Posted on 05/14/2015 5:52:23 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
The media is made up of narcissists, so your point is well taken.
The only public institution with any credibility left is Islam. They actually do what they say they are going to do, and what they do is so heinous that people just stand by and respect it.
The media doesn’t bat an eyelash at it, Western Civilization is giving it a pass (Western Europe is waking up to their foolishness), and corporate America wishes they would become good consumers like everyone else.
I wish that was the case where I am employed.
I am sick of the nurses sitting around or standing, always checking their phones.
And no,it is not for med calculations and drug interactions.
I understand, and agree with, the problems of titling the driver of the train "engineer". In spite of the legacy of that position name, in most states (likely all) it is illegal to use that title for that position.
I have a significant problem thinking "ex-cashier" disqualifies him for that position, or any other position.
I am an engineer. I have a professional engineering licsense. I am an "ex-garbage collector" and "ex-septic truck driver". Do you think that disqualifies me from my current position?
As one who has been near the attempted implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC), I would blame feet dragging and incompetence.
Some of the railroads were begging the government to "make" them put in PTC. Then they found out the government wasn't going to pay for all of it. The railroads can't develop the software to implement this system and they can't hire anyone competent to do it, so far.
PTC also requires a hell of a communications infrastructure and that takes money and time. The GPS used can't differentiate which track the train of on track vehicle is occupying, so the employee has to manually tell the system. Sometimes they screw up.
I am an electrician, I can tell you that anything an electrical engineer puts out needs to be fixed by guys like me. The way I figure, we can probably just cut that position out and go straight to the electricians.
I don’t know about engineers in other sectors, just speaking about the field I know.
It’s kind of like officers in the army. A lot don’t have a clue, but then you get the ones who come up from the non commissioned ranks. Those ones make excellent officers.
So you are capable of calculating short circuit and arc flash requirements?
Sounds to me like you are one of the guys who moved up from within the ranks, so likely you’re pretty good at what you do.
I agree with what your point is, I think the other point they were making was the fact that he went straight from cashier to train engineer.
Of course not but if you’re a true engineer then you went to school and earned that title. This train DRIVER has not...I don’t believe he is an engineer of any caliber.
You bet, that’s one of those things you learn during school. I don’t know how the American system works, but here in Alberta it’s a four year apprenticeship, and you learn everything. You go through code, code calculations, determine feeders for hospitals, hotels, apartments, houses etc. You learn short circuit potential on transformers. Basically anything you can think up. We make our own drawings a lot mostly because the ones we get need such severe red lining that it’s not practical.
I can start with an empty dirt lease and figure out everything I need for instrument and electrical without input from engineering firm.
I’m an embedded software engineer/architect. I have a team of architects report to me. In my experience you can’t count on anything being automatic in terms of expectations. I’m lucky, my architects are very good, they can design *very* complex systems - and know how it should be implemented. Some of our engineers are great, others, not so much. I’ve also met technicians that should be engineers....although I’ve known many technicians think something is “stupid” when they don’t understand some of the complexities that led to the decisions made.
So it’s a mixed bag...I just have no reason to believe this DRIVER has earned the title Engineer.
Not much of that real-work experience, but some.
I think the other point they were making was the fact that he went straight from cashier to train engineer.
That is not true.
Brandon Bostian, 32, has been an engineer for Amtrak since December 2010, according to his LinkedIn profile. He previously worked for four years with the company as a conductor.
I agree, I don’t know how he was labelled an engineer, although thackney just pointed out he had previous experience, so who knows. Often life is more of who you know rather than what you know.
You sound lucky to have a good team. I can’t often say the same. Today’s apprentices are unreliable, lazy and drug adled, with a few exceptions.
A friend and most of his male kin worked for the RR.
He said that almost everyone he worked with was a relative or connected to the group, affirmative action brought in strangers, and no one trusts a stranger.
Drugs and alcohol were too common, but the another worker would cover for the impaired.
Now its every man for himself.
He said that driving a loaded train was an art, but under good conditions others could get by as a stand in.
He has been gone for some time and maybe its all computerized now?
It’s probably an issue in most workplaces—it’s just that some environments are rather more critical than others.
You’d be surprised at how many guys can mess up a wire pull. As I said earlier, you sound like you came up from the ranks, had life experience.
I didn’t notice until you pointed it out that he was a conductor previously.
I don’t know if this was gross negligence or something more sinister, I guess we shall see.
Brandon Bostian, age 32, has been an Amtrak engineer for 4.5 years. That implies Brandon Bostian became an Amtrak engineer when he was 27 years old.
Does anyone have information on the typical age when Amtrak places personnel as train engineers?
Also does anyone have information on the average age of the other engineers on these high speed trains that run between DC and Boston?
Not necessarily, but in this case, where public safety was at stake, it could very well be a factor. The guy obviously was irresponsible.
NTSB Official cause of accident: Insufficient infrastructure, caused by lack of proper funding.
Secondary cause: Latent homophobia in the railroad industry, caused engineer to assume the track ahead was straight when it really wasn't.
Recommended disciplinary action: Suspend the engineer (with pay) for a month. Send him (and his partner) to counseling at Hedonism II in Jamaica.
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