2024: Domino Containers - The Next Step. News from the Domino Container commu...
CBTC Technical Recruiting and Training Challenges
1. “The Human Element—Part 2”
Training & Education Challenges
for CBTC/PTC Implementations
M. J. quot;Markquot; Engels
Railroad-Transit Signal Design Principal
ESCORRT LLC
Fond du Lac, Wisc. USA
http://www.escorrtllc.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mjengels
9. The Road Less Travelled
• Educational Background
• Exposure to the Railroad Industry
• Entrance into C&S Career Path
10. The Road Less Travelled:
Educational Background
• Lake Superior State University
– Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan (Accredited by TAC-ABET)
– Bachelors of Science
• Electrical Engineering Technology
– Associates of Science
• Computer Engineering Technology
– Other Coursework
• CAD design
• PLC programming
• Michigan Engineer-In-Training Exam Passed
11. The Road Less Travelled:
Experience in Allied Fields
• Manufacturing (Michigan) • Embedded Systems Development
– Automotive Press Rooms – Medical Devices
• Field Service Technician • Verification Systems Engineer
– Coordination with skilled trades – Design Validation Testing
– Field Updates – Manual & Automated Systems
» PLC program files » “Black Box”
» CAD design files » “White Box”
• Verification Systems Manager
– Automotive Assembly Tooling
– Telephony
• Systems Engineer
– PLC program development • Verification Systems Engineer
– CAD file creation – Startup telco OEM
» Engine assembly
» Manufacturing work cells
– Avionics
• Verification Systems Engineer
– Medical Devices (Minnesota)
• Engineering Project Manager
• Systems Engineer
– Mainframe System Support
12. The Road Less Travelled:
Exposure to the Railroad Industry
• Father’s hardware store
– Next to Class I secondary main line
• Ride-along with track inspector in hi-rail truck
• Ride-along in caboose with local crew
– Rule violations, but tolerated
– “Set the hook”
• General “Railfanning”
– Photography various Great Lakes locations (US, Canada)
– College Tour for SAE chapter of Algoma Central Railway roundhouse & shops
– Ham Radio License
• Tourist / Museum Railroad Operations
– T&E service
– Mechanical Dept.
• Equipment Operator
– Boom truck, Fork Lift, Front End Loader
» CDL and operating experience from college summer jobs
• Locomotive Wiring
– Combining railroading interests with electrical education & experience
13. The Road Less Travelled:
Entrance into C&S Career Path
• Tourist / Museum → Short Line / Industrial
– “Utility Worker”
• T&E
• MoW
• Mechanical
• Loss of Engineering Work → Job Search
– Class I T&E (no offers)
– Short Line, Regional T&E (no offers)
– Class I signal department (hired)
• Commercial Driver’s License
• Recent electrical experience
• Promotion potential
14. The Road Less Travelled:
C&S Career Path Continues
• Class I signalman
– Pole Line Elimination
– “Flasher gang” as necessary
– Furloughing began
• Another Class I hiring signalmen in area
– Leveraged network (“know people who know people”)
– Discussed technician’s job during interview
– Out-of-town gang with “old school” foreman
– Bid tech’s job at earliest possible opportunity
15. The Road Less Travelled:
C&S Career Path Continues
• Class I signal electronics technician
– Required written exam for bid
– “Monthly rated” (salaried, overtime Sundays)
– Supported
• Six maintainers
• One signal inspector (testman)
• One signal construction gang
• Territory profile
– Double main line with CTC
– Between 50-60 trains per day
– Nearly 90 miles end-to-end
– Located in two states
16. The Road Less Travelled:
C&S Career Path Continues
• Class I signal & communications supervisor
– Responsible for coordinating, coaching, testing
• 10 signal maintainers
• 2 relief signal maintainers
• 3 communications technicians
• 2 signal testmen (inspectors)
• One signal construction gang
• Territory profile
– Single and double main line with CTC, two branch lines
– Between 50-60 trains per day
– Over 150 miles end-to-end
– Located in one state
17. The Road Less Travelled:
C&S Career Path Continues
• Work for engineering firms
• Two six-month engagements
– Perform QA review of signal circuit plans
• Highway-rail grade crossing warning systems
• Signal system upgrades
• Hump yard communication systems
– Systems assessment, preliminary engineering
18. The Road Less Travelled:
C&S Career Path Today
Self-employed (ESCORRT LLC) Signal Design Principal
– Client base – Industry Affiliations
• railroads • AREMA
– Committee 36
• transit operators
(Highway-Rail Grade
• engineering firms Crossing Warning
• government agencies Systems)
– Committee 37
(Signal Systems)
– C&S Services
– Committee 39
• Systems design (Positive Train Control)
• Maintenance planning – quot;Introduction to Practical
Railway Engineeringquot;
• Construction QA
seminar delivery team
• Contract management
• Training of field forces
• Operation Lifesaver
– volunteer presenter
20. The View From Here
• Challenges in Recruitment
• Challenges in Training
• Challenges in Retention
21. The View From Here :
Challenges in Recruitment
• “An Invisible Industry” • Experience, training from other
industries
– Post WWII
• Certifications
• 1 in 4 employed
ISCET ETA
– Today
• nearing 1 in 40
NCSA/ESPA Microsoft
– “You do what? Where?
• Licensing
WHY?”
– FCC
– NEC
– Inside work
– Daylight hours
– Predictable work schedule
– Frequent relocation not
required
22. The View From Here :
Challenges in Recruitment (cont.)
• The work doesn’t “sell well”
– Outside, all times of day, all types of weather
– On call (sometimes 24 / 7 / 365)
– Versatility requirements
• Drive trucks
• Climb poles
How many willing and able to do all these?
• Dig trenches
• Read meters
• Shoot trouble
– Industries facing similar attrition issue
• Telcos
• Utilities
23. The View From Here :
Challenges in Training
• Railroad Signaling is unique
– No other electrical discipline quite like it
– Required 6-8 week apprenticeship training
– Some positions filled by people “off the street”
• Training Barriers (peers, supervisors)
– “It’s not my job to teach you yours!”
– “You knew that when you bid the job!”
• If I teach you what I know, they won’t need me!
• I don’t know myself, but I’m not telling YOU that!
– “Here’s the keys and cell phone--go get ‘em, killer!”
• Don’t get hurt!
• Don’t screw up!
24. The View From Here :
Challenges in Training (cont.)
• Training materials sparse
– Vendor manuals
• out of date
• too general
– Required 6-8 week apprenticeship training
– Some positions filled by “off the street” people
• Equipment vendors tech support of mixed quality
– “Like a box of chocolates…you never know what
you’re gonna get!”
– Really good techs are promoted or leave company
• Frequently encounter techs with little experience
• May turn out to be “page flippers”
25. The View From Here :
Challenges in Training (cont.)
• Classroom and field training shortcomings
– Timeliness
• Sometimes comes long before employee can apply knowledge
– “Use it or lose it!”
• Sometimes occurs after an employee needs it!
• Creates scheduling headaches for supervisors
– If maintainer, adjoining maintainers do at least 1-1/2 times more work
– Relief maintainer may be used, but only during non-vacation periods
– If gang job, may leave foreman short resources for key tasks
– Subject Matter
• Wide variety of signal circuits still in service
– Difficult, if not impossible to train on all types of equipment
– Obsolescence
• Changing technologies will require continual refresher courses in future
– Limitations of practicality
• Shortage of parts available to build reliable test/training systems
• How many maintainers CAN fit into an 8’x8’ house, anyway?
26. The View From Here :
Challenges in Training (cont.)
• “Non-traditional” training needs
– Not just “old heads”, but new hires too
– Computer technology
• High-speed Internet connectivity
• Email
• Acrobat
• “Dumb Terminal”
• Testing and recordkeeping
– Laptop
– PDA
– Database query
– Configuration Management
– Risk Assessment
– Defect Reporting
– Revision Control
– Validation/Verification
– Safety Plan (railroad, product)
27. The View From Here :
Challenges in Training (cont.)
• Training programs required by FRA for future implementations
– 49 CFR 236.921
• Training and qualification program, general
– 49 CFR 236.923
• Task analysis and basic requirements
– 49 CFR 236.925
• Training specific to control office personnel
– In conjunction with 49 CFR 217 requirements
– 49 CFR 236.927
• Training specific to locomotive engineers…
– In conjunction with 49 CFR 240 requirements
– 49 CFR 236.929
• Training specific to roadway workers
– In conjunction with 49 CFR 214 requirements
28. The View From Here :
Challenges in Retention
• Frequent relocation
– Craft
• Protecting seniority (forced to bid)
• Exercising seniority (“bumping”)
• Next job may be down the road or halfway across the country
• Distinct possibility of numerous relocations given low seniority
– Management
• Force-assigned as determined by carrier
• May be lateral move or punitive assignment
• Those with options may exercise them
– Back to the craft
– Pursue outside opportunities
29. The View From Here :
Challenges in Retention (cont.)
• “Where do you want to go today?”
– On the gang
• Variable work schedules from gang to gang
– 4 on / 3 off
– 8 on / 6 off
– 5 on / 2 off
• Possible drive up to 8-10 hours ONE WAY to reach hotel!
• Per diems may not account for high-cost areas
– Maintainer
• Frequently required to live within certain distance of territory
• UNPAID move may be required for family
• May elect to live in hotel or apartment, but meals and lodging
not always paid by carrier
30. The View From Here :
Challenges in Retention (cont.)
• “Pressure cooker” culture
– Fear
• Don’t get hurt
• Don’t screw up
• If you do either, you must have broken a rule!
• “Fair and impartial investigation”
– Frequently neither!
• Only guaranteed way to avoid is to do nothing!
– The Trouble Call
• Learn what you’re made of…best training on the planet
• Guaranteed to be during:
– Dead of night (“2 AM”)
» Blowing Snow
» Driving Rain
» Dense Fog
• Difficult to maintain family commitments
– Birthday parties
– Ball games
– Dance recitals
• Clinical studies underway regarding work-rest cycles and fatigue
31. The View From Here :
Challenges in Retention (cont.)
• “Pressure cooker” culture
– Relentless (24 x 7 x 365)
• Some in craft are salaried
• Having territory with lots of trouble calls pays same as one
with few
• Reliability of signal system frequently outside signal
department influence
– Soggy ballast (poor drainage)
– Insulated joint breakdown (bad ties)
– “track light on” or “island circuit down” (operating crew errors)
– Maintenance of systems not regulated by FRA eats up “time”
(yard switches, control panels)
• When systems in trouble, EVERYONE’s phone rings
– Job descriptions mean little
– Everyone with a truck who hasn’t “hog-lawed” is fair game
32. The View From Here :
Challenges in Retention (cont.)
• “Pressure cooker” culture
– The dreaded “efficiency test”
• Required by FRA
– Demonstrates rules compliance by labor
– Demonstrates rules enforcement by management
• Not fun for either party (usually)
– If used in wrong manner, promotes culture of fear
– Senior management sets ET quotas for front line supervisors
» Other responsibilities not mitigated
» Failure quotas not formalized, but do exist
» If everyone passes, then supervisor not doing job right
» But what if everyone is indeed working safe?
33. The View From Here :
Challenges in Retention (cont.)
37. The Path Ahead
• Enhancing Recruitment
• Enhancing Training
• Enhancing Retention
38. The Path Ahead:
Enhancing Recruitment
• Railroads / Transits enjoy advantages
– New hires
• More computer literate
• More able to work together in teams
– Skilled trades availability in certain locations
• Michigan / Indiana / Ohio (auto industry downturns)
• Florida / Arizona / California (housing market busts)
– No longer an “invisible industry”
• (Positive) media coverage, advertising on History Channel,
CNN, MSNBC, etc.
• National elected officials have strong industry ties
39. The Path Ahead:
Enhancing Recruitment (cont.)
• Develop recognition of licenses /
certifications outside of our industry
– “CLEP out” of first week of signal school
– Give incentive for not attending
• Work with labor to promote and offer
– More inside work
– More frequent daylight hours
– More predictable work schedules
– Fewer circumstances requiring relocation
40. The Path Ahead:
Enhancing Recruitment (cont.)
• Embrace communities of individuals with
affinity / passion for industry, technologies
– Railfans (with careful screening)
• Trains Magazine
– Ham Radio Operators
• QST
• CQ
– Electronics Hobbyists
• Nuts & Volts
• MAKE Magazine
41. The Path Ahead:
Enhancing Training
• Craft • Management
“structured progression” “structured progression”
– Assistant signalman – Hire from craft, not street!
• Can’t find ‘em, build ‘em!
– Signalman
– Recognize unique Signal &
– Assistant maintainer
Communications roles
– Maintainer
– Asst. supervisor FIRST!
– Craft leadership
– Structured mentoring
• Lead Maintainer
– Develop and universally
• Inspector / Testman
implement management
• Gang Foreman
trainee program
• Technician
Don’t permit anyone to be “set up” to fail!
42. The Path Ahead:
Enhancing Training (cont.)
• “Don’t throw baby out with the bathwater!”
– Encourage, reward mentors from craft
– Time is of the essence due to attrition!
– Enable career progression paths from craft to:
• Supervision / Management
• Circuit designer / checker
• Trainer
43. The Path Ahead:
Enhancing Training (cont.)
• Develop plan for training resources
– Off site
• Buy “in bulk” to help reduce costs
• Develop local facility tours
• Don’t punish those “left behind”
– On site
• Make investment in equipment and labor to build
– Turnout, switch machine, gate mechs, etc.
– Use for reliability testing when no training scheduled
• Mimic operation of equipment on actual territory
44. The Path Ahead:
Enhancing Retention
• Maintain vertical job categories
– Signalmen
• Heavy equipment operation
• Manual labor
• Constant travel
– Signal Maintainers
• Testing / Inspection / Maintenance
• Less physical labor
• Much less travel
– More “carrot” and less “stick”
• Reduce forced assignments to a minimum
• Help give financial and time off incentives to make
maintaining desirable again
45. The Path Ahead:
Enhancing Retention (cont.)
• Change thinking about work / life balance
– Provide time off guarantees
• Not just during vacations
• Assign larger territories to additional people
• Each one “backs up” the other
– At least one qualified, capable resource available when bad
things happen and phone rings
– Supervisor / assistant supervisor or supervisor “pool”
– Discuss, develop pilot programs with labor for
alternative working arrangements
• Shift work (with assigned testing responsibilities)
• 3 on / 3 off
• Establish times of day where phone guaranteed not to ring
• Reference new FRA HoS requirements
46. The Path Ahead:
Enhancing Retention (cont.)
• Make supervision appealing again
– Centralize administrative tasks
• Purchasing
• Scheduling of coverage
• FRA test recordkeeping
– Promote from the top down work’s importance
• Not overhead, but a vital function
• Provides for safe and efficient operation of trains
• Benefits employees, company and public at large
– Management support at all levels critical!
48. Thank you!
“The Human Element—Part 2”
Training & Education Challenges
for CBTC/PTC Implementations
M. J. quot;Markquot; Engels
Railroad-Transit Signal Design Principal
ESCORRT LLC
Fond du Lac, Wisc. USA
http://www.escorrtllc.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mjengels
