With a combined 50 years of railroading experience, Peer Trainers Martin Cloud, switchperson, and JT Mania, conductor, know what it takes to lead by example. The pair, along with Brakeperson Marco Rocha, dedicate their time to embedding a safety mindset at El Paso’s Alfalfa Yard.
Since welcoming about 100 Transportation craft professionals since April 2022, the Texas yard’s peer trainers have focused on teaching rules compliance and the importance of situational awareness – critical elements to working safely in the busy classification yard.
The yard’s volume has continued to grow over the past year. Team members handle inbound freight from Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Mexico, and build outbound manifest trains.
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“We’re a pivotal location that’s counted on to efficiently send rail cars toward their destination,” said Greg Thompson, superintendent-Train Operations. “Our peer trainers play an important role ensuring our team has the expertise and mindset needed to safely deliver the service we sold to our customers.”
Team members are becoming more efficient with car dwell – the time a car sits in a terminal – reducing it year over year by approximately 18%.
“When our team sees the result of their hard work, it continues positively building our culture,” Thompson said. “People come here to be successful and win.”
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