Issues in Locomotive Crew Management and Scheduling

R1020/RR192 ; This study explores matters related to the scheduling and management of locomotive crews, particularly as they ; might contribute to fatigue and stress. It describes how crews are scheduled currently, why there is so much ; unpredictability in schedules, how various aspects of current practices contribute to fatigue and stress, and what ; options exist to improve matters. It is based mostly on interviews with operating managers, dispatchers and ; crew callers on various railroads, discussions with union officials and focus-group sessions with working ; engineers. The mechanics of scheduling trains and crews on each of seven roads are discussed along with the ; timing of scheduling decisions, current problems and planned improvements in communications and control. ; Among the causes of fatigue identified by engineers who participated in the focus groups are: uncertainty as to ; the time ones nextjobwill be called, excessive working hours, long commutes and waiting times, the poor ; condition of some locomotives and other equipment, unsatisfactory conditions for sleeping at some terminals, ; poor distribution of workload among the crew, interpersonal conflicts with dispatchers and crew callers, and ; deliberate choices by crewmen to do something other than resting during the day even when they knew they ; mi ght be called for wor k that night. ; Possible corrective measures suggested are: a minimum of eight hours notice before reporting for work, greater ; predictability in scheduling, and division of the pools according to the period of the day when they were ; susceptible to calls. Plans for implementing some of these measures are discussed.