Dominic:
I suspect this is one of those things for which a solid argument could be made either pro or con. KCS, UP and BNSF have had centralized dispatching for years now. CSX had it; decentralized then recentralized their dispatching. And I believe both CN and CP have centralized dispatching centers in both the US and Canada as well.
The two arguments I’ve heard most frequently against doing this are the impact a significant weather event could have on centralized dispatching and the inability for dispatchers to conveniently hit the road and become more familiar with the territory they dispatch.
The reality is the structures in which dispatchers are located can be made darn near impregnable and there really isn’t any reason dispatchers couldn’t be sent into the field periodically to ride with crews.
Ultimately, whether it’s good or bad depends who is holding down the CEO’s spot and whether he (or she) believes it’s a good idea.
Curt
