Coordination of Metro North timetables

[nostalgia]

I recently noticed the following effective periods for MN lines:

Hudson: April 7 through November 2

New Haven: April 7 through June 30

Harlem: April 7 through June 2

 

They began the same date but expire on a different date. I was told by a MN conductor that ONLY a crew originating at Grand Central can work multiple lines in a work day because the flip trip always returns to Grand Central. This isn't the case if a New Haven crew works a Harlem line train. The flip trip returns to Grand Central which isn't the crew's origin terminal.

 

Do GCT crews go through a new pick when a line schedule changes? In this case, they would pick when the Harlem line schedule expires June 2, New Haven schedule expires June 30 and the Hudson line expires November 2.

[Amtrak7]

Sometimes they do. But for this case I don't think so. The Harlem ends today because the midday Wassaic busing ends today. The NHL ends 6/30 because West Haven will open.

[Truckie]

There is no new pick. 

 

There is only an all out new pick twice a year, usually in April and October/November.  This is when the slate is wiped clean and everyone picks from scratch based on seniority.  Other than that if there is the need for new jobs, it will be advertised for bid on a weekly basis.

 

If there is a job that needs to be changed, it current job will be abolished on a given date and the changed job will be advertised for bid.  This happens mostly around Thanksgiving and New Years with the shoppers specials added to the schedules.

 

Anytime there is a job up for bid it's not limited to those in a certain crew base.  Anyone from anywhere can bid on the job as long as they are qualified to work the job.  For example, the weekly advertisement could come out on Friday and it could show my job is abolished and re-advertised with the changes.  I could certainly bid the job back as can anyone working in any other crew base.  If some one bids it with more time than me, they get the job.  Then I would be eligible to bump some one junior to me or put a hold down on a vacant job.

 

The creation and abolishing of jobs is very prevalent with coductor-flag work.  For example, once the West Haven Station is complete, those conductor-flag jobs will be abolished and those conductors will have to exercise their seniority and bump someone.

[nostalgia]

There is no new pick. 

 

There is only an all out new pick twice a year, usually in April and October/November.  This is when the slate is wiped clean and everyone picks from scratch based on seniority.  Other than that if there is the need for new jobs, it will be advertised for bid on a weekly basis.

 

If there is a job that needs to be changed, it current job will be abolished on a given date and the changed job will be advertised for bid.  This happens mostly around Thanksgiving and New Years with the shoppers specials added to the schedules.

 

Anytime there is a job up for bid it's not limited to those in a certain crew base.  Anyone from anywhere can bid on the job as long as they are qualified to work the job.  For example, the weekly advertisement could come out on Friday and it could show my job is abolished and re-advertised with the changes.  I could certainly bid the job back as can anyone working in any other crew base.  If some one bids it with more time than me, they get the job.  Then I would be eligible to bump some one junior to me or put a hold down on a vacant job.

 

The creation and abolishing of jobs is very prevalent with coductor-flag work.  For example, once the West Haven Station is complete, those conductor-flag jobs will be abolished and those conductors will have to exercise their seniority and bump someone.

How long does it take for the dominoes to fall into place?

[Truckie]

How long does it take for the dominoes to fall into place?

 

Excellent question. 

 

They never completely fall into place.  Every week there are jobs up for bid and jobs abolished.  When jobs are abolished there is bumping.  Depending on how high up on the roster some one is his job gets bumped it could take days to trickle down.  On top of that there are people out on long term injury or sickness that have to bump someone when they come back to work. 

 

Guys on the bottom of the roster can (and have) gotten bumped numerous times in one day.  Guys may have to work in a crew base hours from home, when there is a crew base minutes away. 

 

It's a never ending vicious cycle.  Fortunately once you build up some seniority things get better.

[nostalgia]

This sounds like Amtrak. I didn't work for the company when I lived in Washington, DC but I had friends who did. I was able to see them off in the crew lounge before 9/11. I picked up job advertisement bulletins. There was a pick twice a year when the timetable changed. Between the picks, new jobs were advertised for one week, bids submitted, and a few days later crew management posted the results, effective the following Sunday.

 

During the winter, employees with low seniority were furloughed until the Spring when business picked up and employees started to go on vacation. It was feast or famine.

 

Let's talk about the extra board. Are there separate boards for each line? I'm virtually certain that the LIRR had a system wide extra board which means when the call comes in, you can report to Penn Station or Speonk or any of the origin terminals in between.

 

BTW, I have an outdated MN ETT. What are the mileposts for Fairfield Metro, West Haven, and State Street?

 

Thank you.

[Truckie]

Every crew base has it's own extra board and AV board (availability board for those wanting to work rest days).  That's not to say that if all jobs are filled in your crew base they can't send you to another. 

 

While on the subject, one common mistake people (and the media) make is overtime on rest days.  It is not based on seniority.  It's based on when you finished up your last shift.  This said, I'm always out on Sunday before someone senior to me because I finish up about 1:45 in the morning on Sunday and she finishes up an hour later.

 

Mileposts for Fairfield Metro is 52.3, West Haven not in service yet so I don't have a definitive MP and New Haven State St is 72.7.

[nostalgia]

Every crew base has it's own extra board and AV board (availability board for those wanting to work rest days).  That's not to say that if all jobs are filled in your crew base they can't send you to another. 

 

While on the subject, one common mistake people (and the media) make is overtime on rest days.  It is not based on seniority.  It's based on when you finished up your last shift.  This said, I'm always out on Sunday before someone senior to me because I finish up about 1:45 in the morning on Sunday and she finishes up an hour later.

 

Mileposts for Fairfield Metro is 52.3, West Haven not in service yet so I don't have a definitive MP and New Haven State St is 72.7.

Thank you for the information. I'm confused about "overtime on rest days." In your example, Sunday is a regular work day, though you must start around noon because you finish early Sunday morning.

 

Is CP274 also MP 72.7? I have an old MN ETT that lists the MN/Amtrak Division point as 72.8 but an old Amtrak ETT lists the division point as 72.9. HMMM!

[Truckie]

CP274 is also at MP 72.7 and per the track map New Haven State St is with in the interlocking limits of CP274.  Division Post/Amtrak is listed as MP 72.9 with a side note that the distance between MP 72 and MP 73 is 6,245 feet.

 

Sorry about the confusion with rest days.  To work your rest days you have to put in a slip with crew management with your job #, crew base, rest days, etc.  My rest days are Sun and Mon.  In my example, I start work on Sat at approx 5:30 PM as does another conductor who also has the same rest days.  I finish up about 1:45 Sun morning (from Saturday) and she finishes up at about 2:45 Sun morning.  Both of us are eligible to work after 8 hours being off duty (FRA rule).  Because I finish my shift earlier than she does, I get called out before her even though she has more seniority.

[nostalgia]

CP274 is also at MP 72.7 and per the track map New Haven State St is with in the interlocking limits of CP274.  Division Post/Amtrak is listed as MP 72.9 with a side note that the distance between MP 72 and MP 73 is 6,245 feet.

 

Sorry about the confusion with rest days.  To work your rest days you have to put in a slip with crew management with your job #, crew base, rest days, etc.  My rest days are Sun and Mon.  In my example, I start work on Sat at approx 5:30 PM as does another conductor who also has the same rest days.  I finish up about 1:45 Sun morning (from Saturday) and she finishes up at about 2:45 Sun morning.  Both of us are eligible to work after 8 hours being off duty (FRA rule).  Because I finish my shift earlier than she does, I get called out before her even though she has more seniority.

Though you didn't write it, it sounds like you and the other conductor are on the extra board because you wrote about "being called out." Only the extra board would be called out. I don't understand how you can be called out on your rest days, unless you submitted the slip you described.

 

The only time seniority would come into effect is during a job pick and somebody picked to be on the extra board.

[Truckie]

Though you didn't write it, it sounds like you and the other conductor are on the extra board because you wrote about "being called out." Only the extra board would be called out. I don't understand how you can be called out on your rest days, unless you submitted the slip you described.

 

The only time seniority would come into effect is during a job pick and somebody picked to be on the extra board.

 

Being on the extra board comes with seniority.  Those that work on the board have set work days.  Crew calls out those on their rest day only after the extra board is exhausted.

 

The situation with me and the other conductor is Saturday is both our "Friday" and have slips in to work our rest days which are Sunday and Monday.

[nostalgia]

Sometimes they do. But for this case I don't think so. The Harlem ends today because the midday Wassaic busing ends today. The NHL ends 6/30 because West Haven will open.

West Haven hasn't opened. I can't find the citation on the website but I remember reading that one track will be continuously out of service between CP 112 and I think CP 106.

[Truckie]

West Haven hasn't opened. I can't find the citation on the website but I remember reading that one track will be continuously out of service between CP 112 and I think CP 106.

 

The new employee timetable effective July 1 has times for West Haven.  It won't be until the station officially opens that those leaving times will followed when a bulletin order is issued.

 

There is on going maintenance between CP106 and CP112 for drainage improvements and the installation of CP109.

[nostalgia]

The new employee timetable effective July 1 has times for West Haven.  It won't be until the station officially opens that those leaving times will followed when a bulletin order is issued.

 

There is on going maintenance between CP106 and CP112 for drainage improvements and the installation of CP109.

I'm guessing CP109 is between Fordham and Botanical Garden. If so, this will allow S/B New Haven line trains stopping at Fordham to run Track 2 at CP112 and avoid running through Williams Bridge and Botanical Garden stations.