PRR 5841 posted:Hot Water posted:I have no idea what the operating rules are today for DC traction units in an MU'ed consist with AC traction units. When the BN purchased all those SD70MAC units, back in the early 1990s, they first had a policy of not mixing the two different types within an MU consist. A bit later, the "policy" was modified that should DC and AC units be mixed in an MU consist, the DC units MUST be in the lead.
After the merger with the AT&SF and the BN, all such "mixing policies" went out the window! Naturally, it didn't take long for an AC & DC MU consist to be assembled with the AC unit/units in the lead, and again it didn't take long for them to burn the traction motors out of the DC unit! Naturally, the Engineer got the blame! So much for proper training of operating crews and motive dispatchers.
Wow. The first two managerial decisions were reasonable. The last iteration was just plain ineptness that also set crews up to fail. Six burnt out DC traction motors would make my Platinum card melt. I guess then that management’s answer to my question would be: “The engineer cannot ever monitor the trailing DC units; We don’t care anyway; If things break or go wrong we’ll be happy to blame the engineer”.
A corporate culture filled with positive reinforcement and exemplary leadership values.
Apparently you have never worked in the railroad industry.
