Intermediate Station Switching

 

Conductor only crews can make one (1) straight set out and/or one (1) straight pickup to or from the minimum number of tracks required to hold the set out or pick up, at each Intermediate Station/Location.

 

Station Switching means:

 

1.                   Moving cars at an intermediate station from one (1) track to another.

2.                   Switching cars at an intermediate location that neither arrived nor departed on your train.

3.                   Picking up from behind cars first out.

4.                   Setting cars in behind cars already at the intermediate location/station.

 

The above has the exception of setting out b/o cars no matter when discovered.

 

4         Moving a car from one (1) track to another track at an intermediate station is prohibited under the May 20, 1993 Crew Consist Agreement, Article I and Q&A.

 

When faced with instructions to violate the agreements advise the dispatcher and/or official that you cannot perform the work identified unless provided with a brakeman.  Tell the official you will do what is allowed, pick up one track or pick up all cars on one track, but you can’t perform switching conductor only.  Remember and remind the official or dispatcher you are not refusing service and cite the May 20, 1993 Crew Consist Agreement, Article I, Section 2, Q&A 6.

 

Short Turn-around, Multiple Trips

 

When a “conductor only” crew is called as such at Terminal “A” and brings a train into that terminal “A” and a second (or third) subsequent trip is to be made, terminal “A” would be considered an intermediate point in conjunction with provisions of The May 20, 1993, Crew Consist Agreement, Article I. As such “conductor only” crews can make only one (1) straight set out and/or one (1) straight pick up on arrival at (intermediate points) the terminal “A”

 

The exception would be on the “conductor only” crews last arrival at the terminal “A”. On such last trip a “conductor only” crew could perform up to three (3) work events permitted by agreement provisions.

 

Turn-around Service

 

When a “conductor only” crew is called in turn-around service at Terminal “A”, the initial Terminal and Final Terminal are one in the same, Terminal “A”. All other locations, including the turn-around point “are” intermediate locations. As such “conductor only” crews can only make one (1) straight set out and/or one (1) straight pick up at those intermediate locations. Such “conductor only” crews can perform three (3) work events at the Initial Terminal and three (3) work events at the Final Terminal, even thought both are the same Terminal “A”

 

Road Crews Performing Yard Service (Initial & Final Terminal)

 

Article I, Section 2 of the May 20, 1993 Crew Consist Agreement.  Where yard crews are not employed there are no restrictions on work by Conductor only or reduced crews. 

 

Switching occurs when any car(s) is spotted for loading or unloading.

Switching occurs when cars are shifted in a cut of cars.

Switching occurs when the crew enters or place two (2) separated cars or cuts of cars to the same track.

Switching occurs when cars not arriving or leaving on your train are moved from one track to another.

Switching is not doubling one (1) track to another.

Switching is not setting out to two (2) tracks, or more, due to track size.

 

Recent Arbitration award permits bringing your train into Federal compliance.

 

Where yard crews are employed and on duty, road crews are not supposed to perform yard switching as minimally described above.

 

 

Initial and Final Terminals

 

Road crews may perform the following work in connection with their own trains without additional compensation:

 

a)       Get or leave their train at any location within the initial and final terminals and handle their own switches. When a crew is required to report for duty or is relieved from duty at a point other than the on and off duty point fixed for that assignment and such point is not within reasonable walking distance of the on and off duty point, transportation will be provided.

 

b)       Make up to three straight pick-ups at other location(s) in the initial terminal in addition to picking up the train and up to three straight set-outs at other location(s) in the final terminal in addition to yarding the train; and, in connection therewith, spot, pull, couple, or uncouple cars set out or picked up by them and reset any cars disturbed.

 

c)       In connection with straight pick-ups and/or set-outs within switching limits at intermediate points where yard crews are on duty, spot, pull, couple or uncouple cars set out or picked up by them and reset any cars disturbed in connection therewith.

 

d)       Perform switching within switching limits at times no yard crew is on duty. On carriers on which the provisions of Section 1 of Article V of the June 25, 1964 Agreement are applicable, time consumed in switching under this provision shall continue to be counted as switching time. Switching allowances, where applicable, under Article V, Section 7 of the June 25, 1964 Agreement or under individual railroad agreements, payable to road crews, shall continue with respect to employees whose seniority date in a craft covered by this Agreement precedes the date of this Agreement and such allowances are not subject to general or other wage increases.

 

e)       At locations outside of switching limits there shall be no restrictions on holding onto cars in making set-outs or pick-ups, including coupling or shoving cars disturbed in making set-outs or pick-ups.

 

Questions & Answers from the 1985 National Agreement

 

Q     In application of the provisions of Section 1(b) , of Article VIII, is there any limit to the couplings that road crews can be required to make when picking up cars ?

 

A    The language "spot, pull, couple or uncouple cars set out or picked up by them and reset any cars disturbed " in Sections 1(b) and  (c) of Article VIII was intended to apply to setting out and picking up cars and no limit is imposed on the number of couplings a crew  may make when performing such work.

 

Q    Train to be yarded in Track B of bowl yard makes a set-out at east yard, a set-out in Track A of the bowl yard, yards the balance of train in Track B, and then places caboose on the caboose track. Track B of the bowl yard would have held the balance of the train after the set-out at east yard. It is our understanding that the set-out in Track A of the bowl yard is a second set-out in the final terminal. Is this the correct interpretation of the rule?

 

A    No.

 

Q   Can we require an inbound crew to shove their set outs to a particular spot on the yard track, i.e. , to air hose or the bottom of the track?

 

A   Yes.