Do you work for the RAILROAD?

[VanDy]

the U.S. Department of Transportation distributed $98 million in TIGER funds to the National Gateway project, run by CSX.

Washington chipped in a total of $111 million to the program, Virginia added about $9 million, and Ohio threw in a bit less than $1 million.

http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2010/09/13/new-heartland-corridor-increases-freight-capacity-between-east-coast-and-chicago/

-VanDy

[BadTrainDriver]

I don't have time to research it now, and you in the field probably know better anyway...

Aren't railroads subsidies by the federal gov't?

-VanDy

Of course freight railroad is subsidized by the government...freight railroads are needed for this country to survive.

Would you like to guess the amount of trucks just one train takes off the public roads? Imagine if all railroads stopped operating tomorrow, and all freight was transferred to trucks.

You think 270 is bad at times now...

[BadTrainDriver]

Which IS union self-entitlement bullshit. Fagbusa herp derp. No one owes you anything. Don't like it? Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and find something else to do. You're lucky we let you live in this country. And I guarantee if it's from the great Paul Ryan he's doing it for a reason....to save taxpayers THEIR money. This is no different than all those spoiled school teachers bitching for their union entitlements when he tried to put a stop to the theft last year. Fucking socialist scum.

I'm not going to sit here and type away on my computer to try and convince you that you've really got the wrong idea as to what this topic is about, but what I will do is invite you to one of our local union meetings where we can sit down and discuss any questions/concerns you may have.

You might have a different outlook on this if you really understood it.

PM me if you're interested.

[VanDy]

Of course freight railroad is subsidized by the government...freight railroads are needed for this country to survive.

Would you like to guess the amount of trucks just one train takes off the public roads? Imagine if all railroads stopped operating tomorrow, and all freight was transferred to trucks.

You think 270 is bad at times now...

The only reason I brought it up is that the website says that It doesn't cost tax payers money. If its subsidized then doesn't it cost tax payers? I'm not takin away from the necessity of railroads, just that it's misleading on the petition site

-VanDy

[jester3681]

Wow - jumping on here, I guess... signed. Also emailed and called Paul Ryan and Pat Tiberi, my local Congressman. This budget proposal is nonsense.

For those of you who don't know (I'm thinking about 99.9% of those of you who don't pay Tier 1), Railroad Retirement is completely self funded. Railroad employees and employers pay into it, with no government backing. This is what we pay into instead of social security. And yes, at the end of the day it pays out more than social security. What Paul Ryan is proposing is pretty much theft - he wants to lower the common denominator, pay out less to railroad retirees and pocket the difference to balance the budget. Think about it this way, you work your whole life paying into your 401(k) (another privately funded pension program), then the government decides, "man, I'd really like to have some of that money, so now instead of what you were going to make, you can only make what social security would pay." This is what is being proposed for us. Now also spend those 30+ years working at the beck and whim of a company that doesn't care about you, working 60-85 hours a week, spending another 40-60 hours in a hotel, seeing your family for the 2 hours between when your phone rings and when you show up for work (hopefully they're awake), grinding it away for 7, 9, 12 days straight because they work some loophole to keep you working, catching hell if you want to mark off sick, working every minute looking over your shoulder because at any moment, an army of company officials is trying to find the one rule you break to fire you (I carry 9 different books of rules)... I could go on. Railroad retirement is the light at the end of the tunnel.

As for anti-union? Sheeeit. See above description of a railroader's life. Without the unions, I'm pretty sure the carriers would have figured out how to find a loophole in the Constitution and force us to slavery. And you think I'm joking.

Sorry guys, I'll get down off my soapbox, but myself and more than half of my family depends on this retirement system now, and in the future. Paul Ryan is a moron.

(On a side note, if you go to his website and watch what he wants to do with Social Security, it's comical in light of this attack on Railroad Retirement. His vision for SS is like a textbook definition of how RR works... *sigh*)

[BadTrainDriver]

The only reason I brought it up is that the website says that It doesn't cost tax payers money. If its subsidized then doesn't it cost tax payers? I'm not takin away from the necessity of railroads, just that it's misleading on the petition site

-VanDy

The "railroad" is subsidized...the retirement is not.

This potential bill is about retirement, and that's it.

[BadTrainDriver]

Wow - jumping on here, I guess... signed. Also emailed and called Paul Ryan and Pat Tiberi, my local Congressman. This budget proposal is nonsense.

For those of you who don't know (I'm thinking about 99.9% of those of you who don't pay Tier 1), Railroad Retirement is completely self funded. Railroad employees and employers pay into it, with no government backing. This is what we pay into instead of social security. And yes, at the end of the day it pays out more than social security. What Paul Ryan is proposing is pretty much theft - he wants to lower the common denominator, pay out less to railroad retirees and pocket the difference to balance the budget. Think about it this way, you work your whole life paying into your 401(k) (another privately funded pension program), then the government decides, "man, I'd really like to have some of that money, so now instead of what you were going to make, you can only make what social security would pay." This is what is being proposed for us. Now also spend those 30+ years working at the beck and whim of a company that doesn't care about you, working 60-85 hours a week, spending another 40-60 hours in a hotel, seeing your family for the 2 hours between when your phone rings and when you show up for work (hopefully they're awake), grinding it away for 7, 9, 12 days straight because they work some loophole to keep you working, catching hell if you want to mark off sick, working every minute looking over your shoulder because at any moment, an army of company officials is trying to find the one rule you break to fire you (I carry 9 different books of rules)... I could go on. Railroad retirement is the light at the end of the tunnel.

As for anti-union? Sheeeit. See above description of a railroader's life. Without the unions, I'm pretty sure the carriers would have figured out how to find a loophole in the Constitution and force us to slavery. And you think I'm joking.

Sorry guys, I'll get down off my soapbox, but myself and more than half of my family depends on this retirement system now, and in the future. Paul Ryan is a moron.

(On a side note, if you go to his website and watch what he wants to do with Social Security, it's comical in light of this attack on Railroad Retirement. His vision for SS is like a textbook definition of how RR works... *sigh*)

All this, and then some.

If you don't, didn't, or don't personally know someone who works on the railroad, you have ZERO comprehension of our work conditions, and the BS we face everyday.

Now, you may ask...why do you keep on working if it's so bad...?

Two things:

Money, #1.

Retirement, #2.

Edited April 26, 2012 by BadTrainDriver

[BadTrainDriver]

Furthermore, just strictly speaking of unions...specifically, railroad unions...

There is a reason that the BLET (Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen) is the oldest still operating union in the United States.

It is needed!

Trust me, I'd love to work for a company where I didn't have to have union protection, but seeing how I have to carry "job insurance", the union I belong to is a necessity.

Do any of you carry job insurance?

[Cheech]

Which IS union self-entitlement bullshit. Fagbusa herp derp. No one owes you anything. Don't like it? Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and find something else to do. You're lucky we let you live in this country. And I guarantee if it's from the great Paul Ryan he's doing it for a reason....to save taxpayers THEIR money. This is no different than all those spoiled school teachers bitching for their union entitlements when he tried to put a stop to the theft last year. Fucking socialist scum.

10/10. Starts off with a incoherent rant sprinkled with random obscenities, with notes of bootstrappy bootstraps, massive self-entitlement, Republican deity-worship, and finishes smooth with the socialist cockslap.

Well done, truly epic troll. My tri-corner hat's off to you.

[ped]

I'm not going to sit here and type away on my computer to try and convince you that you've really got the wrong idea as to what this topic is about, but what I will do is invite you to one of our local union meetings where we can sit down and discuss any questions/concerns you may have.

You might have a different outlook on this if you really understood it.

PM me if you're interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imouDc5u3as

[jester3681]

Do any of you carry job insurance?

This guy. But you're probably looking for better examples, right?

[BadTrainDriver]

This guy. But you're probably looking for better examples, right?

Lol...ya, you don't count...

Speaking of you...I heard something a while ago about you that disappointed me, but I'll not about it here.

Call me sometime.

[swingset]

Which IS union self-entitlement bullshit. Fagbusa herp derp. No one owes you anything. Don't like it? Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and find something else to do. You're lucky we let you live in this country. And I guarantee if it's from the great Paul Ryan he's doing it for a reason....to save taxpayers THEIR money. This is no different than all those spoiled school teachers bitching for their union entitlements when he tried to put a stop to the theft last year. Fucking socialist scum.

Sometimes, not often, but sometimes I'm embarrassed to be conservative.

[ped]

Sometimes, not often, but sometimes I'm embarrassed to be conservative.

Interesting. Go on.

[SAMBUSA]

Which IS union self-entitlement bullshit. Fagbusa herp derp. No one owes you anything. Don't like it? Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and find something else to do. You're lucky we let you live in this country. And I guarantee if it's from the great Paul Ryan he's doing it for a reason....to save taxpayers THEIR money. This is no different than all those spoiled school teachers bitching for their union entitlements when he tried to put a stop to the theft last year. Fucking socialist scum.

Yeah, it IS owed to me. It's MY money that I alone put away for retirement. Your stupidity it very evident with every post you make you fucking fucktard pedophile.

[ped]

Yeah, it IS owed to me. It's MY money that I alone put away for retirement. Your stupidity it very evident with every post you make you fucking fucktard pedophile.

You're not owed shit union bastard. Be thankful you even have a job. You are sucking the company dry and I, the tax payer, am picking up the tab for your delusion of entitlement. How about we take your government subsidies and they can your ass altogether to save money? How's that work for you? There's about 10 million unemployed out there ready and willing to take your job.

Edited April 27, 2012 by ped

[Pokey]

Pretty sure union folks pay taxes too, and why so much anger and animosity? So what do you do for a living PED, possibly a motivational speaker?

[SAMBUSA]

You're not owed shit union bastard. Be thankful you even have a job. You are sucking the company dry and I, the tax payer, am picking up the tab for your delusion of entitlement. How about we take your government subsidies and they can your ass altogether to save money? How's that work for you? There's about 10 million unemployed out there ready and willing to take your job.

You dont have a fucking clue. We should meet sometime, so I can enlighten you fucktard

[BadTrainDriver]

Guys, ignore ped...

He's a troll, and we're just feeding him.

I'm done responding to his posts.

He's already proven himself stupid, and you can't fix stupid...

[ped]

You dont have a fucking clue. We should meet sometime, so I can enlighten you fucktard

What are you going to do socialist trash? Go suck obamas dick.

[VanDy]

Of course freight railroad is subsidized by the government...freight railroads are needed for this country to survive.

Would you like to guess the amount of trucks just one train takes off the public roads? Imagine if all railroads stopped operating tomorrow, and all freight was transferred to trucks.

You think 270 is bad at times now...

Maybe I am missing the point of the subsidy.. Isn't the subsidy to keep the company from failing or being in the red every year? If that's the case then isn't the retirement gov't funded by tax payers dollars?

I'm not trying to argue the need for the railroad (I do realize it is needed) just the fact that the web page said its not costing any taxes...

As far as unions.. I am a member and since this is a public forum I will keep my opinions to myself.... And our retirement is self funded and the only gov't support is from contracts on items we sold to them.

-VanDy

[VanDy]

But as far as takin from the retirement that is already in the fund, nope leave that alone

-VanDy

[BadTrainDriver]

Maybe I am missing the point of the subsidy.. Isn't the subsidy to keep the company from failing or being in the red every year? If that's the case then isn't the retirement gov't funded by tax payers dollars?

I'm not trying to argue the need for the railroad (I do realize it is needed) just the fact that the web page said its not costing any taxes...

As far as unions.. I am a member and since this is a public forum I will keep my opinions to myself.... And our retirement is self funded and the only gov't support is from contracts on items we sold to them.

-VanDy

The subsidy isn't to keep the company from failing...not even a little bit.

The subsidy was to make that particular line more efficient, by being able to haul double stack containers...thus one train could now haul what used to take two trains...now using less fuel, creating less pollution, taking less crews, less track congestion, and the ability to get your Chinese goods to Walmart faster.

The railroads are booming, and with fuel prices getting more expensive everyday...it's only going to get better for us.

Look at it this way...

Look at the amount of rail that is covered just in the state of Ohio, and look what you the tax payer(Ohio) paid, less that one million dollars.

The amount of trucks we take off the road every day due to being able to efficiently run these trains, and the subsequent less traffic on the public roads making them safer and help keeping them in better shape longer, more than makes up for that million dollars. I see it as an investment.

Also, realize the source of the article, and that it's the sole opinion of the writer, and may not show all the facts of how or why the subsidy was given.

The word subsidy was given a bad name due to the auto bailouts...but this is not even close to the same kind of situation.

[VanDy]

The subsidy isn't to keep the company from failing...not even a little bit.

The subsidy was to make that particular line more efficient, by being able to haul double stack containers...thus one train could now haul what used to take two trains...now using less fuel, creating less pollution, taking less crews, less track congestion, and the ability to get your Chinese goods to Walmart faster.

The railroads are booming, and with fuel prices getting more expensive everyday...it's only going to get better for us.

Look at it this way...

Look at the amount of rail that is covered just in the state of Ohio, and look what you the tax payer(Ohio) paid, less that one million dollars.

The amount of trucks we take off the road every day due to being able to efficiently run these trains, and the subsequent less traffic on the public roads making them safer and help keeping them in better shape longer, more than makes up for that million dollars. I see it as an investment.

Also, realize the source of the article, and that it's the sole opinion of the writer, and may not show all the facts of how or why the subsidy was given.

The word subsidy was given a bad name due to the auto bailouts...but this is not even close to the same kind of situation.

This is an answer that I can get behind, thank you for the enlightenment! Guess I'll have to do my own leg work to find the wholes now lol

I actually did wonder if The subsidy was part 'your saving us X amount of road repair funds, so here is a portion of that'

Thanks again

Edit: when I think subsidy I think post office...

-VanDy

[cornbreadxd]

Can I get a job working for the railroad industry? Where do I find stuff in Cleveland or is it only in southern ohio? I agree the industry is booming cause CSX stock has increased over the last few years so it's obvious. What kinda training and stuff is required? And yeah I'm down for the petition. Help a rider out!