Winter Storm Readiness and Safety Priorities for the Week

Sean Ireland

Good morning team. This Sunday morning kicks off what’s gonna be a challenging week across the Northeast. We’ve got a major winter storm moving through our territory from Baltimore all the way up to Northern Maine. Some locations are expecting more than a foot of snow overnight into Monday. A lot of that snow is expected to start melting by Thursday or Friday, which means we’re also gonna be watching for localized flooding in some areas. So we’re dealing with both snow and potential water issues in the same week. As always, we are prepared. We’ve ensured coverage and resources are in place throughout the event. I want everyone to go into this week with a clear understanding of our priorities by day, and how we’re gonna manage through this as a region. Monday’s priority is very simple and very clear: keeping our people safe. That comes first. Every decision you make on Monday should be framed around exposure reduction and ensuring every employee goes home safely. If conditions are not safe, we do not put people in harm’s way. On Tuesday, we shift our focus to supporting our customers and moving traffic, while still keeping safety first. We’ll be working closely with Engineering to stay ahead of conditions as the storm moves out and the network starts to open up. That coordination with Engineering is critical so we’re not putting crews or equipment into areas where we still have issues with snow, ice, or early flooding. As we move from storm impact into recovery, remember the sequence: Monday, protect our people. Tuesday and beyond, support our customers and move traffic safely and efficiently, in step with Engineering. Through the entire week, we’ll keep monitoring conditions closely, especially in those locations where heavy snowfall transitions into melt and potential flooding late in the week. I expect leaders at every level to be proactive with communication, clear on the daily priorities, and disciplined about executing the plan. We’re prepared, we’ve got coverage and resources lined up, and now it’s about consistent, safe execution as the storm moves through and we recover the railroad.

Sean Ireland

As we get into the details for this week, I want to start with our expectations around customer locations and local / yard operations. Before any crews arrive to work a customer, a manager must visit each customer location to confirm the interchange or industry tracks are safely cleared of snow and ice. That check has to happen before any switching or building of outbound cars begins. No exceptions. By getting eyes on those tracks ahead of time, we reduce exposure for our crews and prioritize customers who are actually prepared for service. Where conditions are not acceptable, document those exceptions with photos. We’ll use those photos as feedback so customers can resolve the issues proactively. Make sure those pictures are clear, make sure we can see the condition you’re concerned about, and make sure they’re captured before we put anyone out there to work. For this storm week, we have some specific safety reminders that everybody needs to reinforce. On RCO assignments, ensure personnel are out on the point and not in the cab of the locomotive. We are not gonna protect shove moves from inside a truck or a taxi. Shove protection must be done correctly, on the ground, where you can actually see what you’re protecting. With snow and ice on the ground, all employees must wear anti-slip footwear. And when snow and ice are present, always stop to mount and dismount equipment. No jumping, no shortcuts. We also need a continued focus on snow build-up on crossings and on switches. Double-check routing of switches and ensure the points are tight, without ice or snow build-up. Crossings and customer sites must not be snow-covered; they need to be flanged and clear of snow and ice before we operate through them. And I want leaders to encourage our people to take pictures of any conditions or hazards that need to be addressed, especially at customer facilities or interchanges. That visual documentation helps us drive accountability and get issues corrected. This Wednesday, we’re putting a specific focus on riding, mounting, and dismounting equipment, along with operational testing. We’ll also have one MTO from each zone performing downloads on trains working in and out of yards when they have to run manual. That work is targeted to make sure we’re aligned with expectations and behavior in the field. For our Exposure Reduction Discussions this week, the focus is on falls from height and same level. We continue to see opportunities around riding equipment and customer track conditions, particularly snow-covered walking conditions. Use those ERDs to talk directly about what you’re seeing in your territory and where we’re still at risk. On the operational testing side, each shift will conduct one banner test, and that test is to be performed on shove moves in high-risk locations. This is not a switch banner test; it is a shove banner test. Make sure the locations you pick are truly high-risk and that the test is conducted professionally, with a clear learning outcome. The entire week is about disciplined safety execution: proper shove protection, correct RCO practices, careful mounting and dismounting, and systematic verification of walking and track conditions before we work.

Sean Ireland

Alongside safety and storm response, we’re also going to stay focused on cost and service as we recover the railroad. From a cost standpoint, our priority this week is controlling recrews by focusing on ITD performance. The goal is simple: one crew for one train. Every time we avoid a recrew, we help control costs and improve overall network fluidity. I want leaders looking ahead at crew utilization and planning with that mindset. On the service side, we’ll be working closely with our customers to ensure their facilities are ready for service. That means clear of snow and ice, not just on the main but at crossings, customer tracks, and work areas where our people have to walk and ride. When you’re out there, document those conditions with pictures and apply them to our MRT devices. We’re also going to track this manually so we can provide targeted feedback as we recover after the storm. The goal is to show customers concretely where conditions support safe service and where they don’t, so we can prioritize the right work and drive improvements. Leadership presence in the field is critical this week. Assistant Superintendents need to maintain strong field presence throughout the week, with particular attention to how yards are operating under these weather conditions. I also want a specific focus on Yardmaster engagement. Yardmasters are central to how safely and efficiently we move traffic through these events, and they need direct interaction, feedback, and support from their leadership teams. I also want to recognize our Regional Zone Safety Leaders from last week: New England, Zach Self; Hudson Zone, Leo Haines; Northern Zone, Michael Phillippie; Central East, Dan Munoz; Central West, Hunter Benner; and Southern Zone, Staci Taylor. Keep that same level of ownership and visibility on safety as we work through this storm. We’ll continue our structured communication rhythm as well. Our Regional Safety Call will be held this Wednesday at 17 hundred. On that call, we’ll discuss our focus items: riding, mounting, and walking, along with the downloads being conducted by the MTOs. One MTO from each zone will report out, and I expect concise, fact-based updates tied directly to what we’re seeing in the field this week. Finally, remember that this winter storm focus runs through Friday at 18:00. Job safety briefings all week should reflect the winter storm conditions and our exposure reduction priorities. Keep the discussions grounded: falls from height, same-level slips and trips, riding equipment, customer track conditions, snow-covered walking conditions. If we stay disciplined on safety, deliberate on cost and recrews, focused on customer readiness, and visible as leaders in the field, we will manage this event effectively and recover the railroad the right way. Let’s execute the plan, stay engaged, and we’ll carry these lessons forward into the rest of the season.