(The following article by Teresa Wickens was posted on the North Platte Telegraph website on October 20.)
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — In North Platte, the enthusiasm for NASCAR is being used at Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard to give train crews a mental image of their job.
When the trains stop, crews inspect the train, and the locomotive adds fuel, sand, ice and water. The workers load gas, clean the windshield and then crews switch places. In railroad terms, “dwell” is the length of time a train is stopped in between the crossings.
On Thursday, railroad car crews learned how to be a pit crewmember on a NASCAR team, courtesy of PIT Instruction and Training from North Carolina.
Cameron Scott, general superintendent for Bailey Yard, said the increase in train traffic demands crews work faster to service trains that run through Bailey Yard.
“It is very similar to what the pit crews do at NASCAR races,” Scott said. “In this case, the crews attack, give the best dwell time and then break until the next train comes in.”
Patrick Bernall from PIT is the facilitator of Thursday’s training.
He said although the pit area could be different, there is a standard procedure to follow, no matter where the crew is working. Equipment needs to be in the same place, crews have to know what his or her job is and the process has to be followed every time.
As the teams move through the scenarios, ranging from not having any training to be fully trained, Bernall said the teamwork begins to kick in and the light goes on.
Bernall said by the end of the day, the crews could relate the training to their work on a train.
At Bailey Yard, the clock starts ticking when the locomotive crosses Birdwood on the east, or Beck Street on the west. The clock stops when the train goes out the opposite end.
“It takes 20 minutes for a train to run through the yard without stopping,” Scott said.
Scott explained the length of dwell time continues to drop, even though more trains are being serviced.
In 2004, the average dwell time was 3.8 hours. By 2005, that time had dropped to 3.75 and in 2006 it was down to 3.6 hours.
“Through September, the pit crews serviced 57 trains a day and on the average, took 2.9 hours to service each one,” he said.
Scott said he explained to the train crews that do the inspections and loading, how he viewed the job they do.
Scott said he wanted something that would help the workers on the locomotive rack and down in the pit visualize what they are supposed to do.
“You are like a pit crew,” he told them. “Instead of a race car, you are pitting for a train.”
He said the popularity of NASCAR helped him use that image, because many employees knew what he meant by “pit crew.” The pit crews for a NASCAR driver move fast, have a specific job to do and are ready when the car comes into the pit.
Dean Buhlig, director of terminal operations, said the training Thursday is an unique way to train the train crews.
“They learn how to use the tools, be safe and efficient and work as a team,” he said. “This isn’t standard training.”
Buhlig said training needs to be more fun with less pressure and easier to comprehend.
“It’s a huge morale booster,” Scott said about the NASCAR and the pit crew visit to North Platte.