3 minutes, 4 seconds

Switching Time Claims

Initial & Final Terminal Switching

Qualifications: Pre-85 engineers only.  Claim ensues only if three work events (pick-ups & set outs) at your initial and/or final terminal are exceeded with no yard engines on duty, or if general yard switching is performed, i.e. spotting an industry with cars picked up at the location, making up trains or pickups for other trains, etc, something a yard engine would normally perform had it still been assigned.  Note: Under Arbitration Award 458 and PEB 219, up to three work events at your initial and/or final terminal are allowed without additional payment.

Claim:              On your working ticket (1a), or special claim ticket (1b), submit code IT (initial terminal switching) or FT (final terminal switching) for actual time* spent performing switching—payable at thru freight rate.

* On duty time until departure, or arrival until tie up, cannot physically be counted at actual time switching.

Penalty Switching

Qualifications: All engineers.  Claim ensues when three work events are exceeded at your initial and/or final terminal with yard engines on duty, or if general yard switching is performed, i.e. spotting an industry with cars picked up at the location, making up trains or pickups for other trains, etc, something a yard engine would normally perform. Note: In the North pool, the Twin Cities Consolidated Terminal encompasses all yards within the general switching limits (GSL) from MP 426.67 (Oakland) and MP 17.0 (West of Interstate). Note: Under Arbitration Award 458 and PEB 219, up to three work events at your initial and/or final terminal are allowed without additional payment.

Claim:              On a special claim ticket (1b), submit code 73 for a basic day (130 miles) at thru freight rate for penalty switching—showing locations (yards), times, and the work events (number of cars picked up or set out) performed. It is important to show on your ticket that “yard engines were on duty.”

Penalty Yard Switching

Qualifications: Pre-85 engineers only, in the Savanna pool, at Savanna only, who perform initial and final terminal switching, and in the ID pools performing intermediate station switching at Savanna (penalty yard per 1964 National Agreement), as revised per Arbitration Award 458, Article VIII, Section 1(d):

(d) Perform switching within switching limits at times no yard crew is on duty. On carriers on which the provisions of Section 1 of Article V of the June 25, 1964 Agreement are applicable, time consumed in switching under this provision shall continue to be counted as switching time. Switching allowances, where applicable, under Article V, Section 7 of the June 25, 1964 Agreement or under individual railroad agreements, payable to road crews, shall continue with respect to employees whose seniority in engine or train service precedes the date of this Agreement and such allowances are not subject to general or other wage increases.

Claim ensues when switching, including exceeding three straight pick-ups and/or set outs, is performed in “penalty yards.”  Note: Per the 1964 National Agreement, Article V, Section 1, penalty yards are yards where yard engines have been discontinued. Article V, Section 7 of same agreement allows payment of actual time, with a minimum of 1-hour, at appropriate yard rate (5- day yard rate per agreement).

Claim:              Submit code IT or FT (Savanna pool), or code 26 (ID pools) for actual time spent performing switching, with a minimum of one hour (12.5 miles).  Note: Straight set outs and/or pick-ups are not considered switching under this provision. Show in remarks the moves made, and the actual time spent switching.