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MrNewking t1_jb0g4v2 wrote

Reply to comment by Bestrafen in If you’re ever annoyed by service changes because of “Track Repair”, never forget the hard work behind them that keeps our subway alive. by beechcraft10

Problem Is there's not enough time to get much work done. Most of these repairs take longer than a few hours to complete. It also takes hours to setup and get everything tested and ready for service.

For simple stuff that works and most work can even be done under traffic. But for heavy duty stuff like that, there's not much that can be done without inconviniencing someone.

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Bestrafen t1_jb0lby2 wrote

Fair but at least use those windows.

However, I don't really buy that reasoning either because most of the time, I see all the equipment idle on closed tracks for days on end with no one working. Also, like other comments have stated, there is only 2-3 total people doing work or 4-5 doing work with 15 standing around.

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ClamatoDiver t1_jb0udug wrote

It's always funny hearing people say stuff when they have no idea what the duties of the people working are.

Work can require multiple teams to be in the same spot to finish something.

Let's take changing a section of track for example...

You have flagmen setting up safety zones and controlling the movement of trains, laborers removing and replacing, thermite welding teams replacing bonds or welding joints, the gauge has to be measured and checked and the track readjusted if needed, signalmen checking wiring and stop arms and lots of other little things.

Everyone is on site at the same time even if the thing they have to do isn't being done at that moment.

When I flagged I heard people complain about us just standing around when we were waiting for contractors to show up before work can start.

We sign in long before a job starts and get to a location in order to be ready to work when the contractor gets there and we get permission to set up the track once commission hours are over.

On general order jobs you have to wait for the G.O. to go in and get confirmation, so yeah lots of people are standing around waiting and doing nothing until they're allowed to begin work.

In locations where equipment can be pre staged so that it doesn't need to be brought in on the day of work allowing more time to work on the task of the day instead of spending time bringing in materials and equipment then that's what is done.

People just love to complain.

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LoneStarTallBoi t1_jb1b37c wrote

People who's entire job is sending emails love to complain about people who sacrifice their own bodies for the sake of keeping this city alive.

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NoodleShak t1_jb2p4a5 wrote

As a project manager in a completely unrelated field Ive thought about this a lot, I can have 1000000 people to do Y tasks, but if only 10 people can do X task and that has to happen before that other team can start it doesnt matter. Having 300 people at a job site doesnt speed anything up if only a hand full can do part 1.

If anything I wish we could think outside the box about maximizing repair times, shutting down entire lines and having the NYPD to extremely strictly enforce bus lanes, more bus service etc etc. But im a realist enough to know thats a pipe dream. So this is what we get.

Also I dont think people realize how much (in my humble opinion) it sucks to work on these rails, sure they make money but theyre in the tunnels that are wet, damp, humid, rat filled with a fucking 300 ton train that goes by them as they are working or above ground unprotected to the elements in the heat or the cold. Man pay those guys, complain about the higher ups.

These guys and gals are literally keeping the life blood of NYC going.

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