06-28-2010, 11:53 AM
Cars picked up, or set off "without a work order" occurs daily on railroads to this day. Let me explain:
As a conductor on train, let's say you arrive at "Industry A" to do your work. Let's say your work orders - or switch list - indicate you have 2 empties to pick up and 2 loads to place. But let's say you have 3 cars on that siding. Before you start your work, you talk with the employee at Industry A and he tells you that car #3 is now empty. This car was emptied after you departed the terminal so you have no "work order" that indicates it's status. What do you do now?
The correct way (in terms of dollars and cents) is to pull that car as well, and take it with you. The "penny pinchers" in accounting will appreciate the move because that empty car won't be sittng on that siding collecting demurrage fees. From what I understand, the customer is "allowed" so much time to unload (or load) a car before being charged by the railroad. Once a car is "released" back to the railroad, either loaded or empty, by the customer, the railroad pays for that car until interchanged back to another railroad. Assuming that car is owned by a different railroad.
Long story short, cars are always placed or pulled without "work orders". It's the railroads way of serving the customer faster and the conductor's way of getting the job done quicker. These "moves" need to be recorded on a form so that everyone knows where the cars are.
Hope that answers your question.
As a conductor on train, let's say you arrive at "Industry A" to do your work. Let's say your work orders - or switch list - indicate you have 2 empties to pick up and 2 loads to place. But let's say you have 3 cars on that siding. Before you start your work, you talk with the employee at Industry A and he tells you that car #3 is now empty. This car was emptied after you departed the terminal so you have no "work order" that indicates it's status. What do you do now?
The correct way (in terms of dollars and cents) is to pull that car as well, and take it with you. The "penny pinchers" in accounting will appreciate the move because that empty car won't be sittng on that siding collecting demurrage fees. From what I understand, the customer is "allowed" so much time to unload (or load) a car before being charged by the railroad. Once a car is "released" back to the railroad, either loaded or empty, by the customer, the railroad pays for that car until interchanged back to another railroad. Assuming that car is owned by a different railroad.
Long story short, cars are always placed or pulled without "work orders". It's the railroads way of serving the customer faster and the conductor's way of getting the job done quicker. These "moves" need to be recorded on a form so that everyone knows where the cars are.
Hope that answers your question.
Doing my best to stay on track and to live each day to it's fullest, trying not to upset people along the way. I have no enemies.....just friends who don't understand my point of view.
Steve
Let's go Devils!
Steve
Let's go Devils!