tennessee railroad worker Thurston Hensley sought monetary damages for a fear of developing cancer in the future, The Wall Street Journal reported. CSX argued that the instructions given to the jury were too friendly to Mr. Hensley. The company wanted jurors to be instructed that Mr. Hensley needed to demonstrate that his fear of cancer was genuine and serious. The Supreme Court, in an unsigned opinion, ruled 7-2 that it was a "clear error" for the trial judge not to give the jury instructions CSX requested. "Although plaintiffs can seek fear-of-cancer damages in some...cases, they must satisfy a high standard in order to obtain them," the court's majority said. In dissent, Justice John Paul Stevens said, "As a practical matter, it is hard to believe the jury would have awarded any damages for Hensley's fear of cancer if it did not believe that fear to be genuine and serious." The Supreme Court decided the case without requesting a full legal briefing or hearing oral arguments, a sign that a majority of the justices believed the lower-court ruling was clearly wrong. The high court sent the case back for new court proceedings. CSX didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. (The preceding article by Brent Kendall was published June 1, 2009, by The Wall Street Journal.)

Name: Sam E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 02 June 2009 Mr. Gordon, The Supreme Court opinion is most interesting, but could you possibly put it into the context of the King's English so that the majority of non-lawyers on this site can understand what the case means to them? Is the ruling applicable to asbestos disease cases only, or also to toxic chemicals, fumes, and exhaust as well. Is it just lung cancer, or does the fear of cancer extend to all types of cancer. Does a worker have to prove that he or she has stage one carcinoma, or is it enough to simply know that you have had exposure to a target group of carcinogenic causing chemicals to be at risk of cancer, thus have a "genuine and serious" fear of cancer? Much appreciated.

Name: Steve Gordon E-mail: sgordon@gordon-elias.com Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 02 June 2009 ***PRESS RELEASE*** Significant Decision Affecting Rights of Injured FELA Workers On Monday, June 1st, the United States Supreme Court decided a case styled CSX Transportation, Inc. v Thurston Hensley 2009 WL 1506680 (U.S. June 1, 2009)). This case demonstrated the conservativeness of the Supreme Court, and their determination to exclude injured workers from recovering. The Supreme Court relied heavily upon a previously decided case, i.e., Norfolk & Western R. Co. v Ayers (538 U.S. 135). Ayers held that a plaintiff may recover for fear of cancer if he proves his fear is ‘genuine and serious’. Once the plaintiff has provided proof of their apprehension of developing lung cancer in the future, the law will provide compensation for those damages. At issue in the Hensley case was whether it was proper for the trial court to deny CSX its requested juror instructions. CSX requested the following instruction to be part of the charge: Charge One stated the basic requirements to obtain damages under Ayers. Plaintiff is also alleging that he suffers from a compensable fear of cancer. In order to recover, Plaintiff must demonstrate that the fear is genuine and serious.” Hensley first sued CSX in Tennessee state court. At the close of the trial, CSX requested an instruction that Hensley needed to have shown his fear of getting cancer was genuine and serious. The trial court refused to allow the instruction. The Tennessee Court of Appeals affirmed, stating that they saw no purpose in instructing the jurors. If the jurors did not believe the plaintiff was genuine and serious in his fears, then little to no damages would be awarded to him. The Hensley court held the ruling of the Tennessee Court of Appeals and the refusal of the trial court to give the juror instructions were clear error. In Ayers, the Court expressly recognized that several “verdict control devices” were available to the trial court when a FELA plaintiff sought fear-of-cancer damages. One of the verdict control devices included that on a defendant's request, each plaintiff must prove any alleged fear to be genuine and serious. In Hensley, the trial court erred when it refused CSX’s request for a juror instruction on the genuine-and-serious standard of Hensley’s fear of cancer claim. The Hensley Court held that instructing the jury on fear of cancer damages would have been worthwhile. Given the fact that the cancer claim could have the potential to “evoke raw emotions” among the jurors made the need for a juror instruction on the legal standard even more vital. The Hensley Court somehow felt the need to bring up the numerous asbestos cases pending as a way of justifying the estimation of damages for plaintiffs. Their choice to bring up the cases was irrelevant and unnecessary. An interesting aspect to this case is found in the dissent. Justice Stevens, who had voted to affirm the Supreme Court decision in Ayers, displayed his contempt for the decision in this case. He stated that the new ruling authorized a fresh review of the jury’s damages award. Yet, as a matter of practicality, he noted that the jury would only award the amount of damages they felt was necessary. Justice Stevens further pointed out that CSX did not attack the $5 million dollar award as excessive. In that light, he further demonstrated that CSX did not request the trial court to ask the jury to award damages for each element of recovery. Had CSX done this, and the trial court had complied, then CSX’s challenge would only have gone to the amount awarded to the ‘fear of cancer’ amount and the entire verdict would not have had to have been thrown out. The Hensley Court’s decision to reverse and remand the case rests on the language in footnote 19 of the Ayers opinion. The footnote states: “In their prediction that adhering to the line drawn in Gottshall and Metro-North will, in this setting, bankrupt defendants, the dissents largely disregard, inter alia, the verdict control devices available to the trial court. These include, on a defendant's request, a charge that each plaintiff must prove any alleged fear to be genuine and serious, review of the evidence on damages for sufficiency, and particularized verdict forms.” Id., at 159, n. 19 The Hensley Court broadly interpreted the footnote, finding that anytime a defendant demanded an instruction, it must be given when involving fear of cancer. In contrast, Justice Stevens held that on the footnote’s face it merely points out that a defendant has the right to request a genuine-and-serious instruction, and if requested, the instruction is available to the trial court. It does not suggest that all instructions should be granted. The Hensley majority opinion deviated from Ayers stare decisis. The Court’s opinion, more than anything, will generate confusion regarding the Ayers case. The Ayers case had already suffered multiple interpretations by the courts. Given the opportunity to provide clarity to the holding of Ayers, the Hensley Court failed to meet this objective. In their rush to reverse the Tennessee Court of Appeals, they failed to correctly interpret Ayers and eliminate the confusion that plagued many courts. The Hensley opinion leaves the reader wondering why the Supreme Court failed to recognize the rights of workers who labor across America. This conservative approach greatly diminishes a worker’s ability to recover damages. ### Gordon & Elias, L.L.P., represents clients in all aspects of personal injury and wrongful death. They are a boutique law firm with a nationwide practice focusing on FELA (http://www.gordon-elias.com), Jones Act-Admiralty-Maritime Law (http://www.offshoreinjuries.com) and the associated Jones Act Blog (http://www.JonesActQuestions.com) and Trucking Accident Litigation (http://www.truckaccidentlaw.org). Gordon & Elias, L.L.P., was formed in 2000. Attorneys Steve Gordon and R. Todd Elias bring over 39 years of combined experience to the representation of their clients. The firm has the experience and resources to pursue recovery from large corporate defendants and/or their insurers. ###

Name: lemonhead E-mail: Employed as: CSX Contractor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 02 June 2009 dude don't do that if you need to talk call me i'am for real 850-232-6347 terrance

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 01 June 2009 To all the cut off conductors, keep your head up.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 01 June 2009 Just threw fussing with the wife , no job,no respect.I feel like taking a pistol murdering the whole family.Life a bitch.!!!

Name: fedup E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 10-20 years Posted: 01 June 2009 I want to start saying that I feel for all those cutoff, when I first hired I was on here preaching one union, we need to form 1 union, and as time progressed, I realized just what all the whiskers were saying were true-aint gonna happen. While there are alot of good men out here, greed prevails and it always will and csx as well as the unions know this. This place is just a place to vent and talk a good game, solidarity we dont have. To all the guys cut off, find other work and learn from this, for all those working, watch ur back and you brothers, I hear snakes are bad right now!

Name: robofuq E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 31 May 2009 YEEEEE-HAAAAWWWW!!! We had ourselves a visit from none other than Tony Ingram to day at what used to be Frontier Yard. Of course he had nothing to add to our already pitiful situation. How many levels of Csx management do I need to tell me I don't have a job anymore? 4 town hall meetings, nothing new in the last two. Hey, maybe for the next one, Mike Ward could fly over in a helicopter and drop shit filled balloons on everyone! I think the coporate types enjoy rubbing our noses in it.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 31 May 2009 Hey Con <1: There's really nothing funning about a derailment let alone one involving 21 Hazmat cars. You're laughing now...but if and when you ever get back and it happens to you, I'll guarantee you won't be laughing!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for Less than 1 year Posted: 30 May 2009 I guess this is what it will have to come to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh-kCE0P15I

Name: funny shit E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 30 May 2009 HUNTINGTON DIVISION - BLUERIDGE SUBDIVISION D/R Q69623 0551 05/27 PSCC ADVISES Q69623 WITH 2 ENGS AND 89 CARS DERAILED 21 CARS WITH HAZMAT CARS AND TWO CARS ARE IN THE NORTH TOE RIVER AT MP Z 164.2 NEAR HIGHWAY US 197 IN GREEN MOUNTAIN, NC. LOCAL AUTHORITIES ISSUED EVACUATION OF 6 HOUSES AS A PRE- CAUTIONARY MEASURE. CHEMTREC AND HEPACO ENVIRONMENTAL ENROUTE. ALL NOTIFICA- TIONS MADE - GM ARNWINE NOTIFIED NRC, PO HARRIS, ISSUING REPORT #906759. EQUIPMENT DAMAGE: $ 231,800.00 TRACK DAMAGE: $ 60,000.00 LAST CAR RERERAILED: ____/__ TRACK RESTORED: ____/__ (ETA 1201/29) i love to see this shit

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 30 May 2009 Hey Z: I haven't forgotten about Dave...on rare occasion he will post asking about Pines. Although the remotes are not Dave's forte, he could give us some tips on getting this issue into the public domain. I was hoping he was still visiting the site and might chime in. I think his input would be worth a lot!

Name: Z E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 30 May 2009 Don't forget about Dave Nelson either, NoMo. Dave was a sharp guy and knew the carriers intentions. We use to have some good threads on here. Now we have Sam posting under thousands of names, repeating himself and the word strike is in every other sentence. He has cluttered it up so much that people can't post. I guess I'm guilty also because, I answer him every time. I respect everyone's post of merit, but Sam goes off the deep end. Nothing wrong with a few jokes or disagreeing with other posters at times, but Sam has never agreed with anyone, except himself, when he answers himself in another post with another name. I laugh every time I think about the 2 pages of BS he put out over a new contract and would not accept the fact there was no new contract proposal as of yet. You were right about Pines also. If he had known how to present himself, he would have been the publics and one of our best allies. He knew what was what, he just didn't know how to present it without pissing people off. Most people and craft employees don't realize how crooked some of these railroads are and what they can and will do to protect their assets. Dave, had it figured out. I'm sure Sam would be stepping on Dave's toes as well. He wants to teach, but doesn't have the degree. By the way Sambo I'm not retired, but I am as close as you can get to it. I lay off more than the law will allow, trying to let some of the cut off people make a living.

Name: Lloyd E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 30 May 2009 Nomo The MAIN problem is there aren't enough guys like you, me, Z, even Sam, that will stand together and make it happen. Sure you have strong oppinions everywhere you go but a lot of guys who are working right now could care less as long as that check goes into the account every 2 weeks. I've been out with plenty of very passive engineers who have the mentality that they only have less than 5 years so they are just "playing the game". Now I know you have heard that one right? I'll be damned if I forget this Selkirk incident and if I have too, given time, I will start a documentary on these bastards. Could you imagine the kind of bad attention that would bring? A dateline special on CSX and how its employees feel about the company they work for and countless accidents that were covered up to make it look like the employee was responsible. Hey, who's got the camera and who has the gas money? I'll talk to you guys in a week...its time to take a break at the beach. Try not to delay any of those trains guys.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 30 May 2009 Hey RRJ: You're right...it's just a coordinated effort by the carrier and union to deflect our attention from the real issue here, which is why are men dying during Remote operations. The non-posting readers, many of whom may be in a position to help, have grown weary of this bull shit and tuned out. I know you remember Robert Pines, we haven't heard from him in a long time. Every time he tried to post, he was assailed. Had he not been so bitter against the crews, he could have been a very effective advocate for crossing safety. He finally went away. The post last week about the unions announcing a safety strike within the week...the time has come and gone and no announcement. Now we have to wait until Labor Day for it to occur...which it will not...pretty soon everyone will lose interest and move back to truly petty issues. And like Pines, this to will go away. We need to stay on task here and not be distracted...if we are, it will be just a matter of time before another life is lost!

Name: Sam E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 30 May 2009 Name: Z E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 30 May 2009 Lemonhead, Furthermore, blah blah blah, blabbity blabbity.... **************************************************** Once again, Chicken Pecker (Z, aka zorro, RRJ, Loco30+, et al) releases a lot of hot air and tells us nothing. This is a case of a retiree who has nothing better to do than post self important gibberish. To each his own. Must be better than sucking down lipitor at the nursing home, eh Zorro? er loco30, er Z, er RRJ, er Goober, er ____________ (fill in the blank).

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 30 May 2009 Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 28 May 2009 Retired? I wish still have more years. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Drunk again??? WOW all week long!!!!

Name: Z E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 30 May 2009 Lemonhead, I see Sam didn't answer your question either. I'm going to tell you what I know, but nothing is concrete. I'm sure Sam will stick his nose in again just like he did with the insults to RRJ. Just like he did on me, when he was talking clueless about insurance and making false and misleading accusations. There are several factors that could determine how the HOS law will affect the railroads. The location at which you work or the type jobs that are predominant at certain locations are two of these factors. The carriers themselves are another factor, in how they elect to run their railroad. There could be local or even system agreements between union and carrier that affect certain areas of railroads in different ways. I think some men will probably be called back, but how many is up in the air with the economy and other factors. Roving off days have been discussed on many railroads in order to give employees the 48 hour period of time. Under the law extra boards reset after a 24 hour period of time off to start your time over again. By this I mean if it is not your off day and you do not work in a 24 hour period, your time is reset to start over. CSX could elect to let trains sit until they have rested people, or they may decide they want to railroad and call a few back to work. Your question is not an easy one to answer because there are to many variables that could transpire. I hope you guys do get called back, but you can bet the carriers will try to circumvent the law however they can. I think within 15 days you will start hearing what the game plan is from the unions and the railroad. I certainly hope the it gets evetone back to work, but I wouldn't count on it. I damn sure hope Sam gets recalled, he has to much time on his hands.

Name: Z E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 30 May 2009 Z to chicken molester, over. I guess what you told RRJ would hold true for you also. Why don't you STF up also since you are clueless, brakey less than 1. Still waiting on a answer to those simple questions Engineer Sam. Still waiting on a reply for my offer to let the webbie post how many names you post under and how many times you answer yourself. Hey, I bet Jim can get in the BLE website, with his 30 years of service. In fact when we have a response section, for all railroads and other categories. Someone started a topic on a dumb ass named Sam that post on the CSX Sucks site posing as a Engineer with 30 years service.

Name: Sam E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 30 May 2009 Zorro, loco 30+, Chicken Pecker, RRJ (or whatever your comic ID name happens to be today) 50:50 is a mathematical FACT that means YOU DONT KNOW SHIT ABOUT WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT...a "go flip a coin" answer, is no answer. Didn't you ever pass kindergarden math? (Duh) The guy wants an answer, not a pull it out of your ass guess. Why not just stick to what you know, and not waste our time with what you dont know, hot shot. Time for another viagra, Chicken Pecker?

Name: Lloyd E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 30 May 2009 Once again Michael Ward proves that nothing is more important to him than earning the stupid Harryman award. Hey Mikey, how does second place feel..AGAIN. I hope you never win it you piece of trash. Now you and Tony go sulk together and figure out how to cover up more accidents so you can take gold next year.

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 30 May 2009 This Week's Message Hello, this is Michael Ward. All of our hard work to improve safety has been recognized once again! Last week in Washington, CSX received the Silver Harriman Award in recognition of our safety performance. But that wasn't all. CSX also received a Certificate of Commendation that recognized the most improvement in employee safety over the past three years, and the most improvement between 2007 and 2008. The awards were presented by Ed Hamberger, the president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was there, too. These are important accomplishments, made all the more significant by the fact that U.S. railroads had their safest year ever in 2008. Among the key factors in our improvement were rules compliance, sustained investments in our infrastructure and facilities, and employees looking out for employees. It's part of our culture that a tap on the shoulder, or other friendly reminder, is how we keep each other safe. Among the CSX people in Washington for the awards ceremony was Larry Davis, an electrician from Cumberland, Md. Larry was our nominee for the Hammond Award, which recognizes extraordinary work by an individual railroad employee to promote safety. In his 40-year career, Larry has held a number of safety positions and has been an effective advocate for safety. He is also an Operation Lifesaver volunteer and presenter, who talks to school children and school bus drivers about being safe around railroad tracks. Larry didn't take home the industry award, but his great accomplishments have prevented injuries and saved lives, and he's a winner in my book. The Norfolk Southern won the Gold Harriman Award for the 20th year in a row as the nation's safest railroad, and we congratulate them. But I think it's time we took that Gold away! However, whether it's Gold or Silver, we know the real winners are our employees who go home safely each day. Thanks for listening, have a safe, productive day, and I'll talk to you again next week.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 30 May 2009 Sam I gave the response to the question on the new HOS. Maybe if you'ld stop all this bullschidt you might learn something. This crap is getting old. It might be amusing for you it distracts from the real issues.

Name: Sam E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 29 May 2009 Its obvious who YOU are Master Chicken Pecker - 10 chickens in one - Super Chicken Pecker. With delusions of being the Rooster. Sorry, Chicken, you will have to take your place with all the other chickens in the barnyard, and follow along behind the pigs. Ooooooohhhh, I bet that really gets you tastebuds drool'n, huh Chicken Pecker!?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 29 May 2009 Your right there "fight the power"!!! This is why I preach to these young guys to get out of this as soon as possible. I myself was a "young guy" (2 years conductor). But now I work for the federal gov't. And it is because of idiotic people like yourself and other CSX management why I got out of this business (Actually, I am still in it, just another profession). You guys (CSX management and employees) are low class scum of the earth. And you have no respect for what these union employees (UTU and BLE) do for you. They put the money in your pockets and food on your childrens tables. And now I am so glad I have the job I have because I am going to work on bringing you people down. That has been my main goal since leaving because I love what I did and the people I worked with. Management (which was out of my hands then, BUT NOT NOW) was just way too much. And I just want to make the railroad a happier, safe environment and a place where everyone wants to come to work everyday AGAIN. They deserve it (BLE & UTU members).

Name: Z E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 29 May 2009 That wasn't me Paranoid Sam.

Name: Sam E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 29 May 2009 Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 28 May 2009 Nobody knows how the new HOS will affect us....Hopefully it'll get some back working but it won't be in great numbers till the economy improves ......It's like a weatherman saying it's 50% chance of rain 50% chance of sunshine today. It's anyones guess. ***************************************************************** Loco30+ ......Spoken like a true namby pamby chicken pecker. Now he's a weatherman - clueless with no idea what he's talking about. Economist? Chicken Pecker? LOL

Name: sAM E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 29 May 2009 LOCO30+, your grandma has been calling you Chicken Pecker. Seems you escaped from the farmhouse coop. Better get a move on before Animal Control darts you and frys up some chicken livers. LOL

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 28 May 2009 Nobody knows how the new HOS will affect us. Hopefully it'll get some back working but it won't be in great numbers till the economy improves. According to the market analyst half are stating this year half are stating next year. It's like a weatherman saying it's 50% chance of rain 50% chance of sunshine today. It's anyones guess.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 28 May 2009 Lemonhead: Nope probably not

Name: spongebob E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 28 May 2009 Lemonhead, The date is July 16, 2009

Name: lemon head E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 28 May 2009 in june the hours of service law will kick in and help right???

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 28 May 2009 Enter rehab now Sam before you loose it. You post under so many names, change your stories so much, you forget what you say.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 28 May 2009 RRJ, it was so baffling I didn't know how to answer Parinoid Sam.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 28 May 2009 Sam That was the most baffling post to date. It didn't make one bit of sense. It was like one person with two personalites battling it out. Imagine that. Hahaha!!!!!! I'll post the contract for you. First you have to hold your breath. No cheating. Even if you turn blue I'll be back with the contract. I promise.

Name: SAm E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 28 May 2009 Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 27 May 2009 I never told anyone to go to the emergency room, that was another poster ************************************************************ Ok, Z, or Loco 30+ or whoever you are - play the game......both of your personalities are stupid - One for saying go to the ER for a cold, and the other one for repeating it. I wish you would also quit impersonating a engineer, it gives our craft a bad name. *********************************************************** I am an engineer, a better one than you will ever dream of being. We have explained the contract enough to you (Read the post correctly, stupid. Its not me you need to explain the contract to - it is the public. As an engineer and a member of BLET, I have a copy of the contract....duh.....) It isn't time for one. (No shit, Sherlock) . When it is time to do one then it will be posted. (LOL. Who's gonna post it? You? LMAO) No need to get so defensive - stop beating around the bush, and post the contract. Just copy and paste. Pretty simple stuff.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 28 May 2009 Sparky If you continue your employment with CSX. You'll be forced into engineer service. I guess that means your a future fuckwad in training.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 28 May 2009 Retired? I wish still have more years.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 27 May 2009 IF you ask me all engineers are a bunch of fuckwods and you already have a bad name oldfuck

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 27 May 2009 I see you can't keep your facts in order still. I never told anyone to go to the emergency room, that was another poster, I wish you would also quit impersonating a engineer, it gives our craft a bad name. Your one dumb ass. We have explained the contract enough to you. There isn't one. It isn't time for one. When it is time to do one then it will be posted. Jeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Name: Sam E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 27 May 2009 loco 30+ aka zorro, aka RRJ, aka Allman Brothers, mighty kung foo chicken pecker warrior: Ahhhh sooooo, master kung foo chicken pecker sez: oooooohhhhh. dont nobody dare strike. oooooooonoooooooo. Why, the evil Tansmanian chicken devil will slither up from hell like a fire breath'n dragon, suck your soul out through your cowardly yella belly fear stricken eyeballs, and pork you in the arse with a Lillyputin on steroids. Run little Chickens RUN!!! the sky is falling! The sky is falling! LMAO Time to check out lil chicken pecker - no room for Corporate pussies on the Union picket line. Well, we never did see that online post of the contract - any contract for that matter. Hmmmmmmm. Ever wonder why that is, folks? Where's the sunlight? Only rats and vampires see better in dark rooms....... Hmmmmmmm. Oh, and dont forget to follow Chicken Pecker's advice - -make sure you go to the hospital emergency room in order to mark off with a cold, so the hospital can be sure and choke you to death with a humongous ER bill. Kung Foo Chicken Pecker: doctor, doctor, my nose is runny. Boo hoo. Poor me. Pretty please can you give me a time off from work slip?!. Huh, pretty please. I want to lead by example, doctor. Emergency Room Doctor: sure there little chicken pecker. But first, we will need some x-rays to diagnose you under proper ER guidelines, and here's a shot of antibiotics to help you recover from that runny nose. Kung Foo Chicken Pecker: golly gee, thanks Doc. Your swell. Doctor: dont mention it pecker head - and here's your bill for $1,100 for ER services. Now, run along stupid. Kung Foo Chicker Pecker: What?!!? $1,100 dollars??!! You screwed me!! How dare you!?! I'm gonaa rip your head off and shit down your neck! Doctor: you dont scare me little chicken pecker. Your stupid, you screwed yourself. Next time, read the fine print on your health insurance agreement, especially the part under ER visits and deductibes. Now get your ass outa my office and stay out (boots Kung Foo Chicken Pecker master out the window). Dont worry about your future folks - Kung Foo Wocki Socki Chicken Pecker will be sure to poop on yours - strike or no strike. LMAO P.S. chicken pecker - when you are out n' about kickn trainmaster ass, do you peck em to death, or just poop on em? LOL.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 27 May 2009 Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 22 May 2009 NoMo Both unions BLE(T) an UTU are now closed shops on CSX. You can stop them from taking it out of your paycheck automatically you'll still have to pay the dues every month to your sec/tres of the division/local. I wouldn't press the issue of not complying to union dues. I for one would demand that person gets caught up on past dues or force the union to submit to strip that persons seniority even to the point of termination. The young engineers in 2007 voted in the BLET/CSX SSA which forced engineers into a closed shop. Up until then an engineer didn't have to belong to any union. People didn't bother to read the damn SSA all they did was to become blinded by a frigging bonus program and a schidty bid system. Which is to bad the only recourse for protest an engineer use to have was not belong to either union now that isn't XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxx XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Just more stupid stuff from an old retired fireman/engineer that thinks the union is really good. This is a person that worked the Fireman's seat for years, worked his rear off traveled all over the country cut off starving loosing everything, and working that Fireman's seat every day sound asleep and is the biggest bitcher about the conductor taking a nap on this site. Good God does he have a few????

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 27 May 2009 Goober You idiot read the GD post. I stated firmly that I was against the SSA which forced engineers into a closed shop. Seeing that others voted it in I'll do everything to assure they get everything they wanted. Up until 2007 it was common place to see engineers drop out of the union as a form of protest. Because those that were blinded by ignorance voted in this on-property contract that isn't possible any more. Give it up Goob. Your anti-union retoric you've spewed on this website for years is scratchy and skipping more than a 78rpm record. I know you're old enough to remember them.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX I could care less about what you Say you said, it is always not even close to What you said. You are the only one that is opposed to SSA? who cares? You are living in the past! the only thing I posted was real life, you can put the spin to it, and it will not change a thing, dipstick.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 27 May 2009 Lloyd You got it partially correct. It's not that we are against a strike it just won't happen unless it's union sanctioned. It's impossible to wildcat strike on the railroad. There is to much goverment control. The goverment knows the railroads are vital to this countries excistence. If anyone did have the balls to walk out on a wildcat I'd say good for them. I'd also know they were now former employees of CSX or any railroad. Someone mentioned the UAW. Like NoMo stated better look at the auto workers now. Their giving up everything to keep a handful of jobs. It isn't over yet. GM has till June 1st to come up with a plan. The UAW will conceed or face extinction. Even with the new plan it's more plant closings and loss of jobs. The UAW is in a delema trying to secure the future of those retired. I always thought their retirement age was to low. The comp time where a layed off employee drew 95% of their wages was ridiculous especially for an undeterminate length of time. Why the heck do you think cars are so expensive? When the foreign auto makers came down south to build plants here in the USA it spelled the doom for the UAW and the Big Three. Which is evident.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 27 May 2009 On the Attendance Policy thread there are only around 5 people NoMo, Loco 30+, engine repair 10-20, and myself. The rest is this idiot "Sam". Which I now see he's spewing his vomit on this thread. With more mutiple personalities so he can slap himself on the back telling himself how right he is. I forget Sam was the dumbarse who kept posting that we needed to attach the new contract. Which there isn't one. Yeah, he can be his own picket line holding 20 signs talking to himself. He has a lot of company in that tiny cranium. Let's see Safety Strike on Labor Day. That's a good one CSX will probabley be closed down unless business picks up. You can really hurt them when their not moving anything. Not. I would of never guessed CSX would of closed down for Memorial Day that's never happened before.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 27 May 2009 Rememeber the union did not back the cn either

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 26 May 2009 In 30 days we go from you not knowing your Insurance policy and giving advice on the policy to you organizing a strike. Your a Engineer for 30 years and can't even get into the members area on the BLE website. Give it up Sam. Damn I still remember your dumb ass shit on wanting us to publish the new contract when there isn't one. So dumb you refused to believe it, when we kept telling you there wasn't a contract as of yet. Anyone cut off and willing to move to work for a short line contact 800-446-3823. May be some jobs or maybe not.

Name: Sam E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 26 May 2009 Lloyd, I agree. there is one person - aka loco30+, Z, zorro, allman brothers, RRJ, are all the same guy. your estimate of 10 regular posters is probably about 9 too many. there are some floaters, and one-poppers - most of them furloughed or fired - so nothing to loose. It is most interesting that out of 25,000 employees, only a handfull have anything to say on here. Which means, to me, that 24,990 dont care, or only 1/1000th of 1% like to be computer jockies. Oh, and a third reason for anemic poster quantity - and very likely - CSX has the ability to track anyone who posts on here and at least pinpoint their IP location, if not their name and address with a little more sleuthing. ************************************************************ hey there Chicken Pecker - try Viagra by the truckload. Might help your problem. *********************************************************** 24 hour nationwide Safety STrike is coming - Labor Day. mark your calanders.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 26 May 2009 Hey Loco 1-10: Furloughed 4 times...you're right, it does suck but you keep coming back for more! Surely there is somewhere in your seniority district you can hold a job or are you subject to a flow-back agreement? "The only way we get benefits like the auto workers is to strike. That's how they got it. That's how we can get it. Simple". You didn't mention what benefits the auto workers have that are better than yours. You also didn't mention that 50% of the auto workers are, or will be out of a job. I wonder what the RR unions' stipends is if they strike... unemployment is better.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for Less than 1 year Posted: 26 May 2009 Yea same here worked for 10 months and made 14k

Name: Lloyd E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 26 May 2009 Hey man, I think some of the plus 30 engineers and RRJ are about the only ones totally opposed to a strike. And I don't think its because they don't feel like we should but rather that they think its pointless because our union wont back it. As far as Nomo goes, I've never really heard him bash anything you have said or sound pro union. SD70, I know you told me to kiss your ass but I'll apologize for sounding like an asshole. I really have no beef with anyone here (or at least I thought I didn't) so I'll try and be the bigger person. Also, could we stop with this whole multiple personality thing? I'm starting to think there might be a grand total of about 10 of us who post on here.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for Less than 1 year Posted: 26 May 2009 Yep, I been layed off 4 times. FOUR TIMES. It sucks. Young guys take it in the ass. You can thank the spineless union, and guys who post on here like NoMO, RRJ, Loco30+, Z, and Zorro for their anti-strike rants - they are company supporters who are either retired or close to retirement, and dont want to rock their cushy little pension boat. The only way we get benefits like the auto workers is to strike. That's how they got it. That's how we can get it. Simple.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 26 May 2009 I have seen all I want to see in the last 3 years I have been employed by this company. I came in being promised the world 43,000 in my first year. I got laid off right after training I made 17,269.70 that year and that was with counted earnings from my last employer. I was fourloughed for over 1 year. I came back in Feburary of 2008 and reqaulified and stayed marked up through 2008. I got laid off again in Janurary of this year. Found a job paying better than unemployment to support my family then the railroad called me back in the middle of March so I quit that job and guess what got laid off again the 1st of may. Now im sitting here wishing I wouldnt have quit that job. If I can find a job in this sluggish economy making enough to pay my bills I am not returning. A Man cant just support his family 6 months out of the year and forget about them the other 6. I guess what im trying to say is you do what you have to do and if that means taking less pay. Paying a little more for benefits and getting a little bit dirtier than thats what you have to do. You know if you havent noticed those gaurenteed boards are close to gone. That 43,000 they promosed you. You will now hae to cutt in half and thats what youll be making. You need to figure in about 200 dollars more for your insurance cost. Dont foreget rising union dues. Now when you sit down and figure all this up look and the time away from home, the missed ball games, the birthdays etc and all the herassment from csx. Compare all this with that of just taking another job. You may be suprised. I seen a man who screws over every conductor I will go ahead and say his name is MB Carter out of Erwin Tn got elected to the UTU now come on wtf! Not onley that we have a Engineer as our chairman WTF! Shouldnt it be a conductor. We also have a another engineer who I beleive is the treasurer WTF! I dont know what the hell people are thinking when they vote in these elections. Now lets talk about safety. The safety cook-outs are for the cocksuckers they all call each other real privately to see who wants to get a safety day no one gives a shit about safety its about the $$$$ that you pay in union dues brothers taht they slide in there pocket dont you feel used now that you paid about ruffly 1,000 bucks for that hamburger ha! Who needs all this shit I could go on and on but I leave it at this if your new or 3 years like myself get out now like i said add up your union dues that trust me will go up. Add in the fack you will be getting no garuntee anymore youll be piled on board with a bunch of people so your paycheck is shot. your insurance will trust me go up by 200 dollars or more the union will not protect you the union is as evil as the railroad i say its another branch of the company ran by wards buddy. Lets vote ingram into the utu!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 25 May 2009 This site does more for us than the unions and we spend how much every month on dues? If I ever get off the furlough list I'll send the webmaster some $$$. Hands up if you've ever sent any money. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Has anyone noticed that he's got an Amazon wish-list at the bottom of the page? - http://csx-sucks.com/donate/ C'mon guys. Will someone buy the guy a book? It's been a few months since that list turned. If you're working throw the guy a bone. Thanks webbie!!

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 25 May 2009 Today being Memorial Day, I would like to say... To all of you who served and all the family members of the fallen, thank you for your sacrifice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hm0dRR1414&feature=related

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 25 May 2009 HELLO FELLAS I WANTED TO KNOW IF ANY CONDUCTORS or engineers HAVE DELIVERED COAL TO KINDER MORGAN IN NEWPORT NEWS VIRGINIA? WHO FIXES THE TRACK ON THEIR PROPERTY AND CAN I HAVE SOME INSIGHT ON THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE? anything would be apreciated, and good luck out there rail roaders it's tough, thanks.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for Less than 1 year Posted: 24 May 2009 Thanks fellas for the info ;]

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 24 May 2009 Only qualified employees can receive benefits under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. A new benefit year begins every July 1. To qualify for benefits in a benefit year, you must have creditable railroad earnings in the preceding calendar year (base year), counting no more than a certain amount in any month. In addition, a new employee must have railroad service in at least 5 months of his or her first year of work in order to be eligible for benefits in the following benefit year. The amount of earnings needed to qualify for benefits in a benefit year depends on the monthly compensation base in the base year. An employee is required to have base year earnings of not less than 2- 1/2 times the monthly compensation base applicable to months in that base year. As the monthly compensation base increases, the amount of compensation needed to qualify for benefits also increases. Example: Benefit Year Beginning — July 1, 2005 Earnings Needed in Base Year — $2,825.00 in 2004 (2 1/2 x $1,130.00 = $2,825.00). If 2004 was your first year of railroad work, you must also have railroad service in 5 months in 2004. In this example, $1,130.00 is the monthly compensation base for base year 2004. The monthly compensation base for base year 2005 is $1,150.00. Contact your local RRB field office if you need information about the monthly compensation base for other years.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 24 May 2009 If you had at least 20 weeks work paying into railroad retirement benefits between July 1st 2008 to July 1st 2009 then you should qualify for unemployment.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for Less than 1 year Posted: 24 May 2009 Whats with this july 1st crap? will we start getting umemployment?

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 24 May 2009 Goofy Just because you are a wimp and couldn't handle what it takes to endure the struggles of a railroad job don't critize those of us who did stick with it. It definitely was a better choice than your becoming a cigarette vendor. How many have died over the use of your products? Cough*Cough*Cough!!!!!!! I think the orderly is looking for you it's time for your meds.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 24 May 2009 Goober You idiot read the GD post. I stated firmly that I was against the SSA which forced engineers into a closed shop. Seeing that others voted it in I'll do everything to assure they get everything they wanted. Up until 2007 it was common place to see engineers drop out of the union as a form of protest. Because those that were blinded by ignorance voted in this on-property contract that isn't possible any more. Give it up Goob. Your anti-union retoric you've spewed on this website for years is scratchy and skipping more than a 78rpm record. I know you're old enough to remember them.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 23 May 2009 To all the guys at Russell stepping up to help the company I hope your making plenty of money while 81 of sit at home, most not able to draw anything till july 1. I'll remember who you are, and also why don't you all just apply for management jobs since your so concerned with doing CSX favors you greedy non union acting suck asses, your the reason why our unions are week.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 23 May 2009 True story After the BLF&E told me the job is secure, got a notice the next month arb 282 has eliminated your job. Well shit just paid my dues. Got a job as a brakeman, lucky me. Got a few applications from the BRT, threw all of them away. After 2 years the pressure started, filled 1 out and sent it in with my $12.00. Payroll deduction__ no thanks. Got my hat pin from the union threw that away. They started calling me a no bill, Heck I had the card, case closed. I never paid monthly just when it suited me. Nothing they could do, as soon as they started the no bill shit I paid a month. It stopped the greedy bastards only wanted my money. Same today. I was starving and they just wanted $12.00 per month.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 23 May 2009 The Below post is exactly why so many continue to pay. There is no way out we must pay. If you refuse to pay I will strip your seniority to Termination. Now folks this is a form of imtimidation that the union uses to keep you paying. Cut that next union check to yourself and see what happens, One Engineer is going to cut your nut's off,I think not big enough, he is just 1 of thousands. Most are overemployed old heads that had no where to go, so they want to run your life, after they fu-- up the unions for years. Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 22 May 2009 NoMo Both unions BLE(T) an UTU are now closed shops on CSX. You can stop them from taking it out of your paycheck automatically you'll still have to pay the dues every month to your sec/tres of the division/local. I wouldn't press the issue of not complying to union dues. I for one would demand that person gets caught up on past dues or force the union to submit to strip that persons seniority even to the point of termination. The young engineers in 2007 voted in the BLET/CSX SSA which forced engineers into a closed shop. Up until then an engineer didn't have to belong to any union. People didn't bother to read the damn SSA all they did was to become blinded by a frigging bonus program and a schidty bid system. Which is to bad the only recourse for protest an engineer use to have was not belong to either union now that isn't

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Car repair, for 30+ years Posted: 23 May 2009 why is jacksonville doing this my husband has been with the company 35 years and he may lose his job what will we do do they care my son-in-law just lost his job as a conductor he has 5 years on the railroad he went away to school cost him alot of money he studied hard and was hired, five years later he has a 1 year old and another baby due in september do you care your decision with frontier yard ruined our family do you care what would you do if this was happening to you do you know how many lives and family you are destroying do you care help theses families give them their jobs back your the only one who can do it go to sleep tonight knowing you did something good maybe someday you will be rewarded thank you

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 23 May 2009 NoMo The only drop out provision is with the productivity bonus. We should be getting ballots shortly to determine to stay with it or revert back to the national pay raise which the BLET must notify CSX by Sept 14th 2009. The rest of the SSA work rules stay intact. People don't seem to understand how much they lost. Blinded by speculation of a bonus which is taxed heavily up to 40% even if you opt to put it in your 401K it's still taxed at 16%. If CSX and the BLET want this type of bonus pay raise speculation to continue it better include a decent actual daily pay rate. The 2007 daily pay rate increase was only 3% which CSX took away 1 1/2% because the national pay raise of 18 1/2% compounded agreed to that decrease by including payments of the Harris COLA payment from 2005-6 as part of the contract. Our General Chairmen who negotiated the SSA didn't bother to put in writting that our measily 3% wouldn't be affect. Another case of GC's with George Meany Center training or a Junior College degree getting hoodwinked by a Harvard or equivalent grad shoving it up their arses. The only positive is my time is short I can live with it. With the new Fed regs reducing monthly work hours down to 276 max it's going to hurt a lot of people those bonus checks will shrink even if CSX margins pay out 100%. There are still enough idiots out here that will vote to continue and those that won't take 5 minutes to vote. In 2007 only 51% took the time to send their ballot in it passed by only 400 votes.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 22 May 2009 Hey RRJ: The SSA is still biting the engineers in the ass and will for some time. Can't the engineers opt out? Seems I remember seeing a escape clause somewhere in there. The gnashing of the teeth is just around the corner. There's a lot on the engineers plate now with the fatality and contract time. I hope both issues get the time and discussion they deserve.

Name: Safety Strike E-mail: Safety Strike.com Employed as: Employed in other capacity, for 30+ years Posted: 22 May 2009 $350,000 in fines is chicken feed. CSX makes that in overcharges to one tiny customer in one hour. Its cheaper to kill you or maim you, than it is to make you safe.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 22 May 2009 let us all email CSX Spin Doctor Bob Sullivan and find out what the investigation into Jerods accident has turned up. Bob Sullivan 1-877-835-5279 robert_sullivan@csx.com

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 22 May 2009 thank you very much for the input wildman, the type of jobs that i was looking at with kinder morgan were: maintenance man, compared to(csx freight cart repair) facility worker, compared to (csx track worker) loader, compared to (csx heavy equipment operator) machinist, compared to (csx machinist), and i also think that kinder morgan is a non union if i am not mistaken, just wanted to know who would i be better off. i do not know if any one on this site has any one that works or knows of kinder morgan. I also know this web site says CSX sucks but it could be worth a try, any inputs will be greatly apreciated. thanks railroaders!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 22 May 2009 Ward and Ingram cant get that Harriman to save their life....maybe you need a new star player Ward, cause Ingram aint shit.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 22 May 2009 NoMo Both unions BLE(T) an UTU are now closed shops on CSX. You can stop them from taking it out of your paycheck automatically you'll still have to pay the dues every month to your sec/tres of the division/local. I wouldn't press the issue of not complying to union dues. I for one would demand that person gets caught up on past dues or force the union to submit to strip that persons seniority even to the point of termination. The young engineers in 2007 voted in the BLET/CSX SSA which forced engineers into a closed shop. Up until then an engineer didn't have to belong to any union. People didn't bother to read the damn SSA all they did was to become blinded by a frigging bonus program and a schidty bid system. Which is to bad the only recourse for protest an engineer use to have was not belong to either union now that isn't possible.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 21 May 2009 CSX Transportation has paid nearly $350,000 for federal rail safety violations uncovered during a 23-state inspection last year, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. FRA Administrator Joseph Boardman said the Northeast's largest railroad had made "significant strides'' in short-term improvements after a systemwide FRA inspection in January 2007 that found 3,518 safety defects, including 199 serious violations. "But CSX cannot make this a one-time fix. The railroad must stay focused and not be distracted from making the necessary long-term investments in infrastructure, technology, and employees that will strengthen its safety culture and performance,'' Boardman said in a statement. The special FRA inspection of CSX operations was prompted by a series of accidents, including one on Dec. 14, 2006, when a CSX worker was struck and killed by a train at the DeWitt rail yard. Last March, a CSX freight train derailed near Oneida and several propane tanker cars exploded in a fireball that was visible from miles away. No one was hurt, but thousands of people were temporarily evacuated from their homes. The Oneida case was the fifth serious upstate New York accident involving CSX rail cars in a matter of four months. At the time, federal rail safety officials said the company was not doing enough to address safety problems. The government decided to pursue civil penalties in 166 of the 199 serious cases, including two in New York, said Steve Kulm, a FRA spokesman. The $349,265 in penalties settled 141 of the violations. The other 25 cases remain open, he said. Kulm said the fines were not in response to any one specific accident, but addressed the series of accidents CSX experienced. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, who has called for Congress to hold hearings on CSX and its safety problems, said the company was allowed off the hook with a small penalty. "With nearly 200 violations of federal safety and hazardous material regulations, a mere $350,000 in fines for CSX Corp. is a slap in the face to the communities who suffered from these dangerous derailments,'' Schumer said. CSX had no comment about the fines, a spokesman said. In a statement, the company said it was committed to "continuing its strong safety improvements'' through prudent long-term investments in infrastructure and technology. Jacksonville, Fla.-based CSX operates a 22,000-mile rail network, covering 23 states, the District of Columbia, and two Canadian provinces. Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 21 May 2009 WASHINGTON -- A bill to strip railroads of a limited antitrust immunity, and therefore open them to more legal pressure from states and shippers, and create more competition in the rail industry, could move to the Senate floor for a vote soon after Congress returns from its upcoming Memorial Day recess, reports the Journal of Commerce. In the House, a similar bill received a hearing May 19 before an antitrust subcommittee, where Republicans as well as Democrats voiced support for the measure. The House version would have to clear the House Judiciary Committee before proceeding to the House floor for a vote. Separately, the Consumer Federation of America released a report May 19 that railroads are using their market power to gouge shippers, charging some $3 billion more annually than they could if there were more competition in the rail industry. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), who sponsored the measure that cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this year, told the Journal of Commerce he will put the antitrust bill before the full Senate “shortly after the holiday.” Some observers thought this measure could be folded into behind-the-scenes negotiations by staff of the Senate Commerce Committee to craft a new rail competition law that would try to resolve many shipper-railroad disputes and give regulators at the Surface Transportation Board new marching orders. Kohl would not comment on those talks, but repeated that he plans to bring the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act to the Senate floor soon after the recess, which runs May 25-29. The railroad industry is pushing hard to defeat the antitrust measure, even though it has participated in the backstage talks on the separate competition bill. Kohl’s bill would treat railroads much like other corporations by giving the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission a role reviewing proposed mergers for anticompetitive issues, instead of leaving them as now solely under the STB’s jurisdiction. It would also tell district courts that they do not have to give the STB primary jurisdiction over disputes, meaning that more customer or community complaints could go to court instead of first being ruled on by the agency. While the U.S. Court of Appeals can review STB decisions, it rarely overturns them, so having courts rule earlier in the process would weaken the STB’s dominance of rail-shipper service or rate disputes. The Kohl bill would attack bottleneck issues, in which shippers say the railroads can prevent customers from getting competitive bids from other carriers for part of the trip, locking them into one carrier and its rates in many cases. It would also allow shippers to challenge the “paper barriers” or lock-in clauses that limit their carrier choices when a Class I railroad has sold some of its track to a short line. Kohl has been trying to get such a measure passed since 2006, but it could have a better chance of making it into final law this year. In the House May 19, Democrats and Republicans on an antitrust subcommittee expressed basic support for a bill similar to the Senate version, reports Dow Jones newswire. Subcommittee chairman Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), said the antitrust exemptions for railroads have contributed to higher shipping prices that translated into higher prices for consumers. "As a matter of public policy, we shy away from antitrust exemptions," Johnson said. Dow Jones observed that four railroads – BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific – “dominate the rail shipping business.” (The preceding article is based on reports from the Journal of Commerce, Dow Jones newswire and other sources.)

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Engine repair, for Less than 1 year Posted: 21 May 2009 After they found out they lost their job, could it be the remains of a CSX employee that was found inside the burned out car? Body found in burning car in eastern Kyhttp://www.kentucky.com/471/story/801874.html The Associated Press A body has been found inside a burning car, spotted in eastern Kentucky by a railroad crew. Kentucky State Police said CSX employees reported seeing the car on fire in rural Johnson County near Offut early Tuesday. Firefighters who responded to the call found the human remains inside. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported the state medical examiner will determine whether the body was that of a man or a woman. KSP Trooper Mike Goble said the car was found on a gravel road off Ky. 2040, at least a half-mile from the nearest home.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Engine repair, for Less than 1 year Posted: 21 May 2009 27 CSX employees to be furloughed http://www.thetimestribune.com/local/local_story_140081038.html May 20, 2009 08:10 am — By Sean Bailey / Staff Writer Twenty-seven employees of the CSX locomotive shop in Corbin learned Monday they would be furloughed for an indefinite amount of time. CSX spokesperson Garrick Francis said the furloughs are a result of the economic downturn plaguing businesses across the country. Francis said the railroad transportation company which has tracks throughout the eastern portion of the United States has furloughed 2,400 people company wide and has had to put 30,000 cars in storage since the economy began to sag. “It’s tough out there,” Francis said, “...We, as business conditions get better, are hoping to b able to call them back to work.” Francis said the 27 full-time employees in Corbin will remain on call if business turns up again, as it often does seasonally. In the meantime the employees furloughed will still have four months of health and wellness benefits, Francis said. Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 10-20 years Posted: 21 May 2009 you see the name of this website by any chance?? what do you think our answer is going to be?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 20 May 2009 hello, rail roaders!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHO IS IT BETTER TO WORK FOR AS FAR AS A MAINTENANCE WORKER, CSX OR KINDERMORGAN (PLANT OR COAL YARD)!!!!!!!!!!!PLEASE NEED ALL INPUTS I AM TRYING TO SAVE MY SELF FROM MAKING A BIG MISTAKE, NEED HELP!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Train Dispatcher, for 10-20 years Posted: 20 May 2009 That bill must be a hoax. Scan it and post it on Yardlimits.com and Railroad.net let it get around. So the Useless Tramps Union said it was for real??????????????????????????????????//

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 19 May 2009 Hey Butch: A bill for $4,500...for what? File it in the circular file and don't worry about it...it's hard to get blood out of a turnip!

Name: Butch E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for Less than 1 year Posted: 19 May 2009 I applied for a job and got laid off before i got hired. CSX sent me a bill for $4500. They said that it was a dis-appointment bill - disappointed that they could not fire me after they hired me, so they fired me before they hired me. Unions said it was legite. whut should i do?

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 19 May 2009 Another good investment by TCI...maybe they will use the proceeds from the sale of CSX stock to cover their position!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: M of W, for Less than 1 year Posted: 19 May 2009 TCI Cuts $1 Billion of Japanese Short Positions in Two Months http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=ay5tFHVU_E8M&refer=asia# By Tomoko Yamazaki May 19 (Bloomberg) -- The Children’s Investment Fund Management UK LLP, a $9.5 billion U.K. hedge fund, cut its short positions in Japanese stocks including Toshiba Corp. by almost $1 billion in less than two months, exchange filings show. The London-based fund, also known as TCI, had about $248 million worth of short positions in 12 Japanese stocks, data based on exchange filings compiled by Bloomberg show, compared with about $1.2 billion on April 3. TCI reduced its short positions in eight of 13 stocks including Sharp Corp., Japan’s biggest maker of liquid-crystal- display televisions, and Mizuho Financial Group Inc., Japan’s second-biggest bank by revenue, according to filings since April. These bets that Japanese stocks would fall come as the Nikkei 225 Stock Average surged more than 20 percent in the past three months, prompting managers to cover their short positions to cut losses. In a short sale, an investor sells borrowed shares with plans to buy them back later at a lower price, pocketing the price difference. If the stock rises instead, they have to pay more to cover the position. TCI’s short position in Toshiba represented about 4.3 percent of the outstanding shares of Japan’s biggest chipmaker, according to a filing made by the fund to the exchange on March 4. As of yesterday’s filing, TCI’s short position had fallen to about 0.2 percent. Toshiba’s shares gained 51 percent in between the two filings. TCI spokesman Rahul Moodgal in London couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. Short-Sale Curbs The Japanese government extended restrictions on short selling, originally implemented in October, to July from the end of March. These include a ban on so-called naked short selling and requirements for short positions of more than 0.25 percent of the outstanding shares of a stock to be reported to the Tokyo Stock Exchange, which publishes the data on its Web site. TCI’s fund fell 43 percent in 2008, as global hedge funds were battered by client withdrawals and the worst market losses since the 1930s. John Ho, the Asia head of TCI, will leave the hedge fund after disagreement with the firm’s founder on the investment strategy in the region, a person familiar with the matter said last month. Ho’s departure follows that of co-founders Snehal Amin and Patrick Degorce, who left the firm this year. Christopher Cooper-Hohn remains the only founding partner at the fund. At least 11 executives have resigned from TCI since the fund started in 2003, according to U.K. filings. To contact the reporter on this story: Tomoko Yamazaki in Tokyo at tyamazaki@bloomberg.net Last Updated: May 18, 2009 22:02 EDT

Name: retired E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 30+ years Posted: 19 May 2009 HELLO sAM WITH 30 YEARS ENG SERVICE ;; you are either a dumb ass or a smart ass posting on every section. have a good day.

Name: SAM E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 19 May 2009 Z, you back from Grandma's house? How were your milk and cookies? Oh - my - god. Just posted this on every section. whaddayaknow. Say Z, when the CSX homos demand you pee in their bottle while they hold your Johnson to ensure authenticity of personal urination, you gonna thank the Unions for their support? LOL. Dont forget - milk and cookies at 5.

Name: SAFETY STRIKE E-mail: SAFETY STRIKE. COM Employed as: Corporate office, for 30+ years Posted: 19 May 2009 STOP THE KILLINGS AND THE INJURIES. SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE! SAFETY STRIKE!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 19 May 2009 Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 14 May 2009 Why strike? Just call payroll and tell them to withhold your dues until further notice...put the onus on the unions. It won't take them long to get the message...no dues without representation! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX WOW Wonderful idea, been preaching that for many years. NOTE the UTU claims 55k Conductors that are under their contract. At $1.00 per month, yeh you do your own math, it goes way up from 55k per month.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for Less than 1 year Posted: 19 May 2009 Anyone ever look thru the CSX Code of Ethics booklet? I fell over when I read this when it came out. It's on page 9. Waivers of the Code of Ethics A waiver of the Code of Ethics for CSX Board members or executive officers may only be made by the Board of Directors or a Committee It's good to be King! Maybe if they didn't have this waver those tapes would be in the NTSB and FRA's hands. http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/92/92932/corpgov/CSXCodeofEthicsFeb2008.pdf

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 19 May 2009 I'm getting tired of reading it six times. Put it in the right place and only once.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for Less than 1 year Posted: 19 May 2009 Is there any reason why we need more that one board to post? I'm getting tired of reading folks complaining about multiple posts!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 19 May 2009 Whoever said to quit posting on every board - thank you. Sucks to read the same shit on every board. If only the morons would listen.

Name: Suffern Pathetic E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 30+ years Posted: 18 May 2009 Yep, the UP is on the ball. Yeessiirrrreeeee. They bought the SP for billions, then found out all the SP had was 3 billion in debts. Guess who choked on that one? From the Suffering Pathetic to the Utterly Pathetic. SOS.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Engine repair, for Less than 1 year Posted: 18 May 2009 I only worked at csx for 89 days before i got laid off. anyone know when they will call back?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for Less than 1 year Posted: 18 May 2009 Railway Keeps Its Furloughed at Hand 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. 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. The U.S. had gradually emerged from the recession that followed the dot-com bust and the 2001 terror attacks. Then suddenly in 2004, the company's shipping volumes jumped roughly 10% to 12% in a six-month period. Union Pacific wasn't ready and the result was a network meltdown, with rolling bottlenecks and delays that had disastrous repercussions for its thousands of customers. Bloomberg News James R. Young, Union Pacific's chief executive, below, says partially furloughed workers can be called back more quickly. . Associated Press .."We just flat-out cut too far" in the years preceding the 2003 and 2004 recovery, said Mr. Young, who was named CEO of the Omaha, Neb., company in 2005. To make sure it has adequate staffing should the economy recover quickly this time around, Union Pacific is paying full health benefits for 1,600 of its roughly 5,000 furloughed employees. These 1,600 employees, many of them train conductors, also work eight days a month so that they can remain current on their training and qualifications. Mr. Young estimates that calling one of these employees back to work will take fewer than 30 days, compared with 60 to 90 days for other furloughed workers. "This thing could snap back pretty quickly, and in our business we don't have the luxury of telling a customer 'No,' " Mr. Young said. All big U.S. railroads face a complicated calculus now: how to cut expenses as freight volumes fall without leaving themselves unable to respond quickly as the economy rebounds. Union Pacific's approach represents a compromise of sorts. While it is furloughing a larger percentage of workers than its largest competitor, Burlington Northern Corp., it is also investing millions to make sure these sidelined employees can return to work as quickly as possible. Railroads are expected to experience a jump in volumes several months before a broader economic recovery. Getting caught unprepared could cost them business and could hamper a larger economic rebound by snarling the movement of the goods that railroads transport. More than 40% of freight in the U.S. moves by rail. Until December, rival Burlington Northern had a furlough policy similar to Union Pacific's. A certain percentage of furloughed workers kept their benefits and were paid a "modest monthly income," spokesman Patrick Hiatte said. But the Fort Worth, Texas, company discontinued the practice "when it became clear to us that the recession was getting worse" and that costs needed to be cut, Mr. Hiatte said. Now, furloughed workers at Burlington Northern, like the other big railroads, CSX Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp. , lose their benefits after several months. Burlington, which has a current work force of 38,000, has furloughed roughly 7.8% of its employees, compared with more than 10% for Union Pacific, which employs 45,000. James Stem, national legislative director for the United Transportation Union, which represents 55,000 conductors working on the North American railroads, praised Union Pacific's approach and predicted the other railroads would spend more money in the long run on hiring and retraining. Norfolk Southern, the nation's fourth-largest railroad by revenue, says that rather than mimic Union Pacific's furlough policy, it has chosen to minimize the number of furloughs. The company has furloughed only 1,200 from its 30,000 work force, compared with 2,300 for CSX, the nation's third-largest railroad and Norfolk Southern's main competitor in the eastern half of the U.S. Union Pacific's furlough program comes at a time when the railroad has been making what some customers and analysts say are noticeable gains in its performance in recent years. The company's reputation was in need of burnishing. Aside from the problems of 2004, many customers still remember 1997 and 1998, when Union Pacific's merger with Southern Pacific Rail Corp. caused widespread service problems and paralyzed ports on the West Coast. Rick Paterson, a UBS analyst, said Union Pacific's average train speed, considered a good measure of performance, has increased 22% during the past year. Only some of this improvement is a function of lower volumes, which result in less-congested tracks, Mr. Paterson said. By comparison, Burlington Northern's average train speed has improved only 11% in the past year, Mr. Paterson said. The true measure of the company's progress, Mr. Young says, will come when the economy improves, adding that Union Pacific simply can't afford another poor performance. "Customers have a long memory," he said. Write to Alex Roth at alex.roth@wsj.com

Name: retired E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 30+ years Posted: 18 May 2009 IT LOOKS LIKE ALL YOU DUMMIES LIKE STEVE GORDON WOULD JUST QUIT POSTING YOUR COMMENTS ON EVERY LIST THAT IS ON C S X SUCKS JUST ON ONE WILL DO.NO ONE LIKES TO READ THE SAME ARTICLE SIX TIMES.

Name: Steve Gordon E-mail: sgordon@gordon-elias.com Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 17 May 2009 Dear All- On Friday the 15th, the United States Court of Appeals in D.C. decided a case styled BNSF v. Dept. of Transportation. It has to do with the railroads performing urinalysis tests on railroad employees but there is more. The DOT argued and prevailed that the railroad must now strip the person down to make sure they are not using a device that looks like male genitalia (in the opinion it was called a "Whizzinator" but, apparently, there are others)when giving the urine. I have posted an article in Yardlimits.com and attached the opinion in a Microsoft Word attachment so you can download it and read it for yourself. The link is here: http://www.yardlimits.com/forums/ask-attorney-steve-gordon-gordon-elias-law-firm/12298-casey-jones-whizzinator-gig-no-good.html#post114211 From an academic constitutional law perspective it is a monumental and radical departure from 4th Amendment precedent albeit a foreseeable result due to the compelling need to have a drug free workplace in the transportation industry. However, from a railroad employee's perspective it is extremely intrusive and embarrassing. I highly recommend reading the opinion. Sincerely, Steve Gordon www.gordon-elias.com

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for Less than 1 year Posted: 17 May 2009 Greece, N.Y)- Some abandoned CSX cars that left people in a Greece neighborhood with eyesores in their backyard, were finally moved Saturday. The cars were sitting just feet from neighbors backyards for weeks. CSX blamed the recession as the reason, saying consumers are buying less therefore rail cars shipping less. Neighbors in the Pebbleview Neighborhood say they're thankful that the cars are no longer there.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 17 May 2009 A comment or two about the Greenbrier. CSX got the Greenbrier with the C&O. At the time, the Greenbrier was a world class resort. The decline started under John Snow and has continued under Ward's reign of terror. The CSX management can't run their primary line of business, let alone a consumer intense business like a resort. For years the Greenbrier has been run for the benefit of the CSX brass, political cronies, biggest customers and their families. The Greenbrier could have been put on the market and sold for 10x what the $20 million Justice paid for it. Justice was successful because he acquired the debt. Because of that, he has 100% support from the creditors and the bankruptcy court would have approved Justice's plan over Marriott's. Today, CSX's interests are in developing commercial and industrial properties which they can service by rail. Considering CSX wants to be a line haul carrier (as witnessed by the disposal, either by sale or lease, of thousands of miles of road over the last 10 years and the abysmal customer service they provide) I find this amazing. However, I'm sure the top management of CSX, their political and business buddies and their families have, to some degree, ownership interest in these properties. At what point does the management's business and personal interests diverge? What constitutes a conflict of interest? Are these decisions illegal or unethical...you be the judge. Based on the Greenbrier fiasco, CSX can't even fail smartly!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for Less than 1 year Posted: 16 May 2009 "the railway company CSX, placed the property in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, telling a judge that it was "unable and unwilling to continue funding" losses." If CSX can go bankrupt on an individual property, Please, Please Go bankrupt on the Conrail properties from 1999. Return them to a Good railroad company. Thanks :)

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for Less than 1 year Posted: 16 May 2009 "the railway company CSX, placed the property in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, telling a judge that it was "unable and unwilling to continue funding" losses." WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- The Greenbrier resort's new owner -- the man who outmaneuvered the mighty Marriott International -- is a coal baron who just sold some mines to the Russians for $436 million. He is enormous and boisterous, standing 6-foot-7 and weighing enough that he calls himself a "fat hog." He is the president of the local youth baseball league and coach of the girls' high school basketball team and is driven around town by his buddy Moe. "These people haven't seen anything quite like me," James C. Justice II said the other day, over a sandwich and fries at the resort. And neither has Marriott, which last night agreed to a settlement with Justice to avoid a battle in federal bankruptcy court in Richmond, where the two sides were scheduled to wrangle for control of the historic resort -- the place where Joseph and Rose Kennedy honeymooned and 26 presidents have visited. (Prince Rainier and Princess Grace stopped by, too.) With Justice winning control, some residents said, he will forever be seen as a savior to this quiet town in the mountains whose fortunes have fallen alongside the resort. The Greenbrier has endured hundreds of layoffs and brutal labor negotiations amid a steep drop-off in guest visits. The prospect that a local man, not some corporate muckety-muck, could be signing their paychecks had even led residents to pack churches and praise Justice. "I believe the Good Lord sent him for us," said Greg Scott, a preacher and doorman at the hotel for more than a dozen years who has seen 14 of his neighbors laid off. "We had no hopes, no plans. It was a glorious day when he arrived." That was less than two weeks ago, after Justice surprised the town and executives at Bethesda-based Marriott International by announcing that he had bought the resort for $20 million. In March, the hotel's previous owner, the railway company CSX, placed the property in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, telling a judge that it was "unable and unwilling to continue funding" losses. As part of the bankruptcy, CSX made a deal to sell the resort to Marriott for $60 million to $130 million, depending on the resort's future financial performance. CSX also agreed to give Marriott $50 million to run the hotel. The deal was contingent on CSX winning an agreement with the resort's unions that was also agreeable to Marriott. An accord was reached, and everything was looking spiffy for the world's largest hotel chain. But Justice, who owns coal mines and large farming operations in several nearby states, was lurking. He went to CSX in April, offering to buy the stock in the entity that owned the resort, assume the debt and move to have the bankruptcy case dismissed -- an unusual step, according to bankruptcy experts, who said buyers usually prefer to acquire assets out of bankruptcy free of debt. Why would Justice go through all the trouble to take on a business he knows nothing about and take on more than $100 million in bills? He said it had nothing to with the state recently approving casino gambling at the resort: "That's just bull snot," Justice said. "I don't want to damage these people anymore. I live here. I don't want to dash their hopes," he said. "I am honestly stone-cold confident that I can bring to the table a lot of good stuff. I won't be the guy who thinks with the standard hotel mentality. This place can't be run that way." Marriott officials met with Justice in Lewisburg, W.Va., yesterday to strike a deal. Under their settlement, both sides have 30 days to come to an agreement allowing Marriott to market the property and receive a fee for any guests it generates for the resort. If an agreement is not reached, Justice will pay a $7.5 million breakup fee, Justice said. "We have amicably resolved any dispute with Mr. Justice, and we will not oppose the motion to dismiss the bankruptcy," Marriott said in a statement. No matter what the outcome of the talks, Justice has won total control of the Greenbrier. "I needed the control," Justice said in an interview. "I'd be letting these people down without it." Justice won over the community by hiring back furloughed workers and reopening the union contract to increase health insurance and other benefits, including allowing employees to eat one meal a day at the resort. Last week, West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin III (D) and Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV threw their support behind Justice, saying he's the right person to run the national historic landmark. A four-hour drive from Washington, Greenbrier features 721 rooms, 10 lobbies, three golf courses, a large medical clinic for executive checkups and a once-secret bunker for Congress to convene in the event of a nuclear attack. "I would hope Marriott sees we have someone here with the passion, the wherewithal and the resources to own the Greenbrier," Manchin said in an interview. Rockefeller sent Justice a handwritten note saying: "I can't tell how proud I am of you and how happy I am for West Virginia. Without a doubt you have absolutely saved the Greenbrier." White Sulphur Springs, like many small towns, harbors resentment toward corporate America, which has brought Wal-Marts and other big-box stores to town and -- in the view of some residents -- sucked local businesses dry. On Main Street, barber Mike Lane can look through the shop's window and see that all of the stores across the street are for rent. "Are they going to crumble, or are there going to be some businesses there?" Lane said. "I'd like to see more businesses. I'd like to cut more hair." He said he thinks someone with ties to the town has a more vested interest in the resort. "I want him to do well," he said. Peter Bostic, the union's business manager, agreed with Lane. "He will hold the place closer to the chest than an international company," Bostic said. Justice said his immediate goals include beginning work on a casino, but more important, he wants to win back the resort's Mobil five-star rating, which it lost in 1999. The key to earning that fifth star, he said, was improving his employees' outlook. His theory is that if his employees are happy, they will make the guests happy. If that sounds familiar, it's what J.W. Marriott Jr. has preached for decades. "I think it's all driven by state of mind," Justice said. "These people here are great. But how great can you be when you are worried if your family is going to be supported? These people have been through a really tough go of it and so we are in the process of lifting the cloud and bringing the sun back out."

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 16 May 2009 Welcome back! Still nothing from our ignorant CEO I see...

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 15 May 2009 I say strike strike strike and fuck the utu and ble lets fucking strike against both of them fuck csx and the unions you better do something before july

Name: T.B. Franks E-mail: Employed as: Employed in other capacity, for 30+ years Posted: 14 May 2009 I say we storm jackassville headquarters and throw mike ward out the 10th story window along with the rest of the criminals including the stupid Bitch who runs the RCO program. STRIKE!!!! SAFETY STRIKE. WILD CAT STRIKE. Call it what you want. We MUST stike - STOP THE INJURIES AND THE KILLINGS.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 14 May 2009 Hey Mr UTU Man, did you ever think of fighting against 1 man remote jobs? That might have saved a few hundred jobs and maybe a few lives! How about fighting against peg legged yard jobs? How much money did the carriers get their lawyers to give you? You know? The brief cases loaded with cash....You know.....THE BRIBES! UTU and the BLE are as worthless as tits on a bull!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 14 May 2009 Awwww shucks, thanks a bunch UTU, youre the bestest ever.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 14 May 2009 And you thought your union doesn't care! Easing the pain of furloughs By UTU Assistant President Arty Martin As a union, we can’t make the economy better, but we always attempt to make life better for our members caught up in the downturn. Many younger members, having left non-railroad employment to take railroad jobs, have now found themselves furloughed, and their hopes for a better future for their families are in a shambles. At the International and general committee levels, we continue to work to protect those affected members and their families, as well as all our brothers and sisters. As reported in the May issue of the UTU News, we are assisting our members in preserving health-care benefits during this economic downturn. On Delbert Strunk’s Norfolk Southern general committee (GO 687), Strunk convinced NS to suspend a contract clause requiring newly hired furloughed employees to be terminated permanently following 365 days of consecutive furlough. Thus, they will continue to accrue seniority for time on furlough and not have to go through the rehiring process when the economy improves, no matter how long the layoff. In meetings with the National Carriers' Conference Committee, which represents all major railroads, we have asked the carriers to explore productive alternatives to layoffs. We emphasized that short-term economic gains from layoffs could backfire as we approach the peak vacation season and implementation in July of new hours of service regulations, both of which will limit availability of qualified operating crews. One small solution is to find an innovative way to keep furloughed employees on a partial work schedule, which continues their family health-care benefits, Railroad Retirement credits and seniority accumulation. That, we told carriers, is good business, as it lessens the likelihood that younger employees will depart the railroad permanently, triggering, eventually, an expensive search for new hires who have to be trained from scratch. As an example, on Union Pacific, at numerous locations, we have negotiated creation of continuous employment boards, which provide younger employees, subject to layoff, with a minimum of eight days' work per month. These continuous employment boards do not affect operation of any existing extra board. With such boards in place, the younger employees retain full health-care and retirement benefits, and continue to accrue seniority. These workers are able to pursue part-time employment elsewhere, with knowledge that their families are protected, and that when the recession ends, they will return to full-time employment with the railroad. We would like to see this model extended to all carriers. The UP recognized this as good business sense, for history shows that laid-off employees frequently do not return to railroad employment, creating a significant cost to the carrier of hiring and training replacements when business levels return to pre-recession levels. Moreover, given that train and engine service employees work mostly unsupervised, keeping the morale of the workforce at high levels is crucial to providing world-class customer service and ensuring safe operations. Be assured that at the International and general committee levels, we will continue efforts to convince carriers it is good business to provide workers with financial security, which translates to high levels of morale, loyalty and job expertise. May 11, 2009

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 14 May 2009 Why strike? Just call payroll and tell them to withhold your dues until further notice...put the onus on the unions. It won't take them long to get the message...no dues without representation!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 14 May 2009 collective bargaining means: "You take what the fuck we give you, cause your unions have no balls and deep pockets that we can afford to fill up."

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 14 May 2009 Our collective bargaining is null and void now. What's the difference? These assholes don't adhere to our contract. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT?? WHAT'S THAT??????????????????????

Name: SafetySlowDown E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 14 May 2009 Why Strike? That will not work. CSX will be prepared to fire a few as examples just like Ingram has done since he worked at the Southern. Just SLOW Down and be SAFER Duh!!!! Follow the Rules. It will get more attention. Just will not be on CNN The unions do not have any balls to do shit. Bought and paid for. One train slows down so do others and more after that. SLOW Down and be SAFER SLOW Down and be SAFER SLOW Down and be SAFER SLOW Down and be SAFER SLOW Down and be SAFER Do Not be the next CSX Fatality or Injury. Old Heads will be taking the Lotto out of CSX with a Injury now.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 10-20 years Posted: 14 May 2009 All of you or the ONE of you that keeps posting strike strike strike, have you contacted YOUR union leaders about striking? Or just wasting energy typing the word over and over on this website??

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 14 May 2009 Well at least CSX is #1 for the lowest stock out of the class 1's

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 14 May 2009 What? This accident has nothing to do with the stock. If you look at UP, NS, and BNSF all railroad stocks are down by 1 1/2%-4%. They all have dropped significantly in the past two days.

Name: Smitty E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 30+ years Posted: 14 May 2009 I agree. We need to call a safety strike. Too many injuries and deaths caused by CSX negligence and indifference. STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!

Name: C.J. HODGES E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 30+ years Posted: 14 May 2009 UNION MEMBERS: CONTACT YOUR UNION REPS AND UNION BOSSES! DEMAND a SAFTEY STRIKE -STOP INJURIES & DEATHS TO RAILROAD WORKERS!! STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 14 May 2009 anyone look at the stocks since this accident? dropping fast 26.92 -1.08 (-3.86%)

Name: Old head Engr E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 14 May 2009 RRJ..your exactly right! This generation Y has about as much knowledge about railroading as my 16 yr old grandson. You and I have forgotten more about railroading than most of these kids wil ever know. I personally hope they lay off more of these kids, because it's a pleasure not having to hold their hand and then they TRY to tell us what too do. HAVE A SAFE DAY

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 14 May 2009 PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER May 12, 2009 CSX Repairman Killed at Bucks Railroad Crossing A CSX repairman was killed when he was struck by a tractor-trailer at a railroad crossing in Middletown Township, Bucks County, yesterday afternoon, a company spokesman said. The man, whose name was being withheld, was fixing a warning signal when he was hit by the truck, the spokesman said. The driver was reportedly questioned by police, but no further information was available last night.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 10-20 years Posted: 14 May 2009 I agree with you on that last post RRJ. 100%

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 14 May 2009 You can type in "strike" till your fingers bleed. It still isn't going to happen unless the unions sanction it. That chance is slim to none. The unions are taking the sides of the railroads on the Rail Safety Act. The unions are still trying to work with the railroads to prevent retrictions on the HOS that will take affect in July. The unions can blame the rairoads all they want for the archaic attendance policies and fatigue but their non-action allowed it. The unions have sat by and turned their backs on their members by allowing harrassment and punishment if they didn't capitule to being forced to work while under fatigue. The unions have dismantled the quality of life issues that people fought hard for in this country. Our industry has always been different than the norm except for yard jobs there has never been a 40 hour work week. Years ago we were allowed to take time off at our discretion for family functions, sickness, family illnesses, or just plain needing time off. Extra boards were suppose to cover those vacancies. The unions let the railroads control the gaurenteed extra boards which are purposely kept low so it pays little or no gaurentee. I was always against part-time railroaders which there were a lot of them years ago. We had farmers, school teachers ect...that worked two days a month to maintain their retirement and benefits then worked full time after the harvest was done or school was out for the summer. That isn't case today most of us work fulltime but we still have responsibilities that at times requires us to be off. I don't have a problem getting rid of those that abuse it that's only a small percentage. But how can the unions allow disipline charges if records show a person worked 400+ days in a calender year. The unions have allowed an encouraged people to sign waivers on disiplinary charges instead of representing them. The unions didn't strike when CSX cut off the second remote operator, yard switchmen, utilityman, yard engineer, changed road switcher assignments when it was in violation of the CSX/BLET SSA, CSX continuosly doubled over yard assignment for 4 hours calling it a make up job which the aggreement states after two days it will become a permanent job. The unions have done nothing except sat on the sidelines. It's not at the local level but the fault of the general committees. The unions will do lip service for this latest tragidy. That's about all that is going to happen.

Name: FUQCSX E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 13 May 2009 STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!

Name: SAM the RAILROAD MAN E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 13 May 2009 STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!

Name: JAFO E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 13 May 2009 Looks like C--- S----- _X----- Titanic is leaking and could use more legal torpedoes to put in this shit hole. This place is leaking bad with more problems and lies will come out on this corrupt corporation. Wonder how the Chessie Mafia Godfather Ward is feeling now. Time too get rid of Ingram and Brownie. Let it rip. This outfit should be eligible for a RICO lawsuit.

Name: Ennis E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 13 May 2009 I was saddened to hear about a fallen brother in Selkirk. I do not know the details of this tragic accident. My sympathy goes to his family. I do believe that CSX has put men in harms way in order to save a few dollars. I cannot understand a 1 man remote job- IT IS UNSAFE! I cannot understand a yard job with just an engineer and a foreman. All yard jobs should have a switchman, and all remotes should have 2 men. Why did the unions let them cut the jobs? I hate RCO jobs! I believe for safety reasons that WE should DEMAND change! I call for a SAFETY STRIKE! I am only one man/ one voice, but I realize that under these working conditions, Each and every one of us is at risk every day we are out here. One thing I have seen is a bunch of apathy in most workers here at CSX. The Company is run like crap! A bunch of morons making stupid decisions that affect our lives- LITERALLY! WE need to show solidarity to effect change. Everyone here knew it was just a matter of time until someone paid the ultimate sacrifice. Thank God that you are able to read this today, because it could be you tomorrow. Again, I feel for this man's family in their time of grief; my prayers are with them. If the allegations are correct about the TM, then someone needs to take him for a long walk. I hope the family sues for Billion$. I hope they bankrupt this Company! SAFETY STRIKE!!!!!!!!!!

Name: Steve Gordon E-mail: sgordon@gordon-elias.com Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 13 May 2009 Dear All- I am a lawyer that sues railroads. In our firms experience, only in VERY rare circumstances, do the railroads ever try to be fair to an injured employee. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the exact moment you make a report of injury you become the "enemy". It does not matter that you have given all you have to give for the railroad. CSX is, by far, the worst of the worst. They will convince people to lie about their injury after persuading them not to make a report. They will actually fly head honchos in from Jacksonville to do this. They know the person got hurt at work but they will just stand their and watch the person make a false statement after hours of intimidation. We like suing railroads and we like getting Managers under oath. Their evil ways do not stop with just injuries. They will do the same to a widow and try and quick settle with them. Sincerely, Lie Hunter

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 13 May 2009 Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 12 May 2009 C&O Joe It wasn't a wise move for the UTU to sell off the last brakemen in exchange for forcing anyone hired after 1994 to engine service.XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Historic union sell out's that began in the early 1960's. One selling out the other. Boy have the RR supported and benefited from this stuff. Everything that the forebearers gained was pissed away. It took 50 years to do it real good, as the fat cat's keep on living off those few fish that are left. When the Fireman left it was $1.50 per hundred or standard day to run with out a fireman. Now it is $200.00 per day to run with out and Engineer. The unions all of them are miserable, but keep on paying, they need you and you have no alternative?????

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 10-20 years Posted: 13 May 2009 DuPont, CSX Settle One Rate Dispute John D. Boyd | May 12, 2009 1:33PM GMT The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story Class I Railroads| Rail Shippers| Regulation| Rail + Intermodal| United States Past rate case still in process, but STB touts mediation success CSX Transportation and a major chemical shipper that has led the charge against rail rate increases, E.I. DuPont de Nemours, settled one of their disputes through mediation by the Surface Transportation Board. The STB said it dismissed a November 2008 rate complaint at DuPont’s request, in a case that covered 38 commodities hauled between 99 origin and destination pairs. STB Acting Chairman Francis P. Mulvey said "this is the first large rate case mediated to settlement under the board's auspices, A separate case, in which the STB last June ordered CSX to pay up to $3 million to DuPont in reparations or rate relief over how it charged the shipper in three related filings, is still going through a final adjustment process over a flaw in a formula the agency used in its calculations. With the adversaries agreeing to settle the November complaint, Mulvey said “this mediation demonstrates that active board staff involvement at the early stages of the case process can help narrow or, as here, completely resolve, disputed issues.” He said the STB “will continue to promote mediation as an alternative to formal and more expensive dispute resolution processes." Contact John D. Boyd at jboyd@joc.com .

Name: E-mail: mikewardisgay@gmail.com Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 13 May 2009 Why is this incident not posted on the MAINFRAME under the network logs like every other accident/fatality?

Name: fedup E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 13 May 2009 Criminal charges should be pursued by this family, against the trainmaster as well as csx, accidental deaths are prosecutable if there was neglect, and the trainmaster definitely showed neglect. The coverup is underway.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 12 May 2009 C&O Joe It wasn't a wise move for the UTU to sell off the last brakemen in exchange for forcing anyone hired after 1994 to engine service. The BLE didn't object they knew their numbers would grow. That's in the past. When CSX last December decided to go to one man remotes there wasn't any protest it just happened. What did the UTU actually agree to? The email I recieved this morning confirmed it was a one man remote. The remote operator was changing a knuckle. How can you change a knuckle wearing the harness device? Word has come down he requested a carmen that a trainmaster instructed him to change it. I'm sure CSX will find some rule that was violated to protect themselves. I'm not familiar with guidlines for the remote. Hopefully someone can explain the procedure. Are you required to disable the remote? Are you allowed to take off the harnness? How do you give yourself three step protection? Did he secure the cars with hand brakes? How long was he on the railroad? I know at my location most remotes are manned by people with less than 2 years on the railroad. Every new hire is forced to become remote qualified even those that were working road jobs. There are a lot of questions. This isn't the first fatality associated with the remote. Maybe this time it will be out in the open and not swept under the rug.

Name: cpsk E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 12 May 2009 Where are you getting two members on a job from. In Selkirk, almost all the RCO's are one man jobs.

Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 12 May 2009 RRJ, You'll never read a foul word about the RCO on UTU.org because the UTU (on the international level anyway) loves the RCO. They think it's great because it insures 2 members of their craft on the job, and an extra 46 minutes pay. They feel it is job protection for the Conductor craft which will help ensure the UTU will live on long after the the protected Conductors are gone. We who are forced to live with the practical implications of the RCO hate the god damned thing and have to deal with the conseqences of running it like derailments and the discpline as a result there of, as well as the injuries and death it seems to bring. The international will put anything it takes on the chopping block to preserve the RCO, rest assured of that. The UTU is in survival mode because they're affraid of the consequences of the shady deals of yesterday like mandatory promotion. I believe it was Presidential Emergency Board 219 that gave the BLE exclusive bargaining rights for the Engineer craft meaning that by the UTU agreeing to mandatory promotion, they had likely sealed their fate because once they eliminate Conductors the UTU will have little purpose. Sure, there will always be ground service employees in some form, but the UTU will most likely not have enough members to sustain themselves and they certainly won't be able to sustain themselves at anywhere near the level they are accustomed to. In the end it will be little more than a case of the UTU reaping what they've sewn.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 12 May 2009 Try this link: http://definitions.uslegal.com/d/depraved-indifference/

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 12 May 2009 Gentlemen and Ladies: It's amazing how a death brings all the Suckers out. Boys and girls...you could be next...better speak up...or else! Read the contract...understand it...ask questions...get the cellphones out of your ear...and understand this, you have no obligation to do anything you consider unsafe...CSX safety rules clearly state that if YOU think you need help ask for it. The Trainmaster that ordered him to do the work without help is 100% guilty of DEPRAVED INDIFFERENCE: http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/train-1263206-preparing- information.html The Unions (UTU & BLEt) are just as guilty as the carrier is. It's going to take a class action law suit by the contract employees, against the unions to get them to act against the carriers, Until that happens nothing will change!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 10-20 years Posted: 12 May 2009 UTU vs BLE, Oldhead vs "Y" Gen.....divided we fall yadda yadda. so until this mentality is gone, we get what CSX wants I reckon. As for CSX covering things up, if you see it speak up...call the FRA, worried it might put a target on your back? Newsflash we all have targets on our backs right now with the management we are dealing with on the CSX right now. If what was posted earlier about this employee asking for help and being instructed to do it alone, I hope everybody who heard it over the radio or whatever give a statement to the press. This is about a person dying, not who gave away the jobs and all that crap. Neither union insisted that he change a knuckle himself, the fucked up management did that....point blank.Its time their asses are held responsible for their ignorance and arrogance. My condolences to the family of Jerod Boehlke, I hope that everyone who is at fault in this is held accountable.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 12 May 2009 It might not mean anything to you. The UTU website which I frequent occasionally to read articles has never mentioned anything about remote accidents including injuries and deaths. The BLET on the other hand has kept a record. The implementation of new technology is a reality to recklessly allow such technology to be implemented without safeguards or federal regulations is careless if not criminal. To this date remotes are only governed by ferderal guidelines not regulation. Which allows the carriers to utilize it in any way they deem fit including such reckless behavior like a measily two weeks of training or cutting man power. We've endured remotes for at least 3 years at my location. We've seen CSX cover up everything from run thru switches, derailments, side swipes, to injuries. It might not mean anything to you, but I'm sure it does to the family of this person who was killed. To know the union that's suppose to protect it's members was involved in creating a dangerous enviroment.

Name: Why bother? Nobody listens. E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 12 May 2009 Yup, Generation "Y" at its best. They know everything: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/11/boston.trolley.crash/index.html Investigator: Texting driver should have seen stopped trolley BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- The operator of a trolley that rear-ended another trolley should have been able to see the other vehicle was stopped 480 feet ahead, a federal investigator said Monday. Passengers walk past firefighters at a Green Line station in Boston after the trolley collision Friday evening. The trolley driver has told investigators he was text messaging during Friday night's collision, which injured 20 people. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, which previously had banned operators from using cell phones and other portable devices, now has told employees to leave the devices at home while on duty, National Transportation Safety Board member Debbie Hersman said Monday. Hersman also noted investigators have determined that the operator may have missed some crucial indications of a stopped trolley ahead on the tracks. Watch new transit rule on cell phones » "There were several signals -- two green signals, a yellow signal and a red signal -- coming out of the station, and the point of collision occurred 80 feet past that red signal," Hersman said. "We did a site-distance test, and we know that the operator had the ability to see the trolley stopped in front of him 480 feet in advance of the collision." Boston officials said over the weekend that the trolley operator was using his cell phone. Numerous media outlets, including CNN's Boston affiliates, have identified the driver as 24-year-old Aiden Quinn. "The operator of the striking train was interviewed at the hospital by two detectives," said MBTA general manager Daniel Grabauskas. "He admitted that he was texting at the time of the accident." Don't Miss Official: Trolley driver was texting at time of crash The operator told detectives that, when he looked up, "it was too late as he applied the brake and the train struck the other trolley," Grabauskas said. He described himself as "outraged." "We have reinforced for a number of years that the use of cell phones or any other kinds of electronic devices while operating a train or a bus is absolutely prohibited," Grabauskas said. Though the investigation is ongoing, he said, the two-year employee will be fired if his version of events is confirmed. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening, the MBTA said. The collision happened at 7:18 p.m. ET Friday as the Green Line trains were traveling between the Park Street and Government Center stations in downtown Boston. Both trains were traveling westbound when one train rear-ended the second, an MBTA official said. A train operator also was text messaging last year in a California train crash that killed 25 people.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 10-20 years Posted: 12 May 2009 My post had nothing to do with "who" sold off the jobs, a fellow employee was killed and I feel it should have been posted on both sites. UTU vs BLE crap is old and tired, same ol shit equals same ol treatment from the carriers

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 12 May 2009 A short article about the death of a CSX worker is posted on the BLET website. Why would the UTU mention it? They were the key player in implamenting remotes. It has come around to bite the UTU in the arse when CSX decided to go with one man remotes. How many more jobs will the UTU sell off? In the past 24 years they sold out the two brakemen on road trains, the switchmen jobs in the yard, the locomotive firemen, the locomotive engineers in the yard, and now a remote operator. The only thing progressive about the UTU is the high rate of progression on eliminating jobs.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 10-20 years Posted: 12 May 2009 Why isnt the story about the fallen brother posted on the UTU website? It seems to me that if they are to be representing trainman that this tragedy should have been the top story of the day. They should be screaming foul right now. Again we ask, what use is paying dues?

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 11 May 2009 NoMo What's wrong with you? You can't tell the truth on this site. Most don't believe it they like blaming those who are still marked up. Even though we know it's a false accusation I'm getting use to having power. The power to keep people furloughed. I never knew I could just call CMC anytime I want and cut the boards. I'll try it when I get back from vacation. If it works out I'll go for making all my trips between monday - thursday by cutting the board then call CMC on friday to increase it on weekends so I can have time at home. Amazing you learn something new everyday. As for your suggestion of getting placed on a call board. Most on here think that by not accepting work while furloughed it will force CSX to recall people. We know it doesn't work that way. CSX will only recall people when there good and ready. If CSX can move freight with half the crews they will try. CSX doesn't care. People can monitor the board all they want. There isn't anyone to complain to the union has no control over gaurenteed extra boards. The union can make sure the averages on freight pools are correct. Usually the numbers are so high to add it doesn't matter. Like a few have stated on here about the new HOS per month how it will affect the earning power of those still working. I welcome it. I personally like time off. Right now the only time off I get is claiming 10 hours undisturbed rest at home. I spend more time away from home in the lodging. Everything over the past 5-6 years has gone backwards. I hope in July it does get some people back to work. I just feel between the railroads and the unions it isn't going to happen without a few injunctions. Both are against restricting the number of hours a person can work per month.

Name: CSX Blow E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 11 May 2009 How was he killed? Did a car strike him or something?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 11 May 2009 A UTU member was fatally injured tonight on a one man remote control assignment which was an East End puller in Selkirk, NY. I have been advised he was ordered to change a knuckle by himself after requesting assistance from the car department. The unofficial report is he twice requested assistance from the car department as was ordered both times by the trainmaster in charge he would be required to change the knuckle without the assistance of the car department

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 11 May 2009 Hey Con 1-10: CMC isn't going to increase the boards anytime soon...and if I were you I wouldn't count on being recalled in the near future(3 months +). Call CMC and have your name put on the call list. You might be able to pick-up a couple of turns a week. You might make enough to keep you insurance in force and you only need one turn a month for the month to count towards your RR retirement. Join the crowd!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 11 May 2009 The suck's are at it again at Lafayette, IN. CMC cuts the Eng. board and cut back Eng.'s are taking calls for work (Y101 Sunday Day). Maybe if these sucks would'nt answer the phone maybe CMC would increse the boards and maybe I would get called back from furlough status, R.R. unemployment does'nt pay for a shit. Just remember while you're out there bitching your fellow employees, I'm sitting at home collecting unemployment, trying to support my family and pay the bills. Don't forget you big company sucks, we are watching. Hopefully, you'll get deployed to Iraq again very soon.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 11 May 2009 Hey Loco 30+: Must be some of that new math...My question might be how many miles can the railroads move 15,000 tons of freight on a gallon of fuel? It has been some time now, maybe 15 years since diesel fuel was "cleaned up", by Federal mandate, reducing sulfur emissions. The railroads are tooting their own horns for public relations purposes. They're only trying to get ahead of the bell curve in preparation for the next round of emissions reduction regulations. With the railroads, being green means having an excuse to charge shippers more green $$$. I wonder what their next line of good corporate citizenship will be?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 11 May 2009 * Moving freight by rail helps the environment, as rail transport is three times more fuel-efficient than moving freight on the highway. * Trains can move a ton of freight more than 436 miles on a single gallon of fuel, greatly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. * In an on-going effort to reduce fuel consumption and air pollutant emissions, CSXT has invested more than $1 billion in technology to upgrade its locomotive fleet. * Since 1980, the company has improved its fuel efficiency by approximately 80 percent. * CSXT was the first railroad to join the EPA Climate Leaders Program, pledging to publicly report its greenhouse gas emissions and establish a voluntary goal for emissions reduction. Anyone know how the math was done on some of these stats.? My numbers show a different story. HMMMMMM. False advertising? Everyone is green today or at least claims to be. Many haven't changed a thing, but are tooting their horn how green they are.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 11 May 2009 BUFFALO, N.Y. — In a letter to the Active Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board (STB), Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) is asking the national agency to reopen the related docket since layoffs at Buffalo’s Frontier Yard are in violation of the agreement which allowed CSX and Norfolk Southern to acquire Conrail’s assets. “As a condition of the merger agreement, CSX pledged to invest substantially in facilities and jobs in the Buffalo region however with the news this week of 132 layoffs and possibly more on the way that clearly isn’t happening,” said Congressman Higgins. “CSX has an ethical and contractual obligation to keep these jobs in Buffalo and we want to see them hold up their end of the bargain.” On July 20, 1998, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) issued a decision (FD-33388) which allowed CSX and Norfolk Southern to acquire Conrail’s assets. In the context of the 1998 decision, the board indicated that it would hold CSX to its commitments to Buffalo in this matter: “We will hold CSX to all of its representations related to the Buffalo area, most notably those regarding its plans for investment in new connections and upgraded facilities in the Buffalo area, including: (1) upgrading Conrail's existing computer technology and fueling facilities at Buffalo; (2) maintaining or increasing current employment levels in the Buffalo area… and (5) investing substantial funds in network improvements to reduce shipping time and enhance service reliability for rail shippers in the Greater Buffalo area[1],” said the Surface Transportation Board at the time. The STB is a regulatory agency created by Congress in 1995. The independent agency has jurisdiction over railroad rate and service issues and rail restructuring transactions as well as other transportation issues

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 11 May 2009 Must be related to Buford T.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 11 May 2009 Hey RRJ: The man, Jim Justice, that sold the mines to the Russians for $436 million just bought the Greenbrier resort from CSX for $20 million!

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 11 May 2009 C&O Joe That was pretty hilarious. Anytime Goober agrees with someone you know it was an ignorant post. The reality is we didn't complain about furloughs. We knew there wasn't a damn thing we could do except wait it out. Besides who was there to complain to? We didn't have venues like websites to vent back then we still had rotary dial telephones and a black and white screen TV wasn't unusual. I'm sure if we had all the avenues to vent that are available today we would of used them. It still doesn't change the fact most who complain on here blame the wrong people oldheads. The only one who does the furloughing is CSX. I've never disagreed that CSX always cuts down to the bare bone those left working will continuosly get out on their rest. It's been that way as long as I can remember. CSX feels they can get away with it. As for not caring about people furloughed. That definitely isn't correct. There isn't anything that can be done about it except those who are furloughed will wait it out or move on. Some on here take it to a different level by blaming the wrong people. With ignorant assinine comments like my favorite "I wish you oldheads would die". That's when it becomes a matter of being insulted and they deserve to be made fun of in a similiar manner. Did you read the article that 4 W.Va mines were bought by a Russian company? For exporting coal for steel production. Just like i tried to explain to you the downturn of coal production has been greatly affect by export coal not domestic. I guess the Russians got smart why not own the cow instead of just buying the milk.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 10 May 2009 The suck's are at it again at Lafayette, IN. CMC cuts the Eng. board and cut back Eng.'s are taking calls for work (Y301 Friday night). Maybe if these sucks would'nt answer the phone maybe CMC would increse the boards and maybe I would get called back from furlough status, R.R. unemployment does'nt pay for a shit. But i guess if you're pursuing a job as a CSX manager it looks good on your resume to be a ass kisser.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 10 May 2009 Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 09 May 2009 You little punks need to shape up! You concerns are falling on deaf ears. These old heads on here sprang from the womb with a lantern in their hand, needless to say they were expert railroaders the day they were placed on the roster. When the old bastards before them gave them the shaft or talked to them like scum they considered themselves fortunate for the opprotunity. They thought being furloughed was a good experiance and they were thankful for the life experiance in poverty and resiliance. Most of all they never ever complained! Give me a break. there's no one on gods green earth that spends more time complaining than an old head railroader. These guys come on here to blow off steam and all they get is an ear full of standard don't give a damn bullshit from every 30 year man on the site. If times were so tough back then I'd think you guys would be more understanding. Cut em a break. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ C&O pretty nice post, just needs a little adjusting. we all stumbled into a recruiter that hired us. They were not picky just needed a warm body. I was a warm body that was hired as a fireman. Cubbed a few trips and went to work sitting on the left side, sleeping most of the time. The brakeman and engineer took care of keeping each other awake, heck they ignored me, they had their own agenda to talk about. After getting whacked with arb 282 went to the ground. Good exercise. Got cut off for 1 month and worked when I wanted, was number 2 on the cutoff list. Loved that. Never cut off again. Worked when I wanted and took as much time off as I wanted and could afford. Really nice easy job that paid well with horrible hours. However If I needed cash I could get straight and make it quick. I took a look around and saw myself in the right seat, or at that time on the caboose. No thanks life can and will be better than this.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 10 May 2009 I found this link: http://www.freightrailworks.org/index.html On this site: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ A slick ad directed at a very small group by the AAR, the rail industry lobby. If labor wants to be heard, the unions better get with it!

Name: Shafted agian E-mail: Employed as: Employed in other capacity, for 1-10 years Posted: 10 May 2009 I have read some accusations of people signing off locomotives that need to be shopped, using torches to repair a car,doing clerks work etc. I know there is often some dissention amongst the crafts but at a time like this we need to watch out for each other too. If we need a clerk call a clerk. If the engine needs fixing , send it to the shop.Same with railcars and MOW stuff. Let the other crafts know time ,place and any other info about crossing crafts. To those that do it, you are taking away someone elses job and someday it will be yours as well. We have valid contracts in place. BOTH Parties are obligated to honor them. Think of it like your siblings, yeah we fight amonst ourselves but no one else had better lay a hand on them. We need to be more united and stand up for each other. If we start doing each others work, the union contract becomes worthless. Why is the company going to abide if the job is getting done by one person.

Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 09 May 2009 You little punks need to shape up! You concerns are falling on deaf ears. These old heads on here sprang from the womb with a lantern in their hand, needless to say they were expert railroaders the day they were placed on the roster. When the old bastards before them gave them the shaft or talked to them like scum they considered themselves fortunate for the opprotunity. They thought being furloughed was a good experiance and they were thankful for the life experiance in poverty and resiliance. Most of all they never ever complained! Give me a break. there's no one on gods green earth that spends more time complaining than an old head railroader. These guys come on here to blow off steam and all they get is an ear full of standard don't give a damn bullshit from every 30 year man on the site. If times were so tough back then I'd think you guys would be more understanding. Cut em a break.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 09 May 2009 "Y" me 1-10 Railroad called it's time to make money. People like you are to easy to mess with it doesn't take much to push your buttons. You read what you want an ignore the truth that makes you impossible to teach. You're no different than 90% of the new hires at my location. The other 10% who are willing to learn the ropes prosper.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 09 May 2009 "Y" me 1-10 I hope a lot of people do get called back. Furloughs still have nothing to do with oldheads. The fact is Junior oldheads are a minority. If things change at union meetings like pool averages it's not anyones fault but those who didn't attend. You're like a broken record blaming others and crying over something that most likely was your own fault by being complacent. If that big word confuses you "complacent" it means your like sheep grazing in a field to dumb to do anything like run away or put up a fight to ignorant to know you'll end up at the slaughterhouse. Then when it happens you want to blame everyone else. When the reality is you probably didn't take 3 hours of your time to attend a union meeting which could of stopped whatever your complaining about. Let me clue you in nothing can be changed at just one union meeting there is a procedure. The first meeting is step one: a proposal is made for change then someone seconds the motion it's added to the agenda for the next meeting. The next month comes step two: voting on the proposal. That's two months Junior no one to blame but yourself. I go to at least 4-6 union meetings a year without losing work. Everyone can do the same. The truth is just a handful bother to take the time. The one thing a UTU local/BLET division can do is make changes locally. The fact is it only takes 6 people to make change it's called a quarem. Get involved quit sitting on the sideline.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 09 May 2009 No your wrong you old fucks are the reason we get fourloughed or at least 50% of the cause because your always running your mouth about cutting boards and to many people here to many people there. You will be affected by the hos and i will not be fourloughed anymore because your ass will not b working everyday you will be making your basic day your overtime is gone say good bye old fuck and as for your retirement i would about say you need to go ahead and take it or if not your just helping me so work all you can old fuck.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 09 May 2009 "Y" me 1-10 Just the response I expected. Junior, No one working in T&E is responsible for creating furloughs. That one is strictly a CSX upper management decision. The new HOS won't affect me. I'll still be on the highest paying job. While you if you're not furloughed will be making just a basic day. The restrictive hours per month will hurt those with big mortgages, big monthly car pmts, children still at home (which I'm sure still includes you), their childrens college funds, the increased cost of basic necessities ect....on the other hand I'am wise enough that I don't have credit cards, I own the titles to all three of my vehicles, my home was purchased in 1986 it's nearly paid off with a minut mortgage pmt ect...It'll still allow me to put 17% in my 401K plus savings into two different accounts. I've never been a hoghead. I've never tried to live beyond my means. So, I'll expect more unintelligent insults from you. Like I stated before you're acting like a snot nosed little kid.

Name: Why bother? Nobody listens. E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 09 May 2009 RRJ 30+: well-put on the posts. I am a Gen-Xer who cannot fathom the amount of entitlement these new hires have. They know everything! With the advent of remotes, a lot of them walked onto the job being able to hold fairly regular assignments, knowing nothing about working for years on the extraboard or on the road like the majority of us. The amount of apathy they have for their jobs is overwhelming to the point where they walk around with cell phones surgically attached to their ears, tee-hee-heeing and ha-ha-ing over stupid text messages while hanging off equipment. These are the same guys who cut corners, break rules, and "help" the company out. Like crossing crafts. Doing clerk’s work, or using a cutting torch on a car and doing the work of a car-knocker in the presence of the FRA, or "making it good" by signing off on locomotive calendar day inspections for engines that should be shopped. The only thing they are doing is "helping" themselves and others out of a job as the company continues eliminating jobs. They make the carrier's job easier. Maybe they're running for the quit. Who knows. They know everything. Who cares! They just laugh. Don't forget to remind them about the astronomical cost of health insurance every month that you will be hit with upon retirement. They have short memories, tomorrow never comes, and they probably don't care. Gen-Y - "Y" me?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 09 May 2009 the company/ingram doesnt need to come down.. Bob Frulla just needs a good kick in the larnyx bestowed upon him by a visitor to that kremlin building in huntington west by god virginia. Ingram would congratulate Frulla anyway.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 09 May 2009 Yeh right for now you do old fuck wait until the law kicks in in July then youll be makeing what everybody else does I hope you fucking rot you peice of shit your the reason everybodys fourloughed

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 09 May 2009 cond 1-10 Ditto. I could give a schidt whether you work or not. Furloughs don't affect my peers and myself anymore. We stand for the highest paying jobs left in the terminals. Not once did I mention anything about new hires. But seeing you had to be rude I'll give you my honest assessment of the current situation. I hope your mommy and daddy are doing great I'm sure they'll be glad to get rid of your silly arse out of their house once you reach maturity if that's possible. Your response is typical of your generation. Which up until a few days ago I didn't even know it has been named Generation "Y". Because of all the crying over "Y" me? "Y" can't I hold the highest paying jobs like them old phukers? "Y" does the mean old trainmaster pick on me? "Y" can't I use my cell phone to text message on the train anymore? "Y" can't I have every satuday-sunday off it's not fair them oldheads get them all and sometimes they don't even use it? This list could go on. It time for you to grow up be a man stop sniveling like a whiney snot nosed kid. Damn this is fun. Have a nice day.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 09 May 2009 we have a division manager bthat is the closest thing to hitler you can find bob frulla loves to fire hard working men and women just to show he thinks he is somebody you have employees that use the system and get by with murder then the good employees get in a little trouble and they want to throw them to the wolves some body in the upper csx standards should take a serious look at frulla and other company officials in hinton wv that let certain employees get by with murder because they like them frank lynch for example has taken 19 daily vacation days and you only get 14 they dont care though because he has always done it toni ingram should come on down to good ole wva and roll some heads

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 09 May 2009 Hey Loc Eng 30+yrs i don't feel bad for you at all. Hell the rest of us have to eat to.

Name: RRJ E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 09 May 2009 Lloyd There ya go a name just for you. The 50+ yr old railroader works more because it's one of the key elements on determining how much their retirement will by their last 5 years. By then they've raised their children sent them to college ect...it's time they have to start saving money. No one wants to retire with just living retirement check to retirement check without back up funds. My generation has been hit twice by down turns in the stock market 1999 & the present situation. Our investments and 401K's this time around lost at least 40%. That's not a comfortable feeling we don't have time to be aggressive and wait it out. I sold everything and bought CSX stock recently. CSX will get the stock price back up quicker than any mutual fund in a 401K. Then it's sell put it in the money market. Just like Ward and the rest with their stock options they get to buy low sell high. Only difference they do it in one day they buy at $23 a share and sell at $60 a share making millions. First Ward must get the stock to a certian price before he can excersize his stock options. I recall reading the price is $61 a share. The 55/30 retirement was just a rumor. It was discussed on the BLET website. It wasn't a bad rumor for every year under 60 it would of been a 2% reduction. At age 55 a person with 360 months/30 years paid into retirement they would of collected 90%. It might not seem like much that would of been a reduction of $340 for a single person and $440 for married a month. Retirees have to pay for health coverage that 10% reduction would hurt unless their spouse had better coverage at their work. I'll explain it one more time. It's no ones business how much I post. I don't work a yard job after 32 years I can't hold one thank's to remotes and CSX downsizing. I work the road which I have for 95% of my carreer. I check this site only if I'm home in the mornings before I read the news with my morning coffee and cigar or when I check my statis for work. It's like something an old conductor I knew along time ago once told me about himself "people think I'm serious when I'm being sarcastic and they think I'm being sarcastic when I'm being serious". For myself that's for ya'll to figure out.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 08 May 2009 Anyone notice there are no words of encouragement or planning on either of the union websites......just pissing money away every month on dues

Name: CSX Blow E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 08 May 2009 To CSX Customer: Heres a video to the news story about CSX`s greed right from the horse`s mouth. This guy is a real putz. He looks like Elmer Fudd and this is who we have for a leader to run this fortune 500 company. Its no supprise they are hurtning with leadership like this. Even in this tough economy there is so much potential on this railroad and profits to be made. http://www.foxbusiness.com/search-results/m/22000209/csx-creates-clean-diesel-engine-train.htm#q=OR+%22Fuel+Efficiency%22+OR+%22Corporate+Average+Fuel+Efficiency%22

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 20-30 years Posted: 08 May 2009 Pensacola is just the first. There will be more. Here comes the real Hackin and Slashin. Dont worry though, the Unions will save us.

Name: Lloyd E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 08 May 2009 I said don't get your panties in a wad because I knew without reading that second reply a lot of old heads would be mad because I did not clarify that statement. If you think that I believe most men out here over 55 that are still working wouldn't retire if they could you have got me all wrong. I think it would be great for all sides even if it meant taking a little bit out of your monthly check (which a lot of 30 plus men would never want). But when you really break it down, if you could spend 5 extra years of your life with a retirement check that was a little less instead of working 5 more with a little extra..wouldn't the majority take the offer? It wouldn't be a hard one for me to make but the older generation is different. Work comes first...then family for a lot of men in their 50's and early 60's. For the fuck stick that called me a dumbass for mistakenly responding on 2 sections, eat a dick buddy. You 30 plus posters can't even get a name for yourself so I hardly have a clue of who I'm even responding too. Z has came out, htl, I think nomo is 30 plus, why don't you single yourself out too puss? You know who I am so please identify yourself as other than 30 plus because for all I know you could be one of 10 who post on here with that title. You are probably the same arrogant bastard who replies to everything anyone says that you disagree with aren't ya? Obviously either you don't work right now, or have a cush yard job that you work 4 hours a day and get paid 8 for. Its obvious you have a lot more time than anyone else does because you choose to make a smartass comment to every post you disagree with. It's alright though, you have your opinion and I've got mine. We are living in two different generations. Bottom line is this company still sucks and we are all still getting fucked by them whenever they see fit. You guys all have a wonderful night and since its national prayer day Im sending out one for all the ones who are on the street right now. God Bless

Name: Rube E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 08 May 2009 CSX BLOWS, Well, you didn't miss much. The Jax Division manager came down and said what we already knew. Every rumor the last 2 years has come true. They killed Pensacola! All 600 series trains are gone. Freight pools-Gone! They cut off the night yard job, then called me 4 hours later off the furlough board to work an extra yard job. IDIOTS!!!! I told the caller I caught a bad case of swine flu at the "town hall meeting." Bottom line- P'cola will be safe if you have 30 years- otherwise; you might wanna call U-HAUL. CSX SUCKS!

Name: CSX Librarian E-mail: Employed as: Corporate office, for 10-20 years Posted: 08 May 2009 Please do not GOOGLE CSX Trainmaster Danny Spencer. The search might flood your computer. I save every post and store these for future use. The 5th Best Run Class One Railroad in the USA.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 08 May 2009 Damn...if only we could figure out how to harness all the hot air coming from 500 Water St. in Jacksonville we would never need fossil fuels again! What a bunch of gas bags!

Name: avejoe E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 08 May 2009 hey there shockey there is nothing wrong with hairy women maybe black women but not hairy lol fuck csx fuck the econmy and fuck all those working for csx makin the big bucks i see you drive by and flip you off sorry in advance for this lol

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 08 May 2009 Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 07 May 2009 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Best post on this site in YEARS, scroll back and read it a few more times!

Name: E-mail: FUCK WARD Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 08 May 2009 C&O Joe: CSX Transportation Supports Wind Power Industry, CSXT Representatives attend WINDPOWER 2009 Released: May 07, 2009 Jacksonville, Fla. - May 6, 2009 - CSX Transportation (CSXT) representatives are attending WINDPOWER 2009 Conference and Exhibition, the world's largest annual wind conference and exhibition, to reinforce the company's service to the wind power industry. CSXT supports the wind power industry by providing a reliable and fuel-efficient mode of transporting turbine equipment to assembly and operating locations. "CSXT is committed to being the premier railroad for wind energy equipment," said Shayne Martin, director, emerging markets for CSXT. "As new markets such as the East Coast offshore wind power market come on line, rail transport will continue to be critical to moving large turbine modules and equipment." Due to the massive size of wind turbine components, rail is the preferred mode of transportation. Rail transport offers the most reliable option, while also reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Last month, CSXT received G.E.'s "Customer Centricity" award at the annual G.E. Energy Carrier Conference in Greenville, South Carolina. CSXT was chosen for the top award in part for its direct assistance in moving wind energy components to and from G.E.'s Pensacola facility. "Just as we are committed to environmental sustainability in our every day operations, CSXT is proud to support the wind power industry's role in developing clean energy sources," added Martin. Wind power is an environmentally-friendly alternative energy option. CSXT is pleased to support this industry and has a long-standing commitment to air quality and clean operations. CSXT's environmental stewardship extends across all of its operations. There are several ways CSXT is making a difference for the environment: -- Moving freight by rail helps the environment, as rail transport is three times more fuel-efficient than moving freight on the highway. -- Trains can move a ton of freight more than 436 miles on a single gallon of fuel, greatly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. --In an on-going effort to reduce fuel consumption and air pollutant emissions, CSXT has invested more than $1 billion in technology to upgrade its locomotive fleet. -- Since 1980, the company has improved its fuel efficiency by approximately 80 percent. -- CSXT was the first railroad to join the EPA Climate Leaders Program, pledging to publicly report its greenhouse gas emissions and establish a voluntary goal for emissions reduction. WINDPOWER 2009 Conference and Exhibition is May 4th - 7th, 2009, at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. More information about the largest annual wind conference and exhibition in the world is available at www.windpowerexpo.org/. CSX Transportation Inc. is a principal operating company of CSX Corporation. CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans 21,000 miles with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and connects to more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at the company's web site, www.csx.com. Media Contact Garrick Francis 1-877-835-5279 garrick_francis@csx.com

Name: Z E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 08 May 2009 Name: Lloyd E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 07 May 2009 One major correction, if they would let you guys retire at 55 who had 30 plus years. I have no idea why this hasn't happened because it would definitely help. Now don't get your panties too wadded up old heads. Why would I want to wad up my panties. If it was 55 I would have been gone. In the earily 70's it went from 65 to 62. There was talk at this time about getting it to 55. When it went from 62 to 60 there was talk again of retirement going to 55 if your age and years of service equaled a certain number. I wish it would go to 55. It would open up a hell of a lot of jobs for fourloughed people and enable me to enjoy life.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 08 May 2009 C&O Joe Not once did I ever mention voting for Obama. You're just assuming it. This conversion from coal to gas fired power plants has been going on for years. We lost two power plants about 4 years ago it might not seem like much it cost us about 8 trains per week. This was all under Bush and the Repo control of congress. You have this misconception that all ills will be cured overnight. The reality is this admistration has only been in office around 3 1/2 months. Maybe your just a product of generation "Y" not having the patience to wait things out. Which is eveident by the railroad new hires who can't seem to understand why they can't hold a preferred job.

Name: CSX Blow E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 07 May 2009 What happened in the town hall meeting in Pensacola? More lies? I was`nt able to make it so someone please fill us in.

Name: Justin Shockey E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 30+ years Posted: 07 May 2009 Matt Sanders loves fat, black, hairy woman from what I hear when I went to my investigation the other day. Look out Predator!!!! He is coming for you!!!hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahha And winning an arguement from a CSX employee in Baltimore (LET ALONE IF IT IS ON LINE OR NOT) is not hard. It is LIKE FIGHTING IN THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS!!!hahahahahahhahahahahaha Just working there is a tribute to the special Olympics!!!hahahahahahah Dumbass waterheads!!!

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 07 May 2009 Hey Other <1: Coal will be a large part of the mix for years to come on the RR. Lets look at wind for example...the wind blows in places where the utilities have no transmission lines. The velocity also varies by time of day and season. The utilities have to have a consent supply of power to run thier grids. Wind power is a good supplenental source, however it will take many years to develope the infrastructure necessary to make wind a reliable resource. Until then, coal will remain king!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Employed in other capacity, for Less than 1 year Posted: 07 May 2009 C&O Joe has coaldust in his eyes. Coal is on the way out. Once they find a cheap replacment technology with solor, hydrogen, methanoyl, or wind........coal is toast. The railroads are shit without coal. They invented coal. Now, any smart RR would be looking down that inevitable road. Oxymoron = Smart Railroad. LOL. The unions and the railroads. Toast.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 07 May 2009 Hey Nobody: Spencer is a real piece of shit. He got a real beat-down after he moved to B'ham...he was lucky! Someone at CSX is protecting him...Father or Uncle in a high position. He had the same problems when he was up North, Indiana I think...hence the transfer to Montgomery then B'ham. That's how CSX deals with fuck ups with family in Jacksonville. Write Ward a letter and tell him you're taking your business elsewhere...the only thing CXS understands is money, so let your money talk for you. Besides, you'll get better service with a drayage line!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 07 May 2009 Just A Dude: Well they are about to raise their shipping rates again, and Michael Ward was quoted as saying "i would rather lose customers than lower shipping rates in most cases" so welcome to CSX where the Customer Comes First ;)

Name: Just a dude E-mail: Employed as: CSX Customer, for N/A Posted: 07 May 2009 Okay, so I did a little more reading on Mr. Dan Spencer of Birmingham...according to this site he has fathered a child out of wedlock with a conductors wife, had people fired for no reason, has had multiple affairs on and off company property, recently took a physical beat down for his indiscretions, was accused/convicted of solicting a prostitute...and he is still employed by CSX? Wow...CSX must be desperate...or Mr. Spencer must have the deepest throat when in the company of Mr. Ingram! In today's litigious world, it's only a matter of time before someone like Mr. Spencer costs CSX millions of dollars in a lawsuit. As a soon to be former customer of CSX, I don't want to pay the rates I do for freight plus the cost of any future lawsuits Mr. Spencer will ineveitably cost your company.

Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 07 May 2009 Your having a serious reading comprehension meltdown here. I never said the assult on coal was only affecting West Virginia. Coal is nearly half of CSX revenue so saying that it affects us all is simply stating the obvious. The only time I recall mentioning WV at was talking about the mining permits they'd froze here. Had I have known how many they froze in any of the other coal states I would have certainly included that also because it further proves my point. You brought up a good point about poverty and governent assistance programs in WV. The Dems have had enjoyed a majority here since I belive around 1950. As a result we are 2nd in the nation in the percentage of our income we pay in taxes. We lead the nation in welfare and disability recipiants per capita. We rank 47th I believe in avg. income per family. Wal-Mart is our #1 employer and we lead the nation in the # of state employees per capita. Despite the extreamly high taxes and the fortune in coal severance tax revenue we have nothing to show for it. All we have to show for 60 years of Democratic control and being taxed into the poor house is a poor ass state full of fat ass welfare cases and able bodied disabled people and the only jobs that are worth having are directly tied to coal because our "pro labor" democratic governent taxed and tree hugged 90% of our chemical industry away and now Obama wants to tax coal away also so we in WV are pretty much out of options. Thanks to our left wing nut job judges who believe your insurance company owes anyone involved in a minor fender bender a million plus, car insurance is about half price accross the river in Ohio. When Clinton lobbied NAFTA into law we watched what little manufacturing industry we had head for Mexico with the exception of Toyota who's only here because they got a 25 year tax break after which they'll hit the trail like Volkswagon and the others did. Still wonder why I'm a Republican? You can look this shit up if you don't believe it. Barack Obama stated plain and clear during his campaign that nobody would be able to afford to open a coal fired power plant because the taxes and permits would be to high. He lied his whole campaign about wanting to open clean coal refineries and then after he got elected he did a 180 and hasn't mentioned it since. He estimated clean coal refineries would generate 500,000 jobs, yet not one penny of the job creation portion of his 800 billion dollar stimulus bill that my childrens great great grandchildren will be paying for was spent on clean coal because he coincidentaly found out 2 weeks after the election that there is no such thing as clean coal, but he did set aside a few billion to finance the power plants conversion to natural gas. His #2 priority once in office was passing his cap and trade bill which is the first step in taxing the coal industry out of buisness and by the admission of the DEM spokeswoman on TV yesterday would cost the coal and associated industries (railroads, trucking, electric, etc.) an estimated 3,000,000 jobs over the next 5 years which is why it lost a lot of key DEM support. Even in the current economy Obama was pushing a bill to wipe out 3 million upper middle class jobs. What will this moron have to say to make it any clearer that he hates coal and wants to eliminate it and the need for every job that goes with it? This is not hear say or Republican propaganda. This is shit that came right out of mouths of the DNC! I can't comprehend why no matter what this guy says the people who depend on the very thing he wants to eliminate to support their families continue to support him! You are a prime example of how people stupid themselves out of existance. Even an old dog knows not to bite the hand that feeds him.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 07 May 2009 Tony Ingram is a Chief Operating Officer of CSX Transportation Inc and Exec. VP of CSX Transportation Inc of Csx Corporation. You probably dont want to talk to him, his half the reason the trainmasters and officials act the way they do now. Business Headquarters Corporate Headquarters 500 Water Street, 15th Floor Jacksonville, FL 32202 904-359-3200 CSX Transportation Inc. 500 Water Street Jacksonville, FL 32202 904-359-3100 is all i can tell ya

Name: Just a nobody E-mail: Employed as: CSX Customer, for N/A Posted: 07 May 2009 Who is "Ingram" and how do I contact him to complain? Will it do any good?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Yard Master, for 1-10 years Posted: 07 May 2009 Just a nobody: Contact Jacksonville about Spencer, i doubt it would get you anywhere, but its worth a shot. The head of Massey had to fly down there and talk to Ward about Frula...needless to say "lookit the coal being hauled off in trucks now instead of trains" CSX is run by ignorant individuals as all their customers are finding out slowly

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 07 May 2009 Danny Spencer of Bham is the same on and off the property. He has already had a run in with a few employees. Likes to sleep with peoples wives and it caught up with him. He is just another of Ingrams Mini-Nazis with a little dick complex.

Name: Just a nobody E-mail: Employed as: CSX Customer, for N/A Posted: 07 May 2009 Anybody know anything about this Danny Spencer character in Birmingham? Is he as much of an asshole in real life as he is at work? What an ignorant dick...seems like CSX has a real liability issue with this loose cannon. How does he stay employed? Who in upper management is protecting this POS? I'm inclined to pull our little amount of business from CSX just because he is an employee. Trucking companies seem the better way to go...at least in these tough economic times, they appreciate your business.

Name: E-mail: FUCK_MIKE_WARD Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 07 May 2009 Here is the carriers article off the Gateway about Frontier Yard: Announcement in Buffalo Today Released: May 5, 2009 The following announcement was made at Frontier Yard in Buffalo today: Over the past several days we have been working to finalize plans to address the significant effect of this difficult economy on our business. Frontier Yard today is operating only at about 59 percent of its capacity, handling an average of 855 cars per day. In prior town halls we provided you with information on developments as we knew them. Last week, we announced that CSXT would eliminate the processing of six road trains through Frontier Yard. We also informed you that we were continuing to review the terminal and would keep you advised of further developments. Today I must report that we have made the difficult decision to stop all rail car processing operations at Frontier Yard by the end of May. This will result in the elimination of approximately 132 positions across all crafts. Approximately 337 positions will remain at Frontier Yard, including road train crews and support employees. Roughly half of the processing work that is transitioning out of Frontier Yard will be moved to other locations within the Buffalo/Niagara terminal area, resulting in some positions being added at Niagara, Kenmore and Rochester Yards. A significant number of cars will be processed outside of this area but within New York State. Frontier Yard will continue to handle local train traffic, utilizing two new local trains serving nearby customers, and will also continue to handle interchange traffic with other railroads. As you know, the severe economic recession has taken a toll on our transportation business. System-wide, we currently have about 2,400 employees furloughed, 30,000 freight cars parked, and more than 500 locomotives idled. It is difficult for any business to function properly over the long term under these conditions without making substantial adjustments. The actions we have announced today are a direct result of economic conditions and in no way reflect on your work at CSXT. We recognize that these decisions will likely have a significant impact on your lives and will work with you to make the transition as smooth as possible. CSX provides a toll-free Employee Service Hotline to assist furloughed employees and help answer questions about benefits, crew district status, seniority status issues, employment opportunities, payroll and other important matters. Staff will be available weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to assist you when you call 1-866-742-1939. Thank you for your patience throughout this process.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 07 May 2009 People need to live within their means. You think we didn't go through hard times. A lot of people in my generation of railroaders lost homes and cars. Till you get to a level of seniority where if the bottom drops out you can hold a job no one is secure. That isn't even a gaurentee I've seen yard and terminal closures before people with 30+ years lost jobs being forced to work hundreds of miles from home within their seniority district just to put in their last years on the RR. This time around it's hitting everyone from all sides the coal, auto, manifest ect...drastic reductions. Till the economy turns around I look for a lot more furloughs. C&O Joe can spout all he wants 90% of my trains are coal. West Virginia isn't the only region hit by the downturn it affects Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania ect...we all haul coal. That's just CSX. NS is feeling the pinch along with the UP, BNSF ect...this is nationwide. I still find it hilarious that those poor fools in By God West Virginia spout the Repo line especially coming from one of the poorest states in this country behind Mississippi when they need Dem's to keep social programs going for people who need it to survive. W.Va is one of the most beautiful states I've ever been in it's people are proud. Don't even go to the direction I'm making fun of them. Their hard working honest people. Some people can't get it through their head that till we start exporting coal again nothing will move. It didn't matter who got elected president. The same scenario would be going on with McCain. This is no easy fix we can only hope for the best.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Friend or family of employee, for 1-10 years Posted: 07 May 2009 htlong has spoken, spoken the truth, and enough said. Please continue to share your wisdom with us, htlong, between your golf games, cold beverage consumption, and flirting with the honeys. A few on here have heads harder than the rail they run on.

Name: Lloyd E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 07 May 2009 One major correction, if they would let you guys retire at 55 who had 30 plus years. I have no idea why this hasn't happened because it would definitely help. Now don't get your panties too wadded up old heads.

Name: Lloyd E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 07 May 2009 Hey Loco +30, last time I checked a person still needed a home to live in and a car to get places. Those are basic necessities even for you unless you are like the guy on man vs wild and make your house out of random trees and bark and tie giant leaves around your feet and travel through the jungles. Your been there done that mentality doesn't help people who are out of work and can't even afford basic health insurance. If all you guys out here who already had 30 in by 55 and would retire then half of those 2400 out of work right now would probably be back. On another note, I really feel for all you men up there in Buffalo. From what I had heard though they have been talking about shutting that place down for years. I guess if you have a home up there though and nowhere else to go you have to wait it out and see if the worst actually happens. Turns out it did. CSX BLOW, the people who run this company could give two shits about the men laid off right now. As long as they are making profit for the stock holder all is well. I think that their main goal is to get the stock back up to around 50 or 55 and then I see ole Mikey dumpin and runnin. Cutting back employees is a great way to save them money and maximize profit so you get the picture. Furloughing is definitely option numero uno!! Lastly, I hope you guys down there in coal country saved some money while the iron was hot. The future of coal doesn't look too pretty and Obama isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I think before its all over the coal region will be hit harder than anywhere with furloughs. Until gas goes back up or the tree huggers go away its going to be a long rough road. My heart really goes out to you guys down there where opportunity is definitely slim. Keep your heads up guys, one day Mr. Ward and friends will wake up to a really hot place and wonder where they are. By then their mistakes as men on this Earth will have caught up to them but they still might be scratching their heads wondering what they did wrong. Greed surely is one of the seven deadly sins Mr Ward.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 06 May 2009 AB They're easy to rile up. Their acting like Goober without his meds. Rambling insults that gave me a good morning laugh. It's nice way to start the day. RRJ

Name: htlong E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 06 May 2009 proven fact tax breaks create jobs,obama is surpassing fdr in the tax us out of a recession,it didnt work then it wont work now,obama will create work but he wont create jobs,less tax equals more to spend equals more jobs,more tax give aways equals more taxes and work paid for by tax money equals failure. but sonny you want to repeat historic flaws and blame raygun and gw.....dont forget that the congress passes the laws and that it was the dems in the majority for 50 of the lAST 60 YEARS........DAMN RAYGUN..what we need is a good war without the media worrying about deaths, thank god the media dwe have today didnt cover wwII or we would all be doing the goose step!

Name: CSX BLOW E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 06 May 2009 Hey guys I found this news article with video on the net about the Frontier yard. 250 million profit for the first quarter...hello....I think this railroad can afford to keep more guys working and not keep exausting the men they have now. http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/tough_times_signal_more_job_cuts_090505

Name: E-mail: Employed as: M of W, for Less than 1 year Posted: 06 May 2009 FOR SALE: Hey there railroad guys....for sale: gigilo business. $1 million/annual gross. MEET WOMEN! Would like to Outsource all service requests - Hollywood region. If interested, put ad in next UTU newsletter, state phone number and email address, attention Leo. Established customer base. Scheduled reasonable rates: hourly, daily,weekly, or monthly depending on circumstances. No overnight travel. No relocation. Must have own car. Must enroll in Gigilo School to qualify. PPE Rubbers optional. No responsible for crabs, aids, syphlis, etc. CAll now. Ask for Mr. Smith. Bring money.

Name: AB E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 06 May 2009 Damn, RRJ, looks like this guy doesn't like you. I'm sure it really upsets you. Kind of sounds like the bottom section of the members area on our SECRET SITE.

Name: RETIRED E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 30+ years Posted: 06 May 2009 EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT NAFTA THIS WAS INDEED A BAD SITUATION FOR AMERICA. CLINTON DID ALL IN HIS POWER EVEN BRIBING HIS FELLOW SENATORS AND REPRESENTIVE TO VOTE THIS IN.WELL HE GOT IT PASSED AND WE LOST LOTS OF JOBS ACCOUNT OF IT.CLINTON HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THEIR STATES JUST TO VOTE THIS IN.IF YOU DO A LITTLE CHECKING BACK YOU WILL FIND THAT TED TURNER WENT TO MEXICO AND BOUGHT SEVERAL THOUSAND ACRES OF LAND HE STARTED A RESORT FOR U.S. BUSINESS TO MOVE TO MEXICO.HE MADE MILLONS SELLING LAND TO COMPANYS THAT WENT THERE.THIS HAS TO BE THE WORST BILL PAST IN AMERICA IN MY LIFE TIME.WE SURELY HAVE LOST MILLIONS OF JOB ACCOUNT OF THIS.THE ONLY COMPANY THAT HAS NOT MOVE AT LEAST SOME OF THEIR PLANTS IS THE R.R. AND IF THEY COULD BELEIVE ME THEY WOULD MOVE TODAY.I FEEL FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE THAT IS OFF JUST TRY TO MAKE THE BEST OF IT . OBAMA IS SENDING ME $250.00 THIS WILL HELP WITH MY WIFES INSURANCE OVER $800.00 A MONTH.JUST TOO MANY CROOKS IN THE U T U AND THE COMPANY TO HELP ANYONE.HANCOCK IS ONE OF THE WORST.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 06 May 2009 In regards to NAFTA...it was the POLITICANS that implemented it. When the house approved it on Nov. 17, 1993 132 Republican and 102 Democrats voted for it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement I guess you're both right!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Friend or family of employee, for 1-10 years Posted: 06 May 2009 Damn right discussion is over 30+, get back to that Obama shit sandwich you are still eating. Dumbass. If you are going to defend nonsense with passion, at least back it up with facts, instead of old election propaganda you have saved. With all due respect, my guess is that you probably never graduated high school, and the only job you have ever held is working for the railroad. Therefore, you know absolutely nothing about anything other than the railroad, and never bothered to educate yourself. So much easier to let your local and general chairman tell you how to vote. Probably got your ass beat at school, only dated the ugly girls, married to an absolute bitch that threatens to whip your ass, good chance you are short and fat, and have such an inferiority complex about your lot in life that CSX-Sucks.com gives you an outlet to make yourself feel good writing utter horseshit. Ignorance can be cured by educating yourself with proven facts. Stupidity is being presented with proven facts and still not believing them. What was it you said a few posts back? "America has become a country that manufactures nothing we export cheap goods from China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, etc." We IMPORT goods INTO the country dumbass! And if you are such a hardass union man, do your part for the American worker. Refuse to take that stack train and keep your fatass out of WalMart where you probably purchase 90% of what you own. There are crooked asses in Government, Management, and Hells Bells, in the Union. Nothing will change until people seek the truth, educate themselves, grow a pair, and demand accountability. It's always easier to let someone else think for you and make your decisions. How's that sandwich taste??

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 06 May 2009 Clinton begged and pleaded to get NAFTA passed. Nobody twisted his arm! If I remember right, Ross Perot fought Clinton on NAFTA warning the American people that it would cause thousands of jobs to leave this country. Clinton claimed it would do the opposite and bring jobs here, yet old Ross was exactly right. It may have been daddy Bush's idea, but it was Billy boy who did his best to pass it through. How can you blame daddy Bush? Clinton didn't have to touch it....but he did!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 06 May 2009 To Engineer 30+: Once again an ill informed person (democrat). Corporations do not pay taxes or hold wealth - only individuals pay taxes or own wealth. All corporate wealth is held by individuals in the form of stock ownership. If you increase taxes on corporations it affects the owners of the stock and in the end corporations pass increased taxes on to consumers in the form of increased prices of their product or service thus the consumer looses. Answer this: How many poor people do you know that employ people?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 06 May 2009 Now that's a load of schidt. You must be a Repo. Every problem in the world Repo's have blamed on Clinton. Your facts don't add up. Outsourcing didn't catch on till about 5 years ago. In fact during Clinton term in the WH Americans were prosperious. Dubya allowed tax breaks to corporations that outsourced by claiming they were overseas field offices. Something Obama is finally going to end by taxing the hell out of these free loaders who gave away American jobs. Just call your Mastercard or Visa see who picks up the other end. Hell even American power companies outsourced their customer service offices overseas. This discussion is ended. No need to take it any further.

Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 06 May 2009 Clinton modified NAFTA from the original Bush version. In the original draft it was mearley intended to cut down some red tape around trade between the U.S. and Canada. Clinton got ahold of it and threw Mexico in the mix and as soon as they could many key American companies headed south. Levi's jeans, Rocky boots, Master/American lock, GM, Ford, and Chrysler all outsourced plants to Mexico and the list goes on and on. Estimates on the effects of NAFTA range anywhere from 5,000,000 to 15,000,000 jobs. Once this trend started other companies had little choice other than to outsource to remain competative. It's laughable that the liberals try to pin NAFTA on Bush sr. If I thought about killing my ex- wife but decided aginst it and she gets remarried and her new husband kills the bitch does that make it my fault? An old head Conductor told me when I first hired in that railroaders are and always will be their own worst enemy and these recent events are a classic example. I saw this mourning on the news that there are a bunch of Dems opposing Obamas cap and trade bill which is one of his tactics aimed at squeezing the coal industry out of buisness. Why are they opposed to cap and trade? Because by their own admission it would eliminate an estimated 3,000,000 coal and oil related jobs. Finally an admission by the Dems themselves that Obama wants to cut 3,000,000 jobs in our and related industries to save the earth from an unproven theoretical threat! They ignore the fact that the earth works in 20,000 year cycles and we're almost 10,000 years over due for a warming period and their willing to put 3,000,000 people on the street just in case. Finally some left wingers with the nuts to stand up aginst the tree huggers for the sake of our jobs. Maybe there's hope for us after all.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 05 May 2009 You can credit NAFTA to Daddy Bush. It was a left over bill that fell into Clintons first term in office. If Daddy Bush had won the election in 1992 NAFTA still would of been signed. You asked, I answered. What does NAFTA have to do with the outsourcing of jobs to India, Pakistan ect...? Or buying goods from China? Last time I looked at a globe they weren't located in North America.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 05 May 2009 Goober I see you're not taking the medication. The doctor told you it would make you hear voices and become psychotic.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Friend or family of employee, for 1-10 years Posted: 05 May 2009 Don't waste your time trying to explain things, Joe. People like Engineer 30+ have their head so far up their ass it has cut off the blood flow to their brains. Obama could feed him a shit sandwich, tell him it was peanut butter and jelly, and he would spend the rest of his life telling everyone what a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich Obama gave him. It doesn't take a fool long to identify himself, and 30+ lives to identify himself as much as he can. Assholes (Republican or Democrat) in Washington and your respected state capitals will continue to steal from you and break it off in you as long as you let them. While they lavish in their power, they laugh as stupid fuckers like 30+ slurp up whatever shit they feed him. Funny how they never thank him for his union dues that help keep them in office, or never invite him to the shindigs that his union dues help pay for. 30+ will be the first to talk shit about a trainmaster off the street with no experience trying to tell "him" how to run trains. But yet, union men were encouraged to vote for a man with no accomplishments to his credit and a record of nothing. Go figure! Reality will come soon enough and when it does, everybody will get an education and realize you have been had....except of course, the sexual intellectual "fucking know-it-all" 30+.

Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 05 May 2009 Between NAFTA, the billions in stimulus money to curb the demand for coal, the false promises of coal to liquid refineries, and the open admission of plans to tax the coal industry out of buisness, I find myself having real trouble buying into the idea that the Demacratic party is protecting my best intrest. I admit that they are more union friendly, but if you don't have a job it's not going to do you any good. It'll be nice for the few of us that are left, but hey, they did extend our unemployment eligability! Like Bush or hate him coal boomed during his administration. Just as soon as the enviromentalist got their boy in office the EPA started freezing mining permits. In April they froze over 100 permits in West Virginia alone. One of our busiest mines had to shut their deep mine down and have half their trains re-routed because they couldn't fill their orders which caused us to lose 1 shifter, 2 Brakemen, and an Engineer. Our largest mine had to lay off 80 miners because their largest customer has converted to natural gas because it's now cheaper to burn gas and pay the contract fines for not buying the coal than it is to buy the coal and best of all our "labor friendly" buddies in D.C. financed the conversion. These are facts that paint a grimm picture of the future of the coal industry yet every time someone brings it up you all treat their post as communist propaganda. There isn't a soul on the railroad with any sense at all that can honestly believe that the coal industry will benifit from Obama's stratagy, and if coal fails, so do the people that depend on it to survive.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 05 May 2009 CSX is a primary coal hauler. The rest is the cake. If for some reason the cap trade thing works. CSX rr folks are really gonna get it in the shorts.

Name: Santa Claus E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 05 May 2009 Helper you're exactly right. No jobs no money no one to buy what few things left that are produced in the US such as automobiles. No trains needed to haul what they can't sell. Good Bye GM, Ford and Chrysler and Good Bye CSX!

Name: Santa's Little Helper E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 05 May 2009 I remember when NAFTA took effect, what a big f#%**! mistake that was. Ole Clinton and his administration was behind the wheel on that one. Ever since NAFTA, the U.S. was sitting on a time bomb. No jobs, no money!!

Name: Santa Claus E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 05 May 2009 It doesn't matter who gets the credit for NAFTA! It is what it is and that's a fact. The truth based on observation.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 05 May 2009 And we can credit NAFTA to whom?

Name: Santa Claus E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 05 May 2009 30+ You make way to much since for most to understand. The middle class has been on the way out since NAFTA went into effect and now we're starting to feel the effects big time. The auto and coal industries will never be the same thus eliminating millions of more jobs including RR jobs. No middle class equals no one to buy new cars or other goods that support the economy. They the government can take their proverbial global economy and stick it where the sun doesn't shine. You reap what you sow. On a side note. I've been furloughed now for going on 5 months. I just received a certified letter from CSX that cost $5.32 to send telling me I can't hold a job anywhere in my seniority district.(no shit sherlock) It also mentioned to make arrangements to turn in my radio and switch keys to my trainmaster. I have news for them. I'm in a conservative mode at the present time and don't make long distance calls or unnecessary trips. They have my address if they want it. I'm here 24/7.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 05 May 2009 I get the point. The $800 billion is bail out money for corporate welfare. Any other monies used for future projects goes through the budget proposal which congress will have to pass. It won't happen quick as you'ld like it to. Until the global recession stablizes coal will be down. When other countries start steel production back up we'll start hauling coal. We worked one pier the other night they said they have a few new contracts. They're still using obsolete dumping equipment with shakers instead of barrel dumpers. Power plants are buying cheaper coal from other countries which this pier has a facility that loads from ship to barges. That hurt us. At one point the rumor was we would start running loads west instead of just empties. It boils down to another case of American corporate greed by not utilizing our own products. We lost a lot of work in this country the past 8 years with corporations outsourcing American jobs to cheaper labor in India, Pakistan ect...all during when the Repo's controlled congress. The new head of the FRA is a union man Larry Szabo he came from the UTU. I think Obama is pushing things in a new direction. His appointments to the federal courts and even the supreme court will not be so quick to side with corporations. A few years ago a federal judge in Kentucky who was appointed by Ronald Raygun sided with a coal company during a union dispute over the selling of the company that the new owners didn't have to take on the debt of the former owner the debt was retirees pensions. Enough is enough. America has become a country that manufactures nothing we export cheap goods from China, Bangladesh, Pakistan ect...

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 04 May 2009 I like solar panels. I like crack. I like crack heads. I like NoMo. I like coal. I mounted a solar panel on my hat. It runs my radio and lantern.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 04 May 2009 Hey Joe: Temporary jobs, lasting 3 months, paying $10.00 an hour! I bet there are millions of men and women willing to jump at that opportunity, including most of the furloughed Brothers and Sisters!

Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 04 May 2009 Still missing the point! I'm not saying the current state of the coal market is Obamas fault. I am trying to draw attention to the fact that he is using our tax dollars to render us obsolete. The BLE, UTU, and even the UMWA endorsed this guy knowing full well he hated coal. He convinsed everyone he would stimulate the market for it through the construction of coal to liquid refineries and now he's forgot about it. Not one red cent of this $800 billion was alloted for these facilities and the only mention he makes of coal is when he's talking about taxing the coal companies out of buisness. Even after all this the unions keep assuring us he's working hard and making progress for us but if that were true they wouldn't have to keep assuring us as it would be evident. I can't figure out why nobody is asking questions about this? It makes sense though, crossing out our own existance by way of stupidity and failure to see the big picture seems to be pretty much the standard around here. Maybe we can get temporary jobs installing solar panals for $10 an hour like those guys I saw on TV the other day. Reformed crack heads getting $10 an hour for a job that was only going to last about 3 months and they were happy as pigs in shit. They said they were proud to be a part of the solution. Whatever floats their boat, I suppose being part of the problem pays alot better. If you depend on coal eat the time for concern has come.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 03 May 2009 From the REAL FOGHORN LEGHORN, That sounds like something I WOULD LOVE TO DO!!!!! I have to agree with the gentleman below who tried to use my nickname to cover up for himself. But I have to give respect to him for two reasons: 1) He used my nickname to say something "I" would love to do and he used my name because he STILL works at that shit hole unlike me because I am more intelligent than any CSX management, let alone CSX employee in Baltimore and got the hell out when the timing was right!!! (I realize this website is looked at globally, let alone nation wide. But that doesn't take much to be more intelligent than anyone in Baltimore...PERIOD!!) 2) I consider you a gentleman for being on the same page I am. I honestly consider that a compliment and THANK YOU!!:0):0):0):0)...Use my nickname all you want!!!!! Have a safe CSX DAY!!! Safety is a way of life!!! You will need it in BALTIMORE!!!LMAO LMAO LMAO No matter what route you go!!!... :0):0):0).... FOGHORN LEGHORN.......(Whats up Danny??)

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 03 May 2009 Well Lloyd, I was prepared to join you in the great CSX swine flu epidemic yesterday, but I got cut off again and couldn't even hold anything to mark off from... but I was there with you guys that had the balls to do it in spirit. I hope the HOS law comes into effect shortly and is not delayed again and Mikey Ward and the boys take it straight up the arse!!! Maybe some of our furloughed brothers and sisters can actually mark back up then!

Name: Ummmmm E-mail: BigBlackDong@csx.com Employed as: APE, for 30+ years Posted: 02 May 2009 I was going to send this email to everyone you listed but it would not go thru :( Subject: Priority Derailment report ..... Ha! Made you look! Bwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaa =) Now what would you be doing if you weren't reading this email? Duh...... I work for csx and get I paid. The way we management run this railroad I just have to show up and I get paid :) If things get too tight around here we go to our layoff's homes and steal their children and cook them up on the BBQ. If no one gets hurt but the children that we BBQ, we get our nice little safety bonus check from the Government. Uh, oh. The investigating Feds are knocking on the door. I best start run'n. By the way, check out csx's SEC filing 10K's for all the cash that goes to their legal budget. See how much it's gone up the past few years. What a Dog Shit railroad Eh? In my Opinion. I hope csx goes out like a silent Dog fart.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 02 May 2009 Hey Loco 30+: Yeah...you're right. If they want to hurt CSX they got lay off enmass when things get backed up like late '02 early '03 just before the ONE PLAN. Nothing got in, nothing got out without 3 or 4 recrews. You couldn't switch...you shoved tracks...it was a beautiful thing. No one on the street...trainmasters asking for advice and begging you to double over...the economy booming...remotes were rare and the ones there were, were converted. They could lay off today for 2 or 3 days and CSX wouldn't even notice. The hearing officers would however be busy for the foreseeable future!

Name: E-mail: Fuck Ward and his bitch Ingram Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 02 May 2009 I agree Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years When the old heads retire (yes the ones the younger guys keep bitching about) we are going to get sodimized over and over. The unions do not have the intelligence that CSX pays for. By that I mean CSX has all this high dollar attorneys and bachelor degree toting suits that always manage to stay ahead of the union leaders (both sides). Because neither union is utilizing any new tactics, its always the same method..... Need some new fresh union leaders that can match todays smarts with the likes of the carriers cronies other wise its a losing battle.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Corporate office, for 10-20 years Posted: 02 May 2009 This Week's Message Hello, this is Michael Ward. In today's economy, it's only natural for a company like ours to look inward for solutions, and we're creating some great ones here at CSX. But behind the scenes is a myriad of efforts to look outward for new business and economic growth in the communities we serve. Our Transportation business, for example, supported more than 100 industrial development projects that were announced in 2008. Those projects -- which span 18 states -- included 63 new industries and the expansion of 42 others. The projects are expected to create 3,400 new jobs in our communities and about 150,000 new carloads for CSX. To help get these projects off the ground, CSX offers site layout services such as industrial park planning, track design and logistics assistance. Over half of the $3 billion dollars that will be spent on the projects announced in 2008 is directly related to energy and the environment - things like ethanol and bio-diesel plants and facilities for recycling and environmental remediation. Other business development projects include facilities that handle construction materials -- such as stone, cement and asphalt - as well as plastic products, consumer goods, metals, grain and paper. In the past 10 years, we have helped locate or expand more than 1,300 facilities representing an investment of $24 billion and over 48,000 jobs. So the next time you hear our tagline, "How Tomorrow Moves," remember that it's not just about what goes on inside our rail operations, but also the substantial value we offer outside to our customers and communities. Thanks for listening, have a safe, productive day and I'll talk to you again next week.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 02 May 2009 What you thought the sick-out was really going to happen? Not a fat chance in hell. I've only seen it work when CSX wants to run trains on a holiday. An action without a purpose is nothing. I never read anything on this site as to the purpose. Just because their furloughing people isn't a reason. CSX treatment of employees is a union action not an individual one. You newbies better get your schidt together in the next couple of years. When the oldheads retire they'll be a lot of changes when those protected under the crew consist are gone. I see engineer only freight trains in the future. The only thing that stopped it last contract negotiations was protected employees. If you don't get involved in the union quit your crying over minor issues and protect what jobs are left you're the only ones to blame.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Corporate office, for 1-10 years Posted: 02 May 2009 Send some emails and ask all the questions you like ;) "Dziwulski, Ken" <Ken_Dziwulski@csx.com>, "McKenzie, Larry" <Larry_McKenzie@CSX.com>, "Bleakley, Arthur III" <Arthur_Bleakley@csx.com>, "Blackmon, Max" <Max_Blackmon@CSX.com>, "Hawkins, Mike" <Mike_Hawkins@csx.com>, "Banet, Bob Jr." <Bob_Banet@csx.com>, "Grigsby, Bradley" <Bradley_Grigsby@CSX.com>, "Lou Trans" <LTRANS@CSX.com>, "LOUCHIEF (AMS)" <LOUCHIEF@CSX.COM>, "Shepherd, Chris" <Chris_Shepherd@CSX.com>, "McDonald, John B" <John_McDonald@CSX.com>, "Rahn, Paul" <Paul_Rahn@csx.com>, "Beccio, Frank" <Frank_Beccio@csx.com>, "Rihanek, Doug" <Doug_Rihanek@CSX.com>, "Brownell, Rob" <Rob_Brownell@CSX.com>, "Queen, Wayne" <Wayne_Queen@csx.com>, "Clark, Dennis" <Dennis_Clark@CSX.com>, "Vierling, Jack III" <Jack_Vierling@csx.com>, "Parker, John" <John_C_Parker@CSX.com>, "Posey, Stacy" <Stacy_Posey@CSX.com>, "Micklos, Dan" <Dan_Micklos@CSX.com>, "Williamson, Charlie" <Charlie_Williamson@CSX.com>, "Biloski, Brian" <Brian_Biloski@CSX.com>, "CREW MGMT NORTHERN (AMS)" <NORTHERN@CSX.COM>, "CREW MGMT WESTERN (AMS)" <WESTERN@CSX.COM>, "CREW MGMT CENTRAL (AMS)" <CENTRAL@CSX.COM>, "CREW MGMT SOUTH (AMS)" <SOUTH@CSX.COM>, "Coffey, Mike" <Mike_Coffey@csx.com>, "Taylor, Gregg" <Gregg_Taylor@CSX.com>, "Bales, RC" <RC_Bales@csx.com>, "Charles, Nikki" <Nikki_Charles@csx.com>, "Chief Dispatchers" <CHFDISP@CSX.com>, "Stephens, Wayne" <Wayne_Stephens@CSX.com>, "Wicker, Steve" <Steve_Wicker@csx.com>, "McNamee, Bill" <Bill_McNamee@csx.com> "1400 Network Watch List" <1400NWL@CSX.com>, "Chief Dispatchers" <CHFDISP@CSX.com>, "Rihanek, Doug" <Doug_Rihanek@CSX.com>, "McKenzie, Larry" <Larry_McKenzie@CSX.com>, "Blackmon, Max" <Max_Blackmon@CSX.com>, "Biloski, Brian" <Brian_Biloski@CSX.com>, "Lou Trans" <LTRANS@CSX.com>, "Grigsby, Bradley" <Bradley_Grigsby@CSX.com>, "Micklos, Dan" <Dan_Micklos@CSX.com>, "Queen, Wayne" <Wayne_Queen@csx.com>, "Clark, Dennis" <Dennis_Clark@CSX.com>, "Beccio, Frank" <Frank_Beccio@csx.com>, "McDonald, John B" <John_McDonald@CSX.com>, "Coffey, Mike" <Mike_Coffey@csx.com>, "CREW MGMT NORTHERN (AMS)" <NORTHERN@CSX.COM>, "CREW MGMT WESTERN (AMS)" <WESTERN@CSX.COM>, "CREW MGMT SOUTH (AMS)" <SOUTH@CSX.COM>, "CREW MGMT CENTRAL (AMS)" <CENTRAL@CSX.COM>

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 02 May 2009 Obviously the whole May 1st swine flu/mark off thing didnt work. No roster calls in Russell. Til T&E sticks together as a craft, we might as well stop bitching about what the unions are doing for us. We can even get together and do shit for ourselves. Sad shit..... And I too wouldnt mind seeing an article about M. Ward committing suicide, I would have to frame the newspaper that day.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 02 May 2009 Would like to see Michael Ward commit suicide.....that would be news worthy

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 01 May 2009 C&O Joe You might work in the coal mine region near. Those of us who haul the coal to the piers know there aren't any new contracts for export coal which is 90% of what is haul. It won't start back up till this global recession ends. I've hauled coal for 32 years I definitely have a concern. I've been through the fat and lean times several times over the years. Obama has only been in office 101 days things don't change that fast. I've seen power plants convert several times from gas to coal and back. It's still only about 7%-10% of every car of coal we haul and those numbers are on the high end. I see the empties being stored that's not a good sign. We'll see our freight pools go from 12 down to mabey 4 in the next week. This coal boom only lasted 15 months the piers had contracts for 3 years with the possiblity of up to 10 years. But schidt happened the economy went down globally. Obama had nothing to do with it.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 01 May 2009 SpongeBoob It's like a broken record that skips "Poor pitiful me, I'm furloughed". Like their the only ones. Just like the hundreds of thousands of railroaders who got furloughed before this new generation each person has to make a choice stick it or quit. That is reality. Do I sympathize with their furlough situtation? I most definitely do. But, most including yourself are to ignorant to understand it's part of railroading. Maybe you were a one of the fortunate ones that escaped it so far. Do I work for the railroad? Why certianly. I'll gladly give it up when I get of age I've already got the time. I post on here when I check my statis at work. Which is really none of your concern. But your curious mind wanted to know.

Name: HTLONG E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 01 May 2009 TO ANGRY WIFE................SHUT UP!.......let your man have his testicles back! stay out of his rr career or maybe you plan on calling his t.m and bitching? yeah that will help him out. go get a job!

Name: foghorn leghorn E-mail: Employed as: APE, for Less than 1 year Posted: 01 May 2009 Last night, I fucked Michael Ward's soon- to -be ex- wife. I bent that little whore like a pretzel and shot a load in her ass. It was the least I could do for the team. Video footage to follow.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 01 May 2009 I have worked for csx about 5 years. Well it's not been great... i paid for my job for one was told after the first year i would be working as much as i could stand. After i was laid off for 12 months and being called every night for the 12 they called us back for 10 months laid us off again for a month tried to call us out for work wile ferlohed then called us back again for 2 months then laid us off this time and when i called rr retirement thay said i did not unemployment benefits so thats my story..........

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 01 May 2009 Just out of curiosity, are the Pencil Dick Twins, AKA Crane Jones and jimmy dyer still sucking ass in Nashville?

Name: Lloyd E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 01 May 2009 Angry Wife Your husband is in the same boat a lot of guys are right now. I really sympathize with you and your family and if you want answers as to why Jacksonville hired too many men you wont find them. The best excuse you will get is that the economy is slow but the truth of the matter is they expected a lot more men to retire but that didn't go as they planned. I wont say that slow business has not played a huge part in the lay offs system wide because that would be a lie but its a huge mistake by human resources or whoever does the fucking hiring down there in Jax. I kind of look at us like a 6 digit number because thats about the extent of what we mean to those guys in Jax. I look at it like this, if they TRULY cared about the men who are on the street right now, why would a CEO still earn a salary in which 10 percent of it could keep every man who is laid off right now afloat for at least 6 to 12 months (depending on your family size). Oh well, I guess as long as other CEO's do it it's okay for all of them to do it. You stay strong their angry wife and tell your husband to keep his head up.

Name: Sponge Boobs Fan E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 01 May 2009 Sponge Bob should just add another "o" & "S" to her or his nick. I would bet it is really Sponge Boobs rather than Sponge Bob Sponge Bob sounds like a female or a 3 Dollar Bill Fes up Come clean with us.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 01 May 2009 NoMo "Clarabell at Avon...tell me it ain't so!" It is fuckin so. Clarabell fired Tom Wolfe's cousin at Avon the other day then someone called him back AKA Trainmaster RoadForeman Joe Berry Clarabell had 2 more derailments after firing Joe Berry on a derailment the other day. So the Avon WARNING is legit and has been elevated to a higher level now. Is May 1st CSX Swine Flu Day Sounds like there is lots of Swine at CSX The flu should leak out and infect the railroad soon. Unless there is to many Chickens out there. Can Chickens get Swine Flu????????

Name: Angry Wife! E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 01 May 2009 Im a wife to a CSX employee. Here's my gripe... My husband was hired as a conductor in the Cumberland, Md Yard. Unfortuneatly..........about 3 1/2 months ago he was furloughed. He was about half way through his trainning. My question is..... Can someone tell me who it is that hired a buncha different people to lay them off? Id like to find that person..and then smack them! husband quit his previous decent paying job for this crap. Now he's working a lower paying job. We have a small child. Thank god we dont have a house or any other major payments bc we'd be outta luck. Maryland unemployment was almost a joke. It took about 2 months b4 we even were able to recieve a payment from them. (thats a whole other story) I hope someone who is an executive, who sits on his bum all day, making an outrageous amount of money reads this and fixes this mess! And next time consider giving the furloughed a set date of when they are to go back to work. Leaving families to be finanicallly unstable is ridiculous! If you ask me its a irresonsible to lay off hard working men *like my husband* out of work for a long period of time with no certainty of when they able to work again. PLEASE TRY TO GET MY HUSBAND AND THE OTHER MEN TO WORK AND STOP BLAMING IT ON THE ECONOMY!

Name: E-mail: FUCK-MIKE-WARD Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 01 May 2009 With the continious laying off and firing of T&E, one can only wonder when someone is going to lose it and maybe head on down to Jacksonville and try to inflict some "get back" on Ingram or maybe just take out some frustrations on a train master or super intendant. We already have sales accountants committing homicide/suicide, so i am sure its coming.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 01 May 2009 Sponge Bob Cool it sunny these folks are not trying to trip your trigger. They are telling there story as they lived it.

Name: spongebob E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 10-20 years Posted: 30 April 2009 Loco. Eng for 30+ It seems to me everytime someone makes a posts on this site about being furloughed you always have a smart ass remark. You always refer to when YOU were furloughed. I'll bet you are the kinda guy who is miserable in your pathethic life you live. Maybe, that's why you wish bad things for others around you (people getting furloughed) you went through being rurloughed, so should everybody else, right? I'm starting to wonder if you really still work for the railroad, (maybe you're fired) because it seems like you're always on here, (you have a response for almost everyone's posts). I get on here maybe 2 times a week, but you're on here every damned day. You really are a sad person.

Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 30 April 2009 In typical fashion, your still missing the point. Our new Democratic controled goverment alloted billions in stimulus money to reduce the demand for coal by financing the conversion to natural gas!!!! If you are a railroader and this dosn't concern you then you are a fool! Obama sold you on these coal to liquid refineries that would skyrocket the demand for coal, but after the election they decided there was no such thing as clean coal and not one penny of the 800 billion stimulus was alloted for these facilities. Your ignorance is hysterical! Obama spends $800,000,000,000 in one wack and your concern is still with the meer fraction of that amount that Bush spent. I'm fully aware that the fledgiling steel market has hurt the demand for coal in the short term, but converting to natural gas is a very serious long term problem. Can one of you morons honestly say that you believe Obama will have a posative impact on the coal industry? and if you can't and being a railroader you still stand behind him you are insane! I'm not going to argue about this any further but you'd better open your eyes and realize the we railroaders won't get anywhere behind the enviromentalist movement before we're all out of a job. There's a reason Obama lost all but 3 of the nearly 30 coal producing states and the state of the coal industry is proof enough. God help those of you who are to ignorant to help yourselves.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 30 April 2009 Poor poor pitiful You!!! You got furloughed every winter. So did a lot of us when we got started. Good luck.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 30 April 2009 It is funny how everyone around the systym for the past 4 to 5 years has been fed the same bullshit like best time to come to work and people are retireing what a bunch of fucking bullshit been here four fucking years and laid off for the fifth time csx me and my family have decided we have had enough of your shit like herassment and fourloughing and fucking me on my paycheck im checking out bitches I will make less money but you know what I will get up and go to work without fear, I will fuck my wife every night, I will have a life and when janurary and march and october come around the bend I will have a paycheck.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 30+ years Posted: 30 April 2009 You better quit talking to your next NEW union Pres. that way, his BS will fill the sire up for weeks.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 30 April 2009 WARNING!!!!! Attention Citzens of Avon IN, Avon CSX employees and anyone in a 5 mile radius. Superintendent Eubanks has taken Safety to a new low with blaming anyone and everyone for some of his Gay Micro Management Tactics, very similar and even worst than Ex Superintendent Matt Beague who was in charged when the Girls School Train Disaster occurred. You have been warned for your personal safety to take special precautions. Senator Evan Bayh and Senator Lugar should be notified imediately and asked to take evasive action to correct the CSX management tactics and unsafe situations at Avon for your well being. Google Eubanks for more info of his work in Richmond VA. All Avon residents have a right too know what hazardous chemicals and materials are stored and passing thur the rail yard. Recent accidents and near disasters have been covered up. Indianapolis Safety Committee Member

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 30 April 2009 C&O Joe: Huntington Division coal business is dying because Frula pissed off the CEO of Massey, hence all the trucks you have begun to see at all the coal mines throughout WV. You cant blame that on the President. Massey tried to talk to CSX CEO Michael Ward about Frula and his intimidation and harrassing of train crews delaying his coal and CSX blew him off. Now Huntington Division is feeling the reprisal of Michael Ward and Robert Frula's stupidity and arrogance. Only good thing I can see come out of this is that Robert Frula may have run himself out of a job....if there are no trains to run on the division, then you dont need a division super.....

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 30 April 2009 Lloyd This is America. My concern about alleged terrorist is we don't put then in concentration camp like Gitmo. They are all innocent till proven guilty under our justice system. They're still entitled to due process of law under our constitution. Something that Bush and his henchmen disregarded when not recognizing them as combatant soldiers which then they would of fell under the protection of the Geneva Convention and became POW's. I have no problem with putting terrorist in prison or even capital punishment if their guilty. Gitmo is a vioation of human rights. Go read the inscription on the Statue of Liberty sometime. Quit calling them "ragheads" it insulting. Every person in this country came from somewhere else as an immigrant. When does ignorance and prejudice end every immigrant went thru it calling them "Spic" "Whap" "Dego" "Pollack" "Nigger" "Kike" ect...makes you look dumb an ignorant. You can't blame an entire religion or population for a few fanatics. We have are own American terrorist like the KKK, Aryan Nation, Anti-Abortion groups, Animal Rights fanatics ect...these few fanatics have terrorized this nation if captured they are afforded due process of law and go to trial for their crimes. End of my politic statement on this subject.

Name: Lloyd E-mail: Employed as: Brakeman, for 10-20 years Posted: 30 April 2009 C&O Jo and Eng + 30 I usually don't like to get into political debates and I still wonder why we even have these on a CSX-sucks site when thats what we should all really be complaining about. To Joe, I don't think you can necessarily blame Obama for all that is going wrong with the coal exports and imports and everything else thats wrong with our nation today. Its been a collective effort of greedy pigs from Washington to Wall Street and from the piece of shit CEO's we have running the biggest corporations in America (yeah that includes you Michael Ward). I'm not exactly sure what the future holds for coal or anything in this country for that matter but to single out Obama or Bush for our problems is a total crock. Eng + 30 to say that Bush made our country look bad with our methods of interrogation is a bunch of horseshit. Fuck all those rag head bastards if you ask me. You think they really give a shit about you or your family when they fly planes into big buildings or slice peoples heads of right in front of a camera? Do you think they would think twice about smashing your face in with a hammer or cutting your balls off with the right opportunity? You need to wake up and realize that we use our methods for good reason..so those bastards dont come up with a new plan to take hundreds of innocent lives. Sorry man but you cant slap would be terrorists on the wrist and let them go with a warning. They will not stop until you stop them. On another note to get back to the real reason this site was established, don't forget about the swine flu on May 1. I know a lot of you guys have the mentality of unless everyone else is gonna do it Im not doing it but please dont. This is going to take a collective effort from a lot of you guys but I surely dont expect to sway everyones decision on whether to work that day or not.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 30 April 2009 C&O Joe The coal business is down because export coal for the steel industry overseas is at a stand still. American power plants didn't ever generate a big enough boom in the coal industry to see the numbers increase like it was the '70s thru the '90s and the recent spurt that lasted the past 15 months. Get your the facts straight. It's the global market that is hurting the coal industry not Obama or the democrats. As for the price of a barrel of oil there are those who are predicting it'll be back up to $117 a barrel in the near future. The past 32 years in my railroad carreer 95% of everything I've hauled has been coal. I've been around for the good and bad times more than once. Before this global recession they were predicting a coal boom for at least 10 years then the global economy hit a brick wall. Take your blinders off. The economy was going downhill in 2004 the American people fell for the Bush political machines ability to generate fear by simply increasing the terrorist alert color codes. He sold us out by creating a war that put the national debt so high I can't see us getting out of it in the next 20 years or longer. He took American integrity around the world and threw it out the window. He helped create a new generation of terrorist by violating human rights. He helped take away our civil liberties. This list could just keep going on.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 30 April 2009 And you wonder way rnc is fading away!!!

Name: C&O JOE E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 30 April 2009 How wonderfuly ironic that our unions showered Obama with our money to protect our jobs and in return he quietly sticks billions in the "stimulus" package to start converting power plants to gas to protect the earth from an unproven threat. God bless the democratic party! The soup lines are filling up fast and their primary concern is for the trees. You strait ticket dems have finally gotten your wish. They made no secret of their intensions to kill coal and still you flocked to the polls to seal our fate. Best of all, the worst is yet to come. Barely 100 days in office and coal has hit rock bottom and despite what you say, the economy has nothing to do with the coal market. I heard it every day, "they can't kill coal" you bet our future on it and the bookie is here to collect. Even better is that next election will be to late. Most of you were to busy bashing Bush for mistreating terrorist to be concerned with the fact that your way of life made possible by coal revenue was at stake. Maybe the gas company is hiring.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Employed in other capacity, for Less than 1 year Posted: 28 April 2009 Why did these clowns hire people in Buffalo just 6 months ago? Some of us had good jobs with other railroads but bought the line that there are so many retirements looming " you are getting in at the best time there has ever been". What bullshit, This plan wasn't in the beginning stages 6 months ago? I know it was a personal choice to join "the team", but one would have expected more than six months.

Name: CSX Blow E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 28 April 2009 Thats so sad about Frontier yard. I wish the best of luck for you guys. Its bad all around the system it seems. Dont let managment get the best of you. They are screwing everyone and just not you!

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Train Dispatcher, for 10-20 years Posted: 28 April 2009 CSX to cut 250 workers in Buffalo, union says By George Pyle News Business Reporter In what a local union leader calls the culmination of years of "lies and false hopes" - and a bet against Buffalo's industrial future - CSX Transportation Monday announced plans to sharply curtail operations at its Frontier Yard switching operations and lay off some 250 workers. A company spokesman would not confirm the number of workers to be laid off. CSX spokesman Robert Sullivan released a brief statement that said, "CSX expects significant reductions at Frontier, but that there are no plans to close the yard at this time. While a small number of reductions will begin immediately, the larger number is not yet determined." The statement from the Florida-based transportation giant said that daily traffic through the rail yard, now some 800 cars a day, will be cut in half, and half of those cars being moved from Buffalo will still be processed in New York State. Dave Kellner is president of Local 2020 of the Transport Workers Union. He said the action is an abrupt reversal of what seemed to the be the rail operators plans as recently as six weeks ago, Kellner said, when machinery and crews to upgrade the rail yard's tracks and switching equipment were moved into place, only to be pulled out again a few weeks later. "We used to be one of the busiest terminals around," Kellner said. But, he said, ever since CSX took over operations from ConRail in 1998, with announced plans to expand local operations and add an upgraded fueling facility, the company's interest in the Frontier Yards has seemed only to deteriorate. The fuel plant was built in Ohio instead and other improvements never came to pass. "It's been nothing but lies and false hopes," Kellner said. "Somebody needs to be held accountable." Frontier Yard now employees some 800 workers, Kellner said, and some 250 of them are expected to lose their jobs in the next few weeks. Another 125 workers had already been furloughed in recent weeks, he said. The yard functions as a switching and sorting facility for the CSX, breaking up trains and recombining them according to their destination. Cars passing through the yard are also subjected to multiple safety checks during their transit there. The plan to service fewer trains in Buffalo reflects a belief by CSX officials that Buffalo has little future as an industrial center, Kellner said, something already reflected in the reduced business at the General Motors plan in the Town of Tonawanda and at the local American Axle & Manufacturing plant. Acknowledging that Monday's announcement was not the complete closing of the yard, as had been feared in recent weeks, Kellner said, "Does that just mean they are keeping the night watchman on?"

Name: robofuq E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 28 April 2009 Frontier isnt a remote vs conventional issue. Div manager said today within 1 month hump shut down. 5 of 8 trains that originate here abolished as of 4/29. @ 20% layoffs (their estimate). That would eliminate ALL EMPLOYEES hired since split date and then some. Incredibly, when asked if Buffalo terminal was profitible right now, the answer was YES. I believe that eventual goal is complete shutdown of terminal, with local industries serviced from outlying yards, or perhaps existing only as a block swap/crew change point. They are not going to dump everyone at once, but end result will be the same; death by a thousand cuts. 11 to 12 years seniority and cut off. WTFO.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 27 April 2009 One thing I forgot to mention. They have 4 one man remote jobs on 1st shift. That's 4 remote operators with 3 trainmasters on duty. Management hasn't taken a hit so far on downsizing. It's so pitiful it's hysterical.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 27 April 2009 Good luck to ya'll in Buffalo. It's a fight we have already endured in the south and lost. Remotes are a joke. When the UTU sold everyone out for 40 minutes pay it was a death sentence for yard jobs. On the Florence Division (SCL) they've taken remotes to a new level one the UTU didn't expect "one man remotes". Darnest thing I've ever seen they switch out mabey 20-30 cars a shift with a 80% probability that they'll be charged with violating a rule with time in the street. The UTU doesn't even defend their members it's signing a waiver. The remotes are run by the youngest people forced on them with 1 year or less on the railroad and two weeks of training. Anyone with any sense had hauled arse away to other jobs even resorting to marking up on the road.

Name: Z E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 27 April 2009 I worked for a supervisor at one point in my life that thoroughly believed this. He always made the statement," the railroad runs best when there are no supervisors around". He very seldom hung around either. No screwing with the men, the work got done and no personal injuries. Last I heard of him he was a VP. I wonder if he uses the same principle today.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 20-30 years Posted: 27 April 2009 Had to post this under the Courtesy and Professionalism section, because as we all know, CSX is an expert at both (rolling my eyes and you probably are too). This dog and pony show that's set for tomorrow morning at Frontier yard is our last ditch effort to show the general public what greedy, unorganized, UNSAFE jackasses run CSX. Do the people in the village of Sloan even KNOW that they could be wiped off the map if one of these remotes screws up with a hazardous car? I doubt it. Say what you want about getting the media involved. It's a waste of time, it's a waste of effort, but it's the last chance we have to save some jobs. If the public gets wind of the crap CSX is pulling maybe something will happen. Probably not, but desperate times require desperate measures. If your job is on the chopping block today, call everyone you can. The news, senators, call Obama himself if you have to. This is it people. Pissing and moaning amongst yourselves isn't gonna do shit this time.

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 27 April 2009 Hey Blow: You're right...the Railroad can run itself without front line management, probably much more efficiently too!

Name: CSX BLOW E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 27 April 2009 Robo: Speak the truth! It only makes sense that if they are going to cut jobs and it is proven there are few trains running then it would make sense they would cut all the way across the board. Forbid managment jobs are cut though. Most of managment does`nt do anything anyways. This railroads employees can pretty much get things done without them around because 95% of them have`nt got a clue anyways. Most managment is a big joke due to the fact most of them have never spent time on the railroad before taking a supervisor job therefor have no clue about railroading. I just laugh at them because they are ALWAYS screwing up the railroad!

Name: robofuq E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 27 April 2009 Regarding Buffalo Frontier yard: I have seen Csx's plan to be implemented 4/29/09. 28 fewer trains in/out per week. Others rerouted or blocked differently to eliminate working in Buffalo. Some will still originate/terminate here, so hump will not close completely, at least not this week. This will be announced Monday at town hall meeting. No info on how this will affect yard jobs, but logically if we are building far fewer trains than we do now, cuts will be severe, across all crafts (except management, of course).

Name: E-mail: Employed as: M of W, for 20-30 years Posted: 26 April 2009 What a cryin shame that csx employee killed his family ! He should have taken it out on some of his co workers (management??) I dunno about you guys in other departments but there are some real winners in the M of W Dept. I've wondered for years why it hasnt happened in M of W. I guess if they keep fuckin with our benefits, pay and treat us like shit Somebody will do it !

Name: NoMo E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 26 April 2009 The previous post shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Holm and TCI along with 3G made a gigantic mistake thinking they could change anything. They invested their client's money in CSX at the very upper limit of the stock's value and caused the stock to bid up to $70/share. Their shareholders should be suing both of them. Holm still as his stock because he paid too much for it! He'll sell it when he can get close to breaking even on it. This is a perfect example of what deregulation, lack of oversight and greed does...we are all guilty!

Name: A year after proxy fight, TCI E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 26 April 2009 Apr 24, 2009 (The Florida Times-Union - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) The Children's Investment Fund Management LLP, which waged a high-profile proxy fight with CSX Corp. last year, has sold off all of its shares in the Jacksonville-based railroad company, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The filings show that TCI, a London-based hedge fund, sold 17.8 million shares of CSX stock this week at prices ranging from $28.38 to $30.09 per share. TCI's 17.8 million shares represented a 4.5 percent stake in CSX. TCI and another hedge fund, 3G Capital Partners Ltd., nominated five new members last year to CSX's board of directors, with four of them winning seats on the board after a long battle with CSX management. But TCI has been focused on its own problems this year, with several top executives leaving the company. TCI Managing Partner Christopher Hohn, who was one of the four nominees to win election to CSX's board last year, decided not to see re-election this year so he could spend more time managing his business interests. The other three TCI-3G nominees are seeking re-election at CSX's May 6 annual meeting. Although TCI sold off all of its CSX shares this week, Hohn still owns 5,150 shares of the company himself, according to the SEC filings. To see more of The Florida Times-Union or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.jacksonville.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA

Name: screwedbycsx E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 10-20 years Posted: 25 April 2009 Big town hall meeting in Buffalo on Monday. Guess that's when CSX tells us our jobs are history. A yard completely run by remotes. I guess the Jetsons had it right after all, robots are our future. Time to cut my losses and leave. CSX finally boned us all in Buffalo. I wonder which city will be next?

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 25 April 2009 Hey Will Blanchetti, I hope to see you in Blacksburg this fall. Come by the south end of the stadium by RV parking (Diamond hokie lot where all REAL hokie fans are). I will be waiting for you!!! Bring Matt "THE RAT" Sanders with you. I have a couple of boys that you might know that would like to say hello. Just old alumni that would like to share a beer or two with you or BLOODY Mary's!!!!! Have a safe CSX day and hope to see you soon....:0):0):0)

Name: maverick E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 25 April 2009 You railroad clowns make me laugh. You think your Unions represent you? You think the Unions need your dues to exist? WRONG! The carriers pay the Unions more money per year than you will ever know...Because it is illegal! But hey, It's America....Everything is ok. You clowns think that a Union will stand up for you- when you pansies won't even stand up for yourselves. Hilarious to think about what rights and privileges you clowns have squandered over the years. Real Trainmen died to get you these Unions and you pansies disgrace the memories of the real trainmen that built this country. You boys got no backbone, so why do you think your unions would be any different. Ask your union this: 'what have you done for me lately?' NOTHING?! And how much did it cost you last year in dues? Wake Up, Get Up, Stand Up!

Name: Chicken slack action pants E-mail: Employed as: Car repair, for 1-10 years Posted: 25 April 2009 G you got me. Parden the pun lol Ya, I was having a bad trip one day on a hit of mesk. I felt the GF was after me for no reason and hid in the 600 volt cabinet of a wide body. Well I guess someone saw me close the door behind me. After feeling cozy, warm and safe the door swung open and it was my GF. See, I knew he was out to get me. He had me drug tested and they got me on the two pills of Oxy I took each day. I got them from my ailing grandfather on hospice. It's ok to get pills from family. But they didn't say anything about the Mesk, strange. This is my first rule G. I will be back. Rehab soon. Hate it!

Name: CSX E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 24 April 2009 Hmmmm....After reading some of your posts and seeing you`re no longer employed here it makes me wonder. You did`nt get fired due to failing a drug screen did you?

Name: Chicken slack action pants E-mail: Employed as: Car repair, for 1-10 years Posted: 24 April 2009 Oh CSX Blow, Why didn't you tell me that when you called? When asking to send you that size 52 pink thong you've been waiting so patiently for. Did you get it? Does it fit? If it's too snug, Ill send you the next size up. You don't want it to tight for when I send you those matching pink high heels.I will ask you to do the CSX goose step in them for me. I soooooo miss CSX. Love, Chicken Slacks

Name: Chicken slack action pants E-mail: Employed as: Car repair, for 1-10 years Posted: 24 April 2009 You see, the position I'm in my personal life affords me the opportunity to see management in a unique way. Example: I was walking down the street one day, minding my own business and then suddenly, A pile of fresh steaming pile of dog shit, un-molested by flys¥ looked up at me and said, "You're no fucking good." See where I'm getting at? ¥ A pile of fresh steaming pile of dog shit, un-molested by flys = CSX management.

Name: fedup E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 24 April 2009 Just thought I would share this tid bit about our glorious csx, I was injured on the job, payrol shorted my check the last day I worked, I called them and they acknowledged error, check earning statement and payrol deducted all towards health ins, all 117. of it, wow, heartless, no money comin in and they needed this. I hope this money pays for 1 of mikeys cigars.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 24 April 2009 Total BS from a MORON. Tommy got a bonus? who know's most likely his was the same as yours. Total BS post that has no bearing on anything, just assumptions, and opinions.=============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================== Name: Rube E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 23 April 2009 They been talkin' 'bout shuttin' down the P&A/PD for awhile now. I heard Tommy got a bonus for reducing the manpower there in Pensacola. Furloughs = brownie points with management. Melvin said they gonna run everthing off extra boards in May. and they gonna furlough about 10-20 more people there. So, look out Mobile! Them boys is coming and if you ain't got 6-7 years seniority= welcome to furlough city or New Orleans. I'd rather be furloughed than live in that shit hole! Good Luck and Hope it don't last 2 more years like they been sayin'.

Name: CSX Blow E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 24 April 2009 Chicken Slack: Are you so insecure that you feel you have to post in every thread. People will read it you reject. You only need to post in one section. My heart goes out to the family members of the Wood family. I know the family is feeling a great deal of pain by loosing a whole family. I could`nt imagine to grasp what they must be going through. CSX should be ashamed of theirselves for allowing one of their employee`s to get this bad off. We all know he was not treated well at work as many of us get harassed and intimidated on a daily basis by these clowns. I have been saying all along folks are going to start to go postal due to the way management is operating this company. I feel this is just the start and we may see more heart wrenching stories like this about our fellow co-workers. It will get worse before it gets better as long as the current management is incharge.

Name: Chicken slack action pants E-mail: Employed as: Car repair, for 1-10 years Posted: 24 April 2009 The murder-suicide of the Billotti-Wood family Scholars link Wood's stressful work situation as an employee for CSX Railroad http://www.gazette.net/stories/04232009/urbanew172707_32531.shtml

Name: CSX Blow E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 23 April 2009 Rube: aka Turtlehead: I have no doubt you two are the same poster. Both your posts look the same and you posted in ever forum like another reject that cant read. You only have to post in one forun and it will get the proper attention. Everyone that comes on here looks in each category.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 23 April 2009 If you have any balls and you work in pensacola stay home on May 1.Get the word to ass sucking Mr. Buse.And then show up on May 6 Mr. Jones will be in town ask all the question to him. Bring your familes. Maybe he is comeing to fire cutoff everbody TOMMY

Name: turtlehead E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 10-20 years Posted: 23 April 2009 I heard that same shit, Rube. Hell, I heard more like 3 years or even turning P'cola into a Flomerton. You boys in the JAX division are getting the root buried all up in your guts. Stay strong, brothers. Remember May 1rst! " We must all hang together, or surely we will all hang separately!" Make May 1rst a day to spend at home with your families. Take one day out of your busy life and do not even think about CSX or working. I wonder how many brothers will do that? I never met a bunch of men that talked so much shit, but bowed down like little bitches. And you oldheads are the worst ones- ya'll need testosterone injections cause ya'll done sold your souls so many times you cannot hardly consider yourselves men anymore. I'm just Sayin'

Name: Rube E-mail: Employed as: APE, for 1-10 years Posted: 23 April 2009 They been talkin' 'bout shuttin' down the P&A/PD for awhile now. I heard Tommy got a bonus for reducing the manpower there in Pensacola. Furloughs = brownie points with management. Melvin said they gonna run everthing off extra boards in May. and they gonna furlough about 10-20 more people there. So, look out Mobile! Them boys is coming and if you ain't got 6-7 years seniority= welcome to furlough city or New Orleans. I'd rather be furloughed than live in that shit hole! Good Luck and Hope it don't last 2 more years like they been sayin'.

Name: average joe E-mail: Employed as: Other, non-employee, for N/A Posted: 23 April 2009 hey guys i dont know who zorro or nomo are but im joe not a ghost account controlled by another member so there

Name: Chicken slacks action pants E-mail: Employed as: Car repair, for 1-10 years Posted: 23 April 2009 Why am I not surprised by this from csx management. I've seen small company's operations and huge. csx is in it's own world. Have not seen it since WWll CSX manager nearly decapitated three children after they were dead using a kitchen knife and saw. http://www.wmdt.com/wires/displaystory.asp?id=86790717

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 22 April 2009 Actually I don't think it's Frulla making the cuts. He takes orders from someone higher up most likely Tony Ingram or Dan Brown. It was already announced cuts were going to happen. I'm not making excuses for any of them to keep their jobs they do whatever it takes. Frulla I knew when he was a young trainmaster you couldn't ask for a nicer person. It was different times back then labor and management worked together to run the railroad. Today it's all management with a lot of micro-management from those who haven't a clue. That's how we got into the shape this railroad is today. I witnessed not only Frulla but a few others who over time changed into what I consider "goffers". They make no decisions without asking someone higher up the use of their minds is prohibited. For those about to get furloughed again. Don't accept those calls, shutdown the railroad like last time they cut so deep it literally stopped everything. If those working would quit violating agreements to make an extra buck it would crumble faster. I've seen road crews getting back into their home terminals volunteering to work yard assignments with the time they have left. I've seen road crews volunteering to go back out when getting back to their home terminal with the time they have left. I've seen yard crews take road trains when both the engineer and yard foreman hadn't been on the road for years. Sure it looks good on paper but it becomes difficult for those who don't want it, it becomes standard operating procedure (SOP). If CSX or any railroad wants to separate the distinction between road and yard service let them agree to go with a contract like the IC/CN pay us $40 an hour gaurenteed for 10 hours OT after 10. Every employee under this contract would be gaurenteed a job no furloughs, new hires would fall under a 5 year plan if no furloughs in that time their vested. The unions turns a blind eye to agreement violations. That is unexceptable.

Name: retired E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 30+ years Posted: 22 April 2009 one more comment if you notice when you have your u t u meetings the only ones that attend mostly is your good brothers that is getting safety days off each month and only a couple of members that is affected by something. as long as your fellow brothers is getting paid from this suck ass company and some of your safety men is doing the sucking your are going to get screwed.when the r.r. quit some of their shit then go back to work and help them not untill. I LOOK BACK NOW AND SEE A LOT OF MISTAKES I help make some just by doing nothing and a lot by doing too much for the r.r. I hope all you young employees start back to work soon for I for one know what you are going through and do not wish the same on you just because I had to do the same.I ALMOST LOST MY FAMILY BACK THEN IT REALLY IS TOUGH YOU JUST HAVE TO HANG IN HERE.I cannot talk about someone else when I was one that did a little of everthing I was also the best the r.r had that is the only reason i made it to retirement.

Name: retired E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 30+ years Posted: 22 April 2009 I agree with eng with30 years of service the U T U SHOULD NOT EXIST ALL THE CONDUCTORS SHOULD JUST JOIN UP WITH ENGINEERS SINCE 90% IN THE FUTURE WILL BE EITHER ENGINEERS OR AT LEAST PROMOTED IN ORDER TO WORK ENGINEERS JOB ANYWAY.i feel like the U T U WILL BE HISTORY SOONER THAN LATTER.YOU DO NOT NEED TO START A DIFFERENT UNION JUST JOIN TOGETHER LIKE YOU WORK TOGETHER AND attend the union meetings.I REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD A CONDUCTORS AND THE TRAINMEN WAS DIFFERENT THEN WE FINNALLY GOT TOGETHER NOW IT IS THE TIME FOR THE CONDUCTORS AND ENGINEERS TO JOIN TOGETHER, WORK TOGETHER ,GET ALONE WITH EACH OTHER YOU LIVE TOGETHER MORE THAN YOU DO WITH YOUR FAMILY MOST DOES.IF THE ut u has no members then it will not exist. i am sorry I paid good money for dues to them for 40 years. everything they cannot sell they will steal. they are just about through selling so look out for the stealing.I understand hancock is fixing to retire.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for Less than 1 year Posted: 22 April 2009 BOB FRULLA FOURLOUGHING AGAIN IN ERWIN AND AROUND THE HUNTINGTON DEVISION. FUNNY MR FRULLA HOW LAST TIME YOU CUTT EVERYONE HERE OFF YOU HAD CREW CALLERS CALLING ME TELLING ME YOU HAD TRAINS TIED DOWN EVERYWHERE WHITH NO ONE TO MOVE THEM. YOU COULD NOT FILL YOUR REGULAR ASSIGNMENTS, YOU DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH MAN POWER TO RUN THE ERWIN AREA AND IM SURE THE REST OF THE HUNTINGTON DEVISION THEN YOU CALL US BACK AND HAS TROUBLE GETTING PEOPLE TO MARK BACK UP BE FOR SURE MR FRULLA THAT THIS TIME WHEN YOU HAVE TRAINS SITTING AND JOBS ARE UNFILLED AND YOU HAVE TO CUT THE FOURLOUGH BOARD THAT YOULL BE WITHOUT THE MANPOWER BECAUSE NO ONE HERE IS MARKING UP UNTIL THE VERY LAST MINUTE THEY HAVE TO OR EVEN LONGER IT HAS DONE BEEN DISSCUSSED. TREAT US LIKE WE ARE NOTHING THATS WHAT YOULL GET IN RETURN. EVERYTIME YOU FOURLOUGH MONTH ON AND MONTH OFF WITH NO NOTICE YOU JUST CAUSE PEOPLE TO HATE THIS COMPANY MORE. fOR THE OLD HEADS WHO ARE RACKING A NICE 4,000-5,000-6,000 OR MORE CHECK EVERY HALF WITH 50 GUYS CUTT BACK REMEMEBER THAT YOUR FUCKING US UP THE ASS AS MUCH AS MR FRULLA IS. IF EVERYONE WOULD TAKE A FUCKING DAY OFF EVERY HALF IT WOULD SURELY HELP EVERYONE OUT. AND BEFORE YOU RESPOND TO THIS DONT GIVE ME THAT FUCKING IVE BEEN THERE AND I DIDNT GO OUT AND GET IN DEPHT FUNNY TO ME THAT THE RAILROADS GOT YOUR NUTS RIGHT BEFORE YOU RETIRE BECAUSE YOUR FUCKING SOAKING IN LOADS OF FUCKING DEPHT!

Name: E-mail: FUCK_MIKE_WARD Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 22 April 2009 (CNN) -- A man who shot his wife and three children to death before committing suicide in Middletown, Maryland, last weekend had about $460,000 in mortgage and credit card debt, the local sheriff said Tuesday. Five people, including three young children, were found dead in this house in Middletown, Maryland. Deputies who examined a computer taken from Christopher Wood's home found information that showed "severe financial difficulties," including money owed on a home in Florida that the family had been unable to sell, Frederick County Sheriff Charles Jenkins said at a news conference. Wood was a salesman for CSX Railroad, where he earned about $97,000 a year, the sheriff said. http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_topstories/~3/p0HHc76E0Lk/index.html probably fucked over by CSX after moving from Jacksonville to Maryland.....

Name: NO&M conductor E-mail: Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 22 April 2009 It's not that I believe Melvin Murray it's the fact that due to the greed in Pensacola we are losing jobs due to Pensacola guys rolling to the M&M and NO&M. I know it's there right to due so but I also know they would not be here if it wasn't for a few that need to make 100,000 a year fighting to keep the pools as low as they can and keep the off days out of the pools that could create a few spots hell change is coming in July anyway. Plus you have one Union man trying to get the main problem Don Jones and his two little helpers to add spots to the extra boards and the other Union man trying to undermine him if they would work together who knows what they could get done and the best idea of all would to be to cut Don Jones's helpers off ( being we have half the work force) he would be so lost that maybe CSX would fire him.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 22 April 2009 Who know's what was in Christopher Wood's mind? CSX isn't a nice corporation to work for in it's present atmosphere. It was once a decent railroad. I'm inclined to think that eventually something bad will happen out here. The way management is constantly harrassing employees it's just a matter of time. Even though he didn't work in transportation I'm sure the pressure is in every department. I don't think anyone will know the answers.

Name: E-mail: FUCK_MIKE_WARD Employed as: Conductor, for 1-10 years Posted: 21 April 2009 Well Ward didnt step up about the Woods family but heres what CSX is saying: Statement from Lisa Mancini Released: April 20, 2009 On behalf of the company, Lisa Mancini has issued the following statement regarding the tragic death of Christopher Wood and his family. Dear Colleagues: On behalf of CSX, please allow me to express the company’s deepest sympathies in the overwhelming tragedy surrounding the deaths of Christopher Wood and his family. Many employees across the network have expressed their sincere condolences. As many of you know, Mr. Wood was a sales and marketing colleague who worked most recently in the Baltimore area after spending a number of years in Jacksonville. Grief and shock are natural in circumstances like this. Please be aware that the company has counseling resources available to you as part of your benefits program. In addition to private resources that can be obtained through your medical plan network, we have trained counselors for you to reach in complete confidence. Their toll-free numbers appear below. Lisa Mancini Senior Vice President Human Resources/Labor Relations/Corporate Services For CSX Transportation Employees: 1-800-657-3366 For CSX Corporation Employees: Corporate Employee Assistance Plan: 1-800-634-6433

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 21 April 2009 The power to "walk". Ya'll don't have that kind of power. The federal goverement makes sure ya'll don't have it. The railroads know that any federal court will give them an injunction against a strike. Ya'll just keep dreaming. I can bet most here never go to union meetings the only time union comes out of your mouth is when you feel you got screwed. Talk is cheap.

Name: E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 1-10 years Posted: 21 April 2009 If You believe fuck head Melvine Murry you are a dumb ass. They need to replace him, with a new hire. He has cut flomaton to the bone now I guess he knows everthing about pensacola.

Name: SAM E-mail: Employed as: Locomotive Engineer, for 30+ years Posted: 21 April 2009 Lloyd has another excellent idea. The power to "Walk". This is another plank in the platform of the new Union, which we can get certified pursuant to the RAILWAY LABOR ACT. So far, here is what we have from contributors (Railroad Conductor retired 30+; Lloyd, Brakeman for 10-20; Tank, Car Repair; and Matt, Locomotive Engineer 30+: ). 1. Merge all of the Railroad Unions into One United Railroad Union A united workforce is critical to success - including merging BLE into UTU. 2. Include a Nationwide Strike Clause - when we walk, we all walk. Power in numbers is the key to solving our problems. 3. Prohibit furlough of railroad workers durin