Railroads of the Future

Insights:

(Partial Video Transcript) Many freight conductors are part of a tradition: their grandfather was a freight conductor, so was Dad and now they are too.

These members already understand the value of the union and they're aware of their history. But there are also a lot of new conductors coming into the job without the same background.

The union ran into challenges with these new guys; how do you bring them into the fold and help them understand why the union is important; how they already benefit from the work that the union is doing.

"We will always create and secure future jobs. Ensure lifetime job protection, preserve your earning ability, health and welfare benefits, protect your retirement and pension, and guard your right and the public's right to safety."

Most importantly, we were asked to demonstrate that the union is a democracy. It only functions when everyone participates in it. Our video helps them understand their role in defending their own rights as workers and how to utilize the resources of the union so they can defend themselves in the workplace.

We hit the books on this one; we looked into the history of the country, organized labor, the history of the railroad and how they are intimately linked. 

We went to union meetings and train conductor training sessions, so we could learn first-hand about their issues, attitudes and opinions. 

Aside from the need to create humane working conditions for everyone who participates in our economy, this was an important project because the railroaders are directly responsible for the safety of the communities they pass through. Trains are giant, heavy, dangerous things — an important part of the story that we needed to tell. They can be lethal. We were at a training session and I asked a group of conductors "what's the one thing that you wish the general public knew about your job that maybe they don't know?"

Aside from the fact that there are only two people running a giant train, the one thing they wished more people understood was the amount of force and power involved in one of these vehicles moving. Millions of pounds skate along the rails on an area smaller than your fingertips. Even at low speed, this represents a spectacular amount of force.

Conductors need to stay sharp and remain fully aware of what's going on in their train. They are the first person on scene if something goes wrong.

"SMART-TD knows full well that the everyday realities of changing conditions and unexpected dangers will always demand sharp eyes and creative solutions. It's especially important that trains with hazardous cargo, routes near dense population centers and lines that cross inaccessible terrain always have a full crew."