CANADIAN LOCO MAN.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 28, 10 March 1914, Page 6

CANADIAN LOCO MAN.

THE ENGJNEDRIVER SPEAKS.

SERVICE ON THE C;P.R. Conditions of service on the Canadian Pacific Railway are rather different to those obtaining in the New Zealand Railway Department, and New Zealand loco' men particularly may be excused for envying their Canadian brothers. There was in town the other day Mr F. Hendry, a young New Zealander who, some eight years ago, took up service on theC.P.R., and who is now .an engineer in charge of a freight train. Speaking to a SUN representative he gave some information about the conditions in Canada which will be of interest to railway, men here., He poured out the following general information:—

Overtime on the C.P.R. is .paid at ordinary rates, and a man gets paid on a mileage basii. The line is divided into 130 mile sections, a section being allotted to each engine-driver. The drivers get paid for a minimum time on duty of 10 hours, but may, with overtime, make up 15 hours continuous work, the rate of pay being equivalent, to 23/- for 10 hours work. The average amount earned by an engine-driver is 200 dollars per calendar month, while firemen make an average of 150 dollars a month, or about £1 per day. Although the Government, has. no direct control over the C.P.R., it protects railwaymen" from being kept on duty for longer than 16 hours at a stretch, and after performing duty for that tihie a man can demand his eight hours rest. When a railwayman gets off duty at the end of his section he gets his accommodation free at a railway " bunk -house," and gets his meals provided at reduced rates.

Pay for Special Duty. There is another matter in which the Canadian' engine driver fares better than the man in the New Zealand service, and that is in the matte* of payment for special duty. On the C.P.K. should an engine-driver be called for special duty, and his services not demanded, gets paid as for a 25-mile run, which equals two and a half hours. Should he be, sent .on •"•'pusher work" (which means that he takes his engine out to" give assistance to another),' five hours after his minimum time of ten hours is up, he gets paid continuous overtime. The engine-driver of a passenger train gets paid a mileage of ten miles an hour, and for 13-hours"for doing his 130-mile section, even though he may take less than 13 hours in.covering it. Should an engine-driver have any "terminal detentionrf/— supposing he is called for duty at a certain time but is compelled to wait two hourg before taking up that duty—he- has to make up his usual time, but he paid for that two hours "terminal detention. " Engine drivers also get paid for "preparatory "time," which is the time spent in coaling, watering, oiling, and otherwise, making ready their, engines, although oh the C.P.B. that work is done by " hostlers/' * In I 'New Zealand it is usual- for engine-driver and fireman to.be allowed half an hour for doing the . Mileage Basis Best.

Mr Hendry reckoned , the mileage basis the best because it encouraged drivers to get their trains, through in quick time. " It's' the "speed' that tells," he said, and pointed out that most of the Australian State railways were worked on the mileage basis, and it was found to be satisfactory. It iB certainly good for the Canadian drivers, for, as Mr Hendry showed, a.man might do his 130' mile section in half of the 13 hours allowed arid-still get paid for his 13 hours; Accidents on the C.P.R. were few, he" said, though in the winter blizzards on the prairies often delayed trains. The system used for operating the lines was the "train order" system, which necessitated complex telegraphic arrangements, but Mr Hendry considered .the; tablet system to be safer. innovation which l Mr Hendry reckoned as a safety device, was *he dropping of "a.m." and "p\in" from the measurement of time. On the C.P.R. the hands of the clock move round the dial t from 1 o 'clock to 24 o'clock, and there is no chance of mistaking an order for 11 o'clock in the morning for 11 o'clock at night. Then, again, they don't disrate men on the C.P.R.—they "fire" thejn. But a man's record has to show a certain number of demerit marks...before they do that., There, are no merit ;marks, but demerit marks are added to a man's record if he mismanages things, _ Supposing a man has a Collision—"he may be put off right away, or-he may l be fined 30 or 40 demerit marks, and if his record shows'so demerit marks that man ."can watch out for the firing party."

Matter of Disrating. ■[ But supposing a man has a few de| merit marks against him and runs a| year without anything happening to;' add another to his total, then he gets lOu of- those marks deducted. It seems more fair in its application than thel system of disrating a man, because if/ an engine-driver should get • dis-„ rated to a fireman's position for six months, the loss in pay is equivalent to fining him £3O. The Canadian Pacific* Railway is a big affair with' some large ideas—it even runs.its own hotels, and now it is laying down a double track from the Pacific coast to the East.

Mr Hendry was asked how it arranged travelling expenses for its employees. He said that if a man is sentf away to another depot and has to wait,, *he gets paid for 10 hours for. every 24; he spends in waiting. There is no pay: for holidays though. If a man wants: to "lay off," Mr Hendry says, he has to make application for leaye> and getsit if he can be spared, but three months! is the maximum leave allowed. And the professional standing?—■' '>' The railroad engineer's job is one of the best paid all through Canada and. the States,'' said Mr Hefidry, and,being a New Zealander wjho ought to, know, he reckoned that the difference in the cost of living between Canada; and New Zealand was so small that it; really didn't count.