AALLLL AABOARDBOARD Sept/October CROSSINGS: NEWS YOU CAN USE Safety Always First Everywhere 2005 (S.A.F.E.): New Safety Rule Books inside this issue by Mark Turberville, Director of Safety By now, all ARRC employees should have received a The effort also created consistency. There are copy of S.A.F.E. — the new ARRC safety rule books. now craft-specific safety rule books that serve as safe Quite different from previous versions, these new work tools for ARRC employees’on-the-job use. Mileposts: books are the product of many hours and hard work Wherever possible, when the work is the same across 2New Hires, by dozens of dedicated ARRC employees. functions and/or departments, the safety requirements awards B are also the same. Old rules that were “gotchas” — PROJECT PURPOSE i.e. impossible to comply with or unenforceable — The ultimate goal of revising the safety rule were revised or eliminated altogether. books was to raise ARRC safety standards through a The S.A.F.E. books also introduce Recommended Through the considered, consistent process driven by full review Practices (RP). These outline methods of working Rai8l Line & of current safety rules by a cross-craft, cross-level, safely that have been endorsed by long-time ARRC History geographically diverse group of ARRC employees. railroaders. Recommended practices are not strictly The revision process also brought safety rules up to required the way a rule is; rather RPs allow employ- date and ensured their accuracy and clarity. It elimi- ees to use professional judgment in cases where the nate redundancy, ambiguity, and rules that could not task can be accomplished as safely as, or more safely Wye of It: be readily complied with and/or enforced. than, the Recommended Practice. 1Pas1senger (see “New Safe Book” on page 5) Season THE WYE OF IT: OUR CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITIES Coal Connects Two Railroads PRojects: 12Public by Stephenie Wheeler, Public Involvement Officer Meetings We are not alone. There’s another freight-hauling railroad in Alaska, and it happens to start where the Alaska Railroad terminates — on Eielson Air Force Base. PRojects: The medium that brings the Alaska Railroad (ARRC) and 1Mai3ntenance Wthe Eielson Railroad (ERR) together is compacted carbon, FAcilities also known as coal. The Alaska Railroad hauls nearly 200,000 tons of the stuff to Eielson to fuel the base’s Central Heat and Power Plant (CH&PP). “If the annual supply of coal were delivered in one day, it would take a train in excess of 21 Crossings: miles long, pulling more than 2,350 coal cars carrying 80 tons S1pill4 DRill of coal per car,” said Bill Havard, CH&PP Operations and Maintenance Superintendent. Coal is a combustible, black Havard explained that nearly every system at the plant sedimentary rock composed has double or triple redundancy built in, to ensure the plant primarily of carbon. It formed will never go down. Coal is the primary heat and power 2006 Print from plant matter in swamps source, so the base cannot afford a halt in operations. 15 millions of years ago. (see “Common Coal” on page 9) ALL ABOARD SEPT/OCT 2005 M NILeESwTO NHESires AUGUST NEW HIRES SEPTEMBER NEW HIRES Craig Stoker . Mechanical Bradley Porter . Maintenance of Way 22 William Van Ness . Mechanical Derrick Tremblay. Maintenance of Way Skip Garrett . Warehouse Thomas Wagner . Maintenance of Way Darin Micheau . Transportation Cindy Matthias . Accounting Allen Kinne . Mechanical John Wing. Mechanical Kenneth Remley . Maintenance of Way Benjiman Steward . Information Services Alan Riley . Maintenance of Way Yuliana Diryakhova. Accounting Robby Hughes . Maintenance James Benson . Mechanical Daniel Gregory . Mechanical M SILpEPoOStTSlight Awards, 2nd Qtr 2005 Each quarter supervisors railroad-wide recognize fel- them to stop, Gary and Ron made a judgement call. low railroaders with spotlight awards. For the second By taking the initiative and staying alert, Gary and quarter, congratulations are in order for Gary Setten, Ron eliminated the possibility of a more serious inci- Conductor / Brakeman / Fireman / Engineer and Ron dent that could have severely impacted train traffic Setten, Conductor / Brakeman passing through the area. Gary and Ron listened to ARRC EThe duo stopped their train and conducted an their gut feeling, and resisted the pressure to keep Special inspection when they suspected a problem with the going at the busiest time of the day in the busiest Agent rail, even in the absence of obvious warning signals. corridor. It was a good call and the safe call. Good Even though there was not a railroad rule requiring job to both Gary and Ron! John Waychoff SIDINGS: EMPLOYEE HAPPENINGS is inter- Special Agent Arrests Fugitive viewed by It turns out that trespassing on railroad property is “wanted” flier with Hale’s photo just hours before the KTUU even riskier than you’d think. In the case of fugitive encounter. “He literally had the poster on the car Channel 2 John Hale – AKA Papa Pilgrim – trying to enter rail- seat next to him and knew who it was within five sec- News road property ended up cutting short his time on the onds,” Frerich said. “We’re pretty darn proud of him. Anchor lam. He’s an excellent agent and did everything right by IHale had slipped away before State Troopers the numbers.” Maria could arrest him following a September 22 indictment According to an ARRC Security Incident Report, Downey on 30 felony charges including sexual assault and Waychoff was just leaving gated railroad property shortly incest. Early afternoon on October 5 Hale was driving when he noticed a blue Dodge van. The driver after his blue camper van on Eklutna Park Drive in Eagle appeared to be waiting for Waychoff to leave so he arresting River, which dead-ends onto railroad property. could proceed through the gate. The area is off limits “Papa Alaska Railroad Special Agent John Waychoff to the public, so Waychoff motioned for the driver to crossed paths with Hale early in the afternoon during turn around. Pilgrim.” a routine check of railroad property in the area. As the special agent passed through the gate, he Although Hale had recognized the driver as Hale, did a U turn and acti- gained some vated the truck’s overhead emergency lights. When notoriety from his Hale did not reach to the lights and continued to turn high-profile dis- his van around, Waychoff pulled his truck in front of pute with the the van, blocking an escape. Speaking over his PA National Park system Waychoff ordered Hale to stop the van, and Service over the fugitive complied. Waychoff called Frerich for access to his land backup and then proceeded with the felony arrest, inside Wrangell- putting Hale in handcuffs, and seating him on the St. Elias National truck’s tailgate while waiting for Anchorage Police to Park, Waychoff arrive. had not heard of “Mr. Hale followed instructions and was coopera- Hale until his tive,” Waychoff said. “I’m pleased that we could play boss Dan Frerich a part in helping other law enforcement agencies track gave him a down Mr. Hale.” ALL ABOARD SEPT/OCT M 2005 SILeEPrOvSTiSce Awards 1 Year Service Award (August) 35 Year Service Award (August) Kelsey Trimmer . Transportation Nancy Tjaden. Accounting Jeremiah Osborne. Signaling & Telecommunications 3 Sandra Holmes. Project Control 1Year Service Award (September) Theodore Embs . Mechanical Allen Reynolds. Signaling & Telecommunications Mark Lienhart . Supply Management Michael Weddell . Project Management Angelina Lott. Passenger Operations Patrick Volmer . Transportation Ethan Henderson. Transportation Tamara Schaut . Markets, Sales & Services Jonathan Valinske . Maintenance Rosezetta Proctor. Operations Administration Jay Boggess . Mechanical Wayne Smith Jr.. Maintenance Alan Quinn Jr. Mechanical Virginia Stein.. .Passenger Operations 5 Year Service Award (September) Alicia Rosner . Passenger Operations Barbara Flotre . Accounting Matthew Hazlett . Transportation Douglas Behan . Bridges & Buildings Dake Clark. Mechanical 5 Year Service Award (August) Johnny Garrett . Mechanical Travis Caraveau. Maintenance Terence Williams . Transportation Daniel Ottenbreit . Engineering Services Douglas Price . Transportation 10 Year Service Award (September) Archie Card . Mechanical 10 Year Service Award (August) Kathy Schwalbe. Accounting Scott Brown . Maintenance Carol Pulis . Information Services Katrina Martolano . Maintenance TOFC 15 Year Service Award (August) Christian Ryll...............................Engineering Services 20 Year Service Award (September) Ri chard Colosso . Transportation 20 Year Service Award (August) Bob Gonzalez................................Supply Management 30 Year Service Award (September) Kris Kinney...............................................Maintenance Wayne Horine. Maintenance Brian Laforge...........Signaling & Telecommunications Lloyd Thompson.........................................Mechanical 35 Year Service Award (September) James Trueblood . Mechanical 25 Year Service Award (August) Dave Kocher . P.E.T.S. 30 Year Service Award (August) Mike Maillet . Maintenance Grant Gerhart. Maintenance Pat Flynn, Birth Announcement Assistant VP of • Locomotive Mechanic/Machinist Apprentice Alan Szewczyk and wife Rosemarie welcomed son Alan Jr., Markets, born on October 20th. Sales and Service. M TIoLEPpO STFSorty Under 40 Award The Alaska Railroad’s very own Patrick Flynn was served in a number of positions at the Railroad. recently honored with a“Top Forty Under 40” Award. The seventh-annual Award ceremony took place The annual award, given out by the