Winter Safety and Smooth Operations

Sean Ireland

Good morning, team. Hope you’re staying warm out there—or at least doing the best you can as we slog through yet another cold, wintry weekend in the Northeast. So, let’s dive straight in because, honestly, winter’s not cutting us any slack. We need to get laser focused on exposure control right out of the gate. And yeah, exposure control isn’t just the bulky gloves and jackets—think about it in a broader way. The cold itself, sure, but also those brain-centered hazards. Folks can get distracted, minds wander, and that’s when mistakes creep in. Especially with big distractions like, you know, Superbowl Sunday. But out on the job, distractions in weather like this are a recipe for trouble.

Sean Ireland

I want to stress something we actually touched on in a previous episode—empowering our people out in the field. If you come across a customer siding or a stretch of track that just doesn’t look or feel safe, don’t shrug it off. Snap a photo. Text or email it over to your manager. We need that feedback so we can follow up with the customer—makes us all safer, and it’s honestly the quickest way to get these risks addressed before anyone gets hurt.

Sean Ireland

Now looking at what the next week or so has for us—classic winter conundrum, right? It warms up just enough during the day for things to melt, then that water just sits and freezes up again at night. It’s like a never-ending cycle: frozen switches in the morning, maybe a little relief by midday, then back to ice by evening. Slippery walking conditions, hard-to-throw switches, and if you’ve ever tried to navigate a crossing that just froze solid overnight, you know exactly how risky that can get. Honestly, every one of those is a derailment or injury waiting to happen if we aren’t careful.

Sean Ireland

We’re gonna recover the network as this weather improves, but—and this is key—we gotta do it with urgency but not trade away safety. We’ve had a rough run on injuries these past few weeks, so let’s keep each other sharp, speak up about hazards, and stay on our game. Every safe recovery we pull off is another step forward, so, keep your focus up, keep calling those things out that might slip through the cracks, and let’s look out for each other.

Sean Ireland

So, as we move deeper into winter mode, we really need to double down on our safety routines. Top of the list: don’t cut corners on gear. If there’s snow and ice, anti-slip footwear isn’t optional – it’s your best defense out there. And, for the love of all things, don’t try to hop on or off equipment on the move when conditions are slick. Always stop, get a solid footing, and then mount or dismount. I know it slows you down for a second, but you’re trading seconds for an injury-free day.

Sean Ireland

Don’t forget—RCO assignments mean you need to be out on the point, not sitting in the cab, and definitely not protecting shoves from inside a truck or taxi. It’s easy to slip into shortcuts when you’re cold and tired, but that’s exactly when things can go sideways. And with all this snow and ice around, pay extra attention to crossings and switches. That’s one spot where trouble loves to hide. Double-check your switch routing. Make sure those points are tight, no hidden ice or snow. Also, a quick reminder: those clearance markers on our tracks? They’ll be buried under snow. Always validate that your cars are in the clear, not just assuming it’s good because “that’s where it was last week.”

Sean Ireland

Speaking of focused efforts, we’ve got Securement Day coming up: starts Tuesday at 5 pm and runs until 5 pm Wednesday. That window’s all about securement—full-court press style. ERDs, roll-bys with mechanical, spot-checking securement on stopped trains, handbrake checks, the works. We’re dedicating the day, and frankly, the region, to making sure everything that stops is locked down and every handbrake that needs to be on, is on. One MTO from every zone will report on their securement status during the Regional Safety call at 1700 hours on Wednesday.

Sean Ireland

And, as you’re out there, keep those Job Safety Briefings relevant—talk about cold weather, not just the “usuals.” Focus extra hard on what can go wrong—falls from height, slips at grade, especially around customer tracks where snow covers everything and what looks safe, isn’t always. Take those warm-up breaks, dress for the swings in temperature, and if something feels off, flag it.

Sean Ireland

Operational testing isn’t backing off either—plan on at least one Banner Test per shift, especially for shove moves or moves near derails, and RCO leads outside their usual zones. The field presence piece is crucial—assistant superintendents, I need you visible, especially after dark when those temperatures bottom out. And for anyone keeping score, here’s who’s leading regional safety efforts this week: Isaac Neibert has New England, Arthur King’s covering Hudson, Jonathan Pope in Northern, Travis Doss for Central East, Alex Malcolm Central West, and Lawrence Craft with the Southern Zone.

Sean Ireland

Now, looking at cost control and service reliability—because keeping the railroad running safe is only half the battle, right? We really need to keep our hands tight on costs as we dig out from the rough weather. I’m talking about watching those ITDs, clamping down on unnecessary recrews, and getting into the weeds of every delay. It’s not glamorous, I know, but every time we dig into the detail, we save money and headaches down the line. Zone leaders, be ready to get granular on your numbers, because these reviews happen daily—zone, region, and then all the way up the network.

Sean Ireland

We can’t overlook our customers, either. They’re counting on us not just to show up, but to make sure we’re safe and reliable while we’re on their turf. That means working with them to clear facilities and tracks of snow and ice, and everything is lined up before we even try to deliver service. It’s a team sport—if their site isn’t ready, the whole process slows down, introduces new hazards, and that’s when things get messy.

Sean Ireland

Finally, quick reminders—make sure the Regional Safety call is on your calendar for Wednesday at five pm. That’s when we’ll dig into securement efforts from Securement Day, and share zone-by-zone updates on how we’re tracking. It’s a good spot to learn from what’s working and maybe, just maybe, show off the wins when things go right.

Sean Ireland

Alright, that wraps up this week’s message. Keep focused, keep safe, and keep those updates coming. We’re all in this together—and next week, we’ll have a whole new set of challenges and (hopefully) some good news to share. Thanks for listening, and get after it this week.