Considerable criticism has been leveled at operating employees. This is in large part because train crews have traditionally been paid on the base of a 150-mile day, or what was roughly eight hours of train travel in 1870. Within the past decade new contracts have extended the average run for train personnel but reduced the number of runs per crew per month. While the number of crew changes on a long-distance train may be one third less than 10 years ago, the total number of employees for that train on an annual basis has not changed. Many train crew members only put in between 25 and 30 hours per week.
Inequities also exist between locomotive crews and train crews.
An effort must be made to increase work hours closer to a 40-hour week. Craft and territorial jurisdictions for different activities have been a major obstacle to increased productivity. Gradually, improvements are being made but much remains to be done. Train crews are often restricted from making simple repairs when problems occur on the road, resulting in having to bring in electrical or mechanical specialists from some distance at considerable expense. Road crews are frequently limited from switching cars in and out, or making simple electrical connections, necessitating the introduction of specialist staff for these activities.