Re: Excess NR Locos for Sale

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

Oh Please stay and play............

Joe
"fatboy" <smokeybear64@yahoo.com> wrote in message
xWjR6.26904$BU4.45402@news1.blktn1.nsw.optushome.com.au">news:xWjR6.26904$BU4.45402@news1.blktn1.nsw.optushome.com.au...
> Joe, Rod,
> Guess we all now agree so ill slip back in to my closet were its safe
until
> the next time someone rattles my chain.
> Regards
> Glenn
>
> "Pumbaa" <jcostello@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
> news:muhR6.3075$Yr1.137566@ozemail.com.au...
> >
> > "Rod [comtrain]" <freight_man@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > 3b159fdf$0$25522$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">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
> > > 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
> > > > 3b14d1c6$0$25488$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">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
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>