Hi Robby,
I don't ask simply to argue. You bring up a very interesting question to which I'll ask "At what point do Service Days begin to accrue?". Do they start before an engine is placed in service (following completion of a 1472) or on the day it is placed in service? I don't know that answer but would like to find out.................mld

John I have not called you, nor do I want to talk to you, because I have seen the pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words. Who am I going to believe the FRA inspector or you? I have read the contract. I didn't see anywhere in the contract where it says "get the locomotive running by any means necessary". The fact of the matter is you were paid to fix any and all problems with that locomotive past or present.

I still haven't heard you take responsibility for anything so far. We have all screwed up at some point. I once put a brand new connecting rod bearing, in a 645 block, on the wrong side. The bearing has a dimple hole in it to make it idiot proof so you know what side to put it on. When I couldn't get any lateral movement in the rod I realized what I did. I took that bearing out and there was a nice big dimple pressed into the bearing. I manned up, took that bearing to my boss, and apologized. It was no big deal, although he did keep that bearing on his desk for many months which was humiliating. Had I put that bearing in anyways the deformation from that dimple could have damaged the bearing and the crankshaft on a brand new engine.

Those FRA reports suck. I have one as well. I was on a crew with a bone headed Conductor at night, who didn't like having a person on the last car while backing down yard tracks. He said it saved time. He was sure this mile long track was empty. Turns out it wasn't and he shoved 9 cars through a switch. Then he pulled those 9 cars back through the damaged switch which derailed all of them, tore up two sets of tracks of 1100 feet, and two switches. Cars were upside down, wheels, springs, tie plates, everywhere. Huge mess. I knew it was a bad idea. I even went on the radio before backing and said "for the record I believe this blind shove is a bad idea". It wasn't my fault but it's on my record and always will be.

I told that story because as a crew, someones incompetence can ruin another persons career. You are not taking the blame but deflecting it towards the railroad, the contract, people posting here in this forum and elsewhere. Some people are foolishly believing you are innocent and that there is this witch hunt of haters out to get you. This is nonsense.

You are the final authority on that locomotive. You are the head man. It is your name on the contract. I don't care if a 1,000 people worked on that locomotive over 30 years. It was your job and your responsibility to get it up to code and FRA operational. You knew there was sub par materials being used. You knew mill tests were required. You knew stay bolt holes were torch cut. You knew firebox sheets were off set. You knew all of these things would not pass inspection yet you did it anyways over many years. Even if you didn't personally spend one hour of labor on that locomotive, you still at least once inspected it before the hydro test knowing full well it was a chop shop of metal and bolts.

As others have said you are severely damaging your reputation daily and your staff as well. I can't imagine anyone will want your name on their resume after this. I know I wouldn't. I have been in other forums, but I truly believe we have the best experts on rail preservation in this forum. That is why you call us haters. You know we are right. You might be able to fool the burger flipping rail fan in other forums. But there is guys that have 50 years experience under their belts here. You are not fooling anyone.

It has always been my understanding that any test fire prior to the completion of the 1472 day inspection, and that meets the definition as outlined in the regulation, is counted as a service day and should be recorded as such.

MD Ramsey