Union Pacific considers a train crew of one

Here is a disturbing story or at least it seems like that to me.



Union Pacific considers a train crew of one
Written by The Omaha World-Herald
Tuesday, 06 September 2005

MORRILL, Neb. -- Mile long coal trains rumble through prairie towns every day, raising little notice unless blowing a horn or stopping traffic at a crossing, according to this report by Stacie Hamel published by the Omaha World-Herald.

Union Pacific engineer Nancy Kohmetscher of North Platte says the need for teamwork is just one reason she's against the railroad's push for one-person train crews.

The work inside their locomotives, though, is the subject of intense debate as railroads attempt to negotiate to cut crews from two members to one. Whether those crews of one would be drawn from the conductor ranks or the engineer ranks is part of those negotiations.

The conductors' union filed a lawsuit in March over railroads' demand to negotiate one-person crews, which would require that agreements over the makeup of train crews be reopened.

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