CHICAGO — Newspapers and television and radio stations here June 14 were asking Union Pacific, “Is this any way to run a railroad?” after a shortage of UP engineers caused the cancellation of six morning Metra commuter trains and inconvenienced thousands of passengers trying to reach their jobs here.
Metra pays UP to operate and staff the Metra trains on its west suburban line.
The Chicago Tribune reported that “half a dozen engineers were allowed to take vacation simultaneously, and another called in sick.” Additional engineers qualified to operate the commuter trains and called by UP had already exceeded their hours-of-service following signal maintenance delays Sunday and could not report for work.
Metra’s CEO told the Chicago Tribune the fault was with UP and its “poor manpower planning.”
A UP spokesman responded, “We are looking at our crew management team to find out what happened and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
DePaul University Transportation Professor Joseph Schwieterman, who has written extensively on railroads, told the Chicago Tribune, “This is something we expect with an airline, but not with a railroad. The lesson is, UP needs to have better contingency plans.”
Related News
- Local #823 member killed in on-duty collision
- The Safety Of Our BNSF Brothers And Sisters Is Not For Sale!
- Tragic Collision in Pecos, Texas Claims Two Lives
- SMART-TD union announces the passage of the Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness Act (REEF)
- SMART-TD member elected to lead Kansas worker group
- SMART-TD condemns Union Pacific’s lease to Central Oregon Pacific Railroad
- Sharp-eyed conductor saves two lives in winter crossing accident
- Union Takes Bold Step To Force Congress To Act On Rail Safety
- Fundraiser established for fallen brother, Local Chairperson of 1518, Steve Bryant
- Railroad and Transit Union officers continue streak as top grassroots lobbyists