Re: Excess NR Locos for Sale

["Pumbaa" <jcostello@ozemail.com.au>]

"Rod [comtrain]" <freight_man@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3b159fdf$0$25522$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
> Glenn
> Your E mail does not work
> E mail me privately, please
> I think you were getting some one elses message mixed up with mine. You
need
> to work out what was the new post and seperate the old post as an example
> >              is one message repeated
> >>            is Two messages repeated
> >>>         is three messages repeated
> My arguments in this post were not against Enginemen as such.
> The first post that began this thread was about Federal Government
insisting
> NR dispose of all assetts no longer being used to other Railroads that may
> want to purchase them...etc etc
> A NR driver replied that LVR and other Companies employed scabs that were
> destroying our conditions.etc and NO WAY would these assetts be disposed
of
> to the likes of them!!


Listen ROD I never referred to them as SCABS, they are above that but they
are the cause of the erosion of conditions for the remainder of the
industry.  I still don't think we should be forced to sell anything to the
opposition now or ever.


> My reply was that maybe they  [LvR enginemen] have few choices and that
> people sometimes make mistakes.
> I also added that I have lived most of my Railway career suffering shit
from
> NSW crews, and that I DID not think that was the way it should be.


Suffering shit from NSW crews, you poor thing.  I worked out of Junee for 5
years and in that time we got some shocker handovers from both NSW and VIC
NRC crews but the worse were coutesy of our southern brothers.


> My statement mirrored yours that we all belong to the same Union and are
> fighting the one battle, so why should we be  at each others throats.
> And I have been defending myself ever since ;o(


Because you have insulted NRC crews with your crap.  SO KEEP YA ANIMOSITY
TOWARDS US TO A MINIMUM.


> Knocking the trucks off is everybodies final win win situation,
guaranteeing
> those of us who rely on the income the security and sustained employment
we
> all crave for.


Finally we agree on that.  Good luck!

Cheers
> Rod :0))))
> "fatboy" <fatboy64@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> Xu8R6.26877$BU4.45294@news1.blktn1.nsw.optushome.com.au">news:Xu8R6.26877$BU4.45294@news1.blktn1.nsw.optushome.com.au...
> > Rod,
> >
> > Thanks you have finally answered the one question that has been puzzling
> me
> > and probably quite a few National Rail enginemen for a long time.
> > We all went through the same selection process some time ago.
> > Some of us got jobs and some of us didn't.
> > Many of my mates missed out and a few got jobs and I cant understand why
> > they got them.(They may say the same about me).
> > I still cant understand why those of you that missed out seem to hold so
> > much resentment towards those of us that got jobs.
> > We had no control over who got the nod and who didn't.
> > I'm still not sure who did.
> > The one thing we all have in common is we all share the same profession.
> > Therefore we should be united in our fight to get as many trucks off the
> > nations roads as we can and get that freight back on rails.
> > Who cares who hauls it. As long as it is on the rails.
> > I wish you well in your retirement and hope your family the best of
health
> .
> > I will definitely wave to you if I see you in my travels.
> > Your welcome on my Locomotive anytime.
> > Remember united we stand divided we fall the true enemy is the road
> hauler.
> >
> > Proud to be a Driver/Gunzel ( Guess I'm finally out of the closet)
> >
> >
> >
> > "Rod [comtrain]" <freight_man@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:3b14d1c6$0$25488$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
> > > Gidday Glenn!
> > >
> > > Its a funny thing about that question, it gets asked a lot by National
> > Rail
> > > Enginemen!
> > > This answer should more probably be sent privately, but as you asked
it
> on
> > > the group, I will answer it on the Group.
> > > It should be a comprehensive answer, because chatting over a shandy or
> two
> > > with other Enginemen who did not go to NR, I am positive it applies to
a
> > lot
> > > of Engineman, not just me.
> > > A long time before the jobs were called at NR, Melbourne, several
Union
> > > Meetings were held, dominated by Hxxx, and many of the Dynon Hard Core
> > > Unionists like Mxxxx , Dxxxxx and Lxxxxx etc etc.
> > > These people were dead against National Rail and the Union Meetings
were
> > > running on the theme that it will never happen.
> > > Being a fan of American Big Train Railroading, all I could think of,
was
> a
> > > difference a truly National Railway would make to both the Economy of
> > Rail,
> > > and my job. Maybe I could operate some long heavy trains, with modern
> > > horsepower.....etc etc. I knew that I could do it, I was not
frightened
> by
> > > training, exams or anything else!
> > > I jumped up at one Union Meeting and announced to all and sundry, that
> > > National Rail was going to be our last chance to shaft the Trucking
> Lobby,
> > > and at Rails latest share of East Coast Traffic being less than 5%, We
> > were
> > > the ones being badly shafted.. No body else in that meeting spoke for
> the
> > > Governments plan to form National Rail. Privately many said they
agreed,
> I
> > > remember saying after the meeting, that regardless of what you do
Fxxxx,
> I
> > > will be signing up, first chance I get.
> > > The next several years, the Union down here was dead against National
> > Rail.
> > > I was transferring around the place getting as much big train
experience
> > as
> > > I could get. I never got into trouble, in fact I was pretty pleased
with
> > > myself, and could not wait for National Rail.
> > > Well the application forms arrived in the mail. Pretty simple stuff
> number
> > > from 1 to 5 your competency with each question asked. 1 being
absolutely
> > > competent, 5 being completely ignorant.
> > > Can't remember the Questions, you know them, others might not
> > > as an example
> > > Can you competently drive a train?..
> > > .easy       answer   1
> > > Can you operate a computer?    did not own one never used one ...easy
> > > answer  5
> > > Can you operate a signal box?    never trained as a signalman but I
can
> > read
> > > a diagram  good answer would be 4
> > > etc etc
> > > 20 % of the questions were not directly concerned with Driving a
Train,
> > and
> > > I answered all questions as honestly as I could, but obviously still
> erred
> > > to my advantage.
> > > Later on after all the Drivers had been selected, and I had not got an
> > > interview, it was easy to blame the Union Executive who had all jumped
> > ship
> > > applied and got jobs with NR, despite their continuing opposition to
the
> > > formation of National Rail. XXXXXXX even took his Fireman along, who
was
> > not
> > > even qualified as an Driver!
> > > Those of us who had missed out, all reacted in different ways. I admit
> my
> > > anger was intense, I was really pissed. Some went crying to National
> Rail,
> > > and amazingly got jobs, the rest of us continued on as we could and
made
> > the
> > > best of it. We continued to drive Interstate trains for a year or so,
> till
> > > NR got their crews all on line. I transferred around the State and ran
> as
> > > many trains as I could till the inevitable chop came, as V/Lines work
> > dried
> > > up. Fortunately the New Union Management cooperated with V/Line and
> > Victoria
> > > came out of it pretty well. No one was pushed, Some took packages, the
> > rest
> > > of us worked plenty of O/T and our pay packages, thanks to Aggregate
> > Wages,
> > > climbed within a few thousand of NR's . When NR lost part of their
> > payments
> > > a couple of years ago, we  were receiving pretty much the same as
them,
> > with
> > > a hell of a lot less stress. I began to be very happy with my job, and
> > > thanked my lucky stars when I finally, after 20 years got my job back
at
> > > Wodonga. So I am very glad I never got that job with NR in Melbourne.
> > > Why did I not get the job in Melbourne? The consultants in Adelaide
made
> > the
> > > recommendations to NR on the basis of the
> > > score received on the Application. In Melbourne, to get a
recommendation
> > for
> > > Interview, you needed to score no more than 5 beyond  the total of the
> > > Questions, so they told me. This would mean if their were 50
questions,
> > any
> > > one who scored higher than 55, was not invited for interview. These
> > figures
> > > are not all together accurate, I am only illustrating the selection
> > process.
> > > It was very obvious to those of us at the Dynon Union meeting, that
> first
> > of
> > > all You had to tell lies to get an interview. Nobody could have known
> > every
> > > job that was listed on the application form!
> > > and secondly you had to be liked by the 4 ex union bosses who made the
> > > Interview selection process at Melbourne.
> > > I was told (privately) that my old foes Dxxxx and Mxxx had voted me
out
> of
> > > an Interview, as Adelaide had highly recommended my application. Thank
> God
> > > they did.
> > > A lot of those John West rejected, were in the long run pleased. Our
> Union
> > > Meetings were much more democratic, we got rid of a lot of shit, and
> lost
> > a
> > > lot of good mates [they were much too busy in those days to have time
> for
> > a
> > > beer ]
> > > So say what you may, but with pricks like Dxxx and Mxxxx, and Union
> Bosses
> > > like Dave Gunn and Bob Lawrence and Frank Hussey, who threw the AFULE
to
> > the
> > > dogs to control and in my opinion drag NR back from its full
potential,
> > > people like me never had a chance, and although I learned to be very
> happy
> > > about it, I will never forgive those who stuffed up Australia's best
> > chance
> > > of making Railways a force to be reckoned with in this Country.
> > > I guess I don't want Legal Litigation to upset my perfectly incredible
> > > retirement ;o)) the x'd names I send to you separately for your eyes
> only,
> > > and only because you seemed to want to know what was in my head. Hope
> this
> > > gives you a little insight about one "chinook"
> > > Rod [comtrain]
> > > ps I no longer work for Freight Australia because I suffer PTSD, which
> > > coupled with age and the stress induced by our New American masters,
an
> > > accident or two, my wife becoming ill with Cancer, caused a situation
to
> > > develop where I could no longer trust myself to react in a Safe and
> proper
> > > manner. As Safety of the Public is of prime importance to this Driver,
> and
> > > as my Vietnam Experiences were found to contribute much of my anger
and
> > > stress I decided to accept my Doctors advice and retire early. I am
> happy
> > to
> > > say my wife is recovered, my stress levels are way down. I have a
> fistful
> > of
> > > Dollars and can happily survive beyond Railways...amazingly enough!
> > > Got time to booze with my mates, and can hop on the footplate any time
> it
> > > suits me, although I have rarely done this.
> > > Wave to me around Wodonga, if you see a baulding fully bearded
cameraman
> > > taking your picture. I dusted off the old Pentax, I think it works
after
> > all
> > > these years.
> > > Proud to be an ex.Driver/Gunzel
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>
>