INSIDE THIS ISSUE…

We Love This Parade… And how coworkers organized the Parade of Trains, that is. Read more on page 4.

Safety Is Really “Hot” Our Safety Dept. puts emergency numbers at your fingertips. See details on page 6.

Feel The Love… See how Employee Ap pre ci a tion Week was celebrated through out the railroad. Photos on page 8.

He Was Already There Recently retired Sr. V.P.-Operations Bob Lieblong shares some memories. See story on page 10.

Our Diversity Dream Team Our Diversity & EEO Dept. is here for one thing—YOU! Read story on page 13.

Bridge plates are in place at various Bronx stations as part of our Bronx right-of-way improvement work which includes track and drainage work, tie replacement, fencing work and general clean-up of the area. See story this page for more details.

This nine-week project includes track and drainage improvements, tie replacement, fencing repairs and general clean-up of the area. And as part of the overall right-of-way improvements, we are also repairing fencing that runs along the top of the “cut” and cleaning up the right-of-way. Because the tracks are below street level in a trough, they are an easy target for litter including old tires, grocery carts and discarded household items.

Additionally, we are taking advantage of the track outages to conduct other planned drainage work to help address the situation. Under a two-year, approximately $11 million drainage improvement project work will include installation of underground drains that will connect to New York City sewer lines that cross below the tracks at 12 different locations. This project is a

The comprehensive Bronx Right-of-Way Improvements Project we began in early

July is part of an overall effort to expedite track maintenance work and repair mud spots along our right-of-way.

This crucial work presents a significant challenge to our ability to deliver our expected level of reliable service to our customers.

All Harlem and New Haven Line trains have the use of three tracks during the peak period, and only two in the off-peak and weekend periods, greatly reducing our operating flexibility. Normally, we have four tracks available in this area.

Right-of-way work started on the inbound (to NY) track side and at press time, we anti cipate completing this work by the end of July. At that point, we would then begin our efforts on the outbound track side. The overall improvement program remains on schedule for completion by September 2.

Summer 2013The News Publication for MTA Metro-North Railroad Employees

continued on page 3Read us at home at www.yourmnr.org

Busy in the Bronx

What the other members of our MTA family are up to.

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Rail News

Bird’s Eye View… Six peregrine falcon chicks hatched last month high atop of two MTA bridges, and were banded as part of the State Department of Environ-mental Conservation’s nesting program. This year marks the 30th year of coop-eration by MTA Bridges and Tunnels in the state’s program. Three Marine Parkway peregrine chicks hatched 215-feet atop the bridge’s Rockaway tower and three Throgs Neck chicks hatched 360 feet above ground on the bridge’s Bronx tower.

New Underground Talent… MTA Arts for Transit and Urban Design has inducted 25 groups and individuals into the Music Under New York (MUNY) program after performing at the pro-gram’s 26th Annual Auditions held in May in Grand Central Terminal.

Approximately 70 acts performed in front of a panel of musicians, music professionals and transit representa-tives hoping to earn their place in the MUNY program. Auditions were open for the public to watch and contained a colorful variety of talented performers that represented the global diversity of New York City musicians.

MUNY is one of many visual and per-forming arts programs administered by the MTA Arts for Transit and Urban Design, with more than 350 individuals and groups on its roster and presenting 7,500 performances annually in the MTA’s subways and railroads.

And the Winner Is... Two MTA agencies, MTA New York City Transit and MTA Long Island Rail Road, have been given three prestigious awards from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). NYC Transit was cited for its innovative, new FASTRACK maintenance program as well as for the work of its EAGLE TEAM to prevent subway cars falling victim to graffiti vandals.

BackGettingMetro-North employees rallied to the scene of an unfortunate New Haven Line May 17th train derailment to remove damaged equipment and repair track, catenary wire and infrastructure. Meanwhile, volunteers were sent to area stations to help customers navigate a train and bus schedule. It was amazing teamwork as full service was restored that following Wednesday, thanks to the tenacity and hard work of our employees.

33GOING GREEN IN GCT—PART 2 Even engineering masterpieces like Grand Central Terminal (GCT) could do with a little “greening.” Just in time for GCT’s Centennial this year, Metro-North completed a number of sustainability projects there. The second in a series about these initiatives follows.

RENEWED EMPHASIS ON RECY-CLING— Metro-North has recycled newspapers collected in the metal mesh recycling bins on GCT’s platforms for years. But, as customers have in creas-ing ly turned to digital news, the amount of newspapers collected has diminished. To maximize use of the bins, our carter recently agreed to accept mixed paper. Now, customers can use the bins—which have been re-labeled with “Mixed Paper” signs—for dry paper refuse (stationery, office paper, time tables, magazines and periodicals) as well as newspapers. The railroad also has encouraged greater cooperation from customers in sep a rat-ing the recyclables they dispose of in GCT. New labels have been placed on the circular receptacles to clearly indi-cate where cans, glass and plastic bottles go (smaller openings) and where trash should be tossed (larger openings). To enlist their help, Metro-North has alerted customers about our renewed recycling efforts via the seat-dropped publication, “Mileposts.”

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT—Integrated pest management (IPM) is a new approach that has been im ple ment-ed recently in GCT. IPM uses every non-chemical means to control pests before resorting to chemicals. We are now working with a new vendor to close up every means of pest entry, encourage better housekeeping in the Terminal and use other engineering controls before using pesticides.

NEW LED LIGHTING SYSTEM—Recently, the fiber optic system il lu min a-ting the constellations in GCT’s world-famous ceiling was replaced with a more energy-efficient and brighter LED system. (The incandescent bulb system that originally lit the stars was changed to a fiber optic system during the GCT restoration.)

TrackOn

Busy In The Bronxcontinuation of drainage improvements successfully completed in 2011 at the Mott Haven Yard to alleviate flooding.Work accomplished as of mid-July includes:

• Excavatedandremoved375cubicyardsofmud, which is being used as fill at washouts caused by Hurricane Sandy

• Removed420yardsofdebris• Removedgraffitifromnumerouslocationsonourproperty• Removed556concreteties• Installed670newwoodties• Uploadedanddistributed335tonsofnewstoneballast• Trenched3,250feetoftheright-of-wayshouldertoimprovedrainage• Weldedrailjointsandinstallednewinsulatedjoints• Procuredfencingforinstallation

During the duration of this project, we need to continue to remain focused on all aspects of our work to provide our customers with the level of service they have come to expect from us. Based on past accomplishments, we are more than able to handle this challenge. n

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GCT_ParadeOfTrains_OuterStation_TOPRINT2.pdf 1 4/19/13 5:01 PM

GRAND CENTENNIALPARADE OF

TRAINS

Carmine Bonanno Third Railman, Mott Haven

To be able to see train cars that have been out of service for so long—and that you’ve only heard about, like the 20th

Century Limited—is a great opportunity.

Mike Becca Project Manager, IT

This car reminds me of when I trav eled by rail with my family back in Romania—but it was not in style like this! I’m

figuring out what I have to do to buy one!

Tim Gerstner Conductor, Hudson Line

Letting employees get a quick look at these historic trains is a great idea. I’ve seen some before, but not all

together. This is rolling history.

THINK YOU COULD ORGANIZE A PARADE…OF TRAINS?

We asked employees what they thought of the Parade of Trains preview and here’s what they had to say:

Just what does it take to coordinate and manage16vintagerailcars(travelingfrom

all corners of the U.S.), a fleet of modern Metro-North equipment, special events around Grand Central Terminal (GCT) and morethan60,000visitorsoverthecourseofa two-day public event?

A lot… just ask Senior Destination Services Specialist Elizabeth Rivera and Destination Services Specialist Marissa

Cunningham.

With help from their coworkers in the Grand Central Terminal and Corporate Development Department, the pair coordi-nated numerous details and overcame many logistical challenges to bring the Grand Centennial Parade of Trains to the Terminal in mid-May—and to give employees a sneak peak the day before the public event, to boot!

Rivera and Cunningham also cited Operations Administration, Mechanical, Safety & Security, GCT Operations, GCT Fire Brigade, Station Master’s Office, Corporate & Public Affairs, Legal and MTAPD for their “instrumental” roles in making the event a success.

Rivera, who was responsible for the train portion of the Parade, kept many logistics on track—literally!

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Sarah Manning Manager, Long Range Planning

It’s awesome! I love the old style. The quality of the furniture is amazing and

everything is so well preserved. I’m going to brag about coming before the crowds!

Paul Pessante Conductor, New Haven Line

I’m a rail buff and I love this…the good old days of rail travel. And, I’m happy that I can

get all my pictures without fighting other rails buffs!

Ryan Ambrose Coach Cleaner Foreman

You hear about the old sleeper trains, but to actually see them—wow! It’s special

that we get a little more time to take in the whole site. I’m bringing my kids back.

Marie Tocci Procurement Specialist II

We’re privileged as em­ploy ees of a com­mut er railroad to see his tory. These cars

give you a whole different ap­pre ci a tion of what luxury rail travel was back in its day.

Michael King Locomotive Engineer, Hudson Line

This is a wonderful piece of history. I’m getting to see New York Central cars that were

running when both of my great grandfathers were engineers for [that] railroad.

THINK YOU COULD ORGANIZE A PARADE…OF TRAINS?

“Planning and executing the event involved a lot of moving parts—coordinat-ing and partnering with the many other railroad departments, and negotiating travel arrangements for each private car with Amtrak, as they were coming from all different parts of the country,” Rivera explained. “It also involved working with the private car owners to ensure that each owner had the necessary insurance coverage and each car had the correct electrical and mechanical clearances to even enter the Terminal.

“All of this, plus having to deal with the time constraints throughout the event, made it an extreme challenge, but well worth it after having seen the smiles on the many faces of those in attendance,” she added.

And, employee volunteers—from conductor trainees all the way up to senior management—also played a big role. Cunningham should know—she recruited, trained and managed them throughout the weekend, bringing them water and assisting them as needed.

Over and above coordinating the many staffing details, her biggest challenges were line management and crowd control. And,

she even pitched in to help security with bag checks to keep things moving.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better group of employees—several even volun-teered for both days,” Cunningham said. “Being in the thick of things with them was all about troubleshooting and being flex-ible—and they rose to the occasion.”

Randall Fleischer, Vice President–Grand Central Terminal & Corporate Development, concurred. “Though the public turnout exceeded by five times the numbers expected, I was most impressed with the 100 dedicated Metro-North employee volunteers who gave up their time to serve as event ambassadors and proudly host the public in a way that made this a truly iconic occasion.”

The train portion of the event took place onTracks34-37,whereattendeesandemployees got up close to well-known rail “stars” of yesteryear. The famous names among them were: Pullman and New York Central and of course, the most celebrated of them all, the 20th Century Limited!

Visitors—from those who had never before been aboard historic trains to hard-core rail enthusiasts—were impressed by the care it took to bring these amazing

rail cars back to the condition of their glory days, when rail executives used them to tour their service territories and entertain VIP customers.

“The Grand Central Centennial provides an opportunity for Metro-North to tell the story of Grand Central Terminal,” Fleischer noted. “The Parade of Trains event was another chapter where trains that made the Terminal famous were orchestrated for an historic return for the public and employees to see.”

Over the weekend, contemporary Metro-North trains joined the parade, too, giving the public a first-hand look at the latest in railroad technology.

But the parade didn’t end with the rail cars. The west side of Vanderbilt Hall was converted into a “Kid Zone,” filled with interactive exhibits and activities for youngsters of all ages. Meanwhile, at the “Train Show” in Vanderbilt Hall’s east side, rail buffs got their fill of train history and memorabilia, care of various railroad museums and societies.

The rest, as they say, is (railroad) history. (Still think you could organize a parade

of trains?) n

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It’s something every Metro-North employee needs to be mindful of every

day, regardless if he or she works in the field, in Grand Central Terminal (GCT), at one of our outlying stations or in an office. When we see a true emergency unfolding or know of an unsafe condition in the workplace, it’s up to each one of us to report it.

(For the record, emergencies post immediate danger to life and health—derailments, vehicles on our tracks or exposed electrical wire are just a few examples. Conditions that can cause injury, such as cracks in walkways, leaking roof tiles, potholes in a drive-way, are considered non-emergency safety concerns.)

And, who do you call to report safety issues? First and foremost, you should always notify your immediate

supervisor(s) about any safety issue, emergency or non-emergency.

In a true emergency, contact the Operations Control Center at 212-340-2050/2051 or the MTA police at x6911 or 800-836-6673.

For non-emergencies, call 212-340-3131, or contact a member of your Local Safety Committee.EachofMetro-North’s Operations Districts (GCT, Harmon, Brewster, North White Plains, New Haven and Stamford) has two or more Local Safety Committees, which are made up of agreement and non-agreement employees.

These volunteer committees are empowered by the railroad to help ensure that all employees have a safe workplace, 24/7.Toaccomplishthatgoal,theyarecharged with identifying non-emergency concerns and developing steps to address them. And, your input is invaluable to them.

Safety On A Local Level…Don’t know how to get in touch with

your Local Safety Committee? No problem… simply contact the following Metro-North Safety Officers, who are assigned to specific districts: • GCT:Dan Neafsey,212‑340‑3185/

Neafesy@mnr.org • Harmon:Josh Ballard,914‑271‑1608/

JABallard@mnr.org • Brewster/NWP:Latchman Singh,

914-461-0460/LSingh@mnr.org • Stamford:NickKupec,203‑363‑5802/

Kupec@mnr.org • New Haven:BJ Welch,203‑786‑2920/

WWelch@mnr.orgAnd, to keep critical emergency

telephone numbers with you at all times, our Safety Department has created the SystemSafety/SecurityPocketGuide,which lists them.

Designed to fit handily into Metro-North employee ID holders, the guides—also called “Hot Cards”—concisely explain what employees should do in case of chemical, biological or radiological exposure, or when they observe suspi-cious packages or behavior on our trains, stations or property.

The cards are distributed to every new Metro-North employee at orientation, but copies are available for those who don’t have them or need a replacement. To get them, contact your district’s Safety Officer.

Yard workers should contact the Yard Masters in case of unsafe conditions of any kind: • GCT:212‑340‑3305

• Harmon:914‑271‑1556

• Brewster:845‑940‑1322

• NWP:914‑686‑8605

• Stamford:203‑363‑5691

(district now includes Springdale)

• NewHaven:203‑786‑8015

Remember, safety is Priority One for all of us. n

Photo: Meredith Conti

ToptoBottom:Safety“HotCards”beingdistributed to new hires by Industrial Hygienist Brandee Velez.

7 7

Metro-North employees put forth yet another fine display of teamwork as various departments worked tirelessly to bring Hudson Line service back following the July 18th derailment of a CSX freight train near Spuyten Duyvil.

In all, employees removed 10 derailed CSX cars from the area, hauled out numerous containers of spilled debris, and rebuilt 1,500feetofdamagedtrack. This was done in a very restricted two-track area bordered by high walls of rock. On top of that, the weather conditions were grueling.

Meanwhile, others of you worked equally hard to createabus/trainschedulein relatively short time, keep customers informed of service changes via updates on our website and through emails and the media, ensure that the necessary equipment and crews were in place for service and staffed stations and bus shuttles to help direct customers.

Thank you all for such outstanding efforts which again define what Metro-North customer service is all about.

Coming Back From CSX

8 98June 23 - 28, 2013

EMPLOYEEAppreciation Week

METRO-NORTH INCLUSION COUNCIL

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It is the Tuesday before his retirement party, and Robert“Bob”Lieblong, Senior Vice

President of Operations at Metro-North, is boarding his last inspection train.

He takes his regular middle seat facing out of the back window of MN1 as the train travels up the Hudson Line to Poughkeepsie.

“It was no different than any other inspection train, in all honesty,” he says afterwards. “But when it was all over, I realized that was it. I won’t be doing this as an employee anymore.”

Ironically,whenhestartedin1973—a 22-year-old two weeks out of Manhattan College—he didn’t think he would be doing “this” that long.

Student LoansSitting in a leather chair in his office, jacket off, tie undone, Lieblong doesn’t look old enough to retire, let alone reminisce about the “good old days.”

“I was just taking a job as a ‘Trackman’ (as they were called back then) to pay off my four years of student loans (yes, those existed back then too),” Lieblong laughs. “My dad (He was Robert A., I am Robert E. and my son is Robert T.), who worked in Communications & Signals at the time, got me the job.

“I had no intention of staying here. I figured I would earn some money, pay what I owed, and go out west to, I don’t know, maybe to find myself…”

But something happened when he was working as “just a member of the gang” based in North White Plains.

“They were ‘real people’ in the best sense, but I felt I didn’t want to do this type of work for the rest of my life. I had a friend who had started work with me who had left already to pursue a career as a teacher. And I was looking to go.

“But that same year, I was asked if I would be interested in taking part in a supervisory training program. I had a college degree, and there weren’t a lot of people with those on the railroad at the time.

“I would still be considered a ‘Trackman,’ but I went off to Mott Haven, where I worked for a guy named BoDean (yes, that was his name) as his timekeeper. The idea behind the program was you would see first-hand how an office worked and learn about how the Track Department was run.”

It was time well spent, because soon Lieblong was working as an Assistant Track Supervisor out of Stamford. He earned a reputation as being tough, but fair, and ambitious. He was enamored of the Produc-tion and Special Projects gangs. The projects they worked on held an appeal for him, and eventually he was named a Track Supervisor. Once again, his leadership qualities, and hard work were noticed.

BobLieblonginhisearlydaysas“justamemberofthegang.”

Youcanseewhyhegotthenickname,“BradPitt.”

Where He Was

11

NervousIt was one year after Metro-North was formed when Lieblong got a call saying he was going to run the Track Department, and that he should go see then-Vice President of Operations DonaldN.Nelson.

“I went to his office, and I was nervous,” he says. “Nelson wished me good luck, and I think I said something like, ‘I will try to do my best and not disappoint you.’

(Lieblong stops his story for a moment to explain, “Don Nelson was my mentor. I always looked up to him, and, until recently, always addressed him as Mr. Nelson. When I was named Senior Vice President of Operations, he told me he thought I was the right choice for the job. That meant a lot to me.”)

“After that meeting, I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this is mine to run.’ You have to remember there were close to 800 people working in Track back then. It was a big department, and as I said, I was nervous. But then I settled down and started to figure out what I was going to do.”

What he did was oversee the rebuilding of the very foundation of the railroad. Nelson believed in investing in and renewing Metro-North’s infrastructure first. And

Lieblong was his right-hand man on the right-of-way.

“You could say we were laying a better foundation for what was to come.” But Lieblong wasn’t just interested in the installation of ties and bridge timbers. He was looking to find new ways to instill a sense of pride and worth in his workforce.

His hands-on leadership style gelled well with the employees in the field. There are many examples of his on-site involvement, but one particularly illustrates his style.

It was a Saturday during the installation of the railroad’s first high-speed interlocking in Scarsdale. The tracks were out of service, and it was crucial the work got done that weekend.

But the backhoe operator was having trouble leveling the track bed. After numerous attempts, the employee was getting frustrated. Work was falling behind schedule, and the production gang was getting worried.

Lieblong remained patient, and ap-proached the machine. He asked, “Is it okay if I take a shot at it?” The man happily nodded, and vacated his seat.

Lieblong then hopped up on the backhoe. It took him a few attempts as well before he began to see some success.

Lieblong ponders life after retirement

Saying so long to Angelo Auguello, another recent retiree.

Wrapping up his last inspection train.

He then got off the equipment, explained to the operator what was causing the problem, and returned the backhoe to him to finish the job.

“I wanted to bring about a change in the culture of the Track Department,” he explains. “I was aware of the way things were. And I wanted things to be different. I wanted to be a different kind of leader. And I really wanted to recognize people for their hard work and accomplishments, and to give them a sense that they had worth.”

When he was made the head of the newly formed Track & Structures Depart-ment in 1992, he formed what he considers one of the highlights of his career, the Quarter Century Club.

“The idea was to say, ‘Congratulations ongiving25ormoreyearstotherailroad,’”he says. “We invited them to breakfast (It was a great breakfast, by the way!) and I would read their names and a few facts about the year they started. The people really appreciated it. I think it was one of the best things I’ve ever done, and was one of the best events on this railroad.”

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To Be…He Wanted

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School DaysOne of Lieblong’s other major accomplish-ments—one of a personal nature—was gettinghisMastersofScienceinEngineer-ing from City College while running Track & Structures.

“I was going at night, with Glen Hayden

from Capital Projects,” he says. “We would get done with class at around 10 PM, and by the time I would get home, it would be almost time to get up and go back to work.

“I thought ‘Good God’ this is too much. There were some times when we had an emergency and I would wind up just going back to work after class.”

The degree enabled Lieblong to take overthepositionofChiefEngineerin1998.

Once again, he felt a little nervous at first.

“I was a little overwhelmed,” he laughs. I was comfortable with Track & Structures, because I knew those areas. I didn’t know that much about Power or C&S.

“But what I did know was I had good people in those departments, like Bob

Walker and Wayne Staley, who were able to explain things to me. And thankfully it didn’t take me too long to get comfortable or knowledgeable.”

It was the same when President Howard

Permut named him Senior Vice President of Operations.

“It was as if I achieved my dream,” he laughs. “I will tell you something now. Back when I was a Track Supervisor in Stamford, I remember standing outside and telling some of the people I worked with that I was going to be the Vice President of Opera-tions one day (the title Senior Vice Presi-dent didn’t exist yet).

“Part of it was that I was young and just talking,” he says. “But deep down, I believed it. I knew I was actually going to stay on the railroad, that I belonged here, and that I would try to accomplish and contribute something.”

Pull TogetherSo how does Lieblong measure his career?

Is it by counting up all the ties and interlockings installed, or all the 100% days attained during his tenure? (There were an impressive 21 over three years, for those counting — he wasn’t.)

“I would say that whatever position I held, I always tried to get everyone to pull together in the same direction,” he notes. “I really tried to knock those silos down and always instill a sense of teamwork.

“WhenIwasChiefEngineer,Ihadaslogan, Engineering: Solving Problems Together. And that is because no one accomplishes anything working alone. There are so many good people I worked with over the years that you couldn’t list them all here.

“Looking back, there are a lot of things that I am proud of. I already mentioned the Quarter Century Club...

“When I was in Track, I was the first department head to start a comprehensive Safety Program, which contributed to employees’ well-being and reducing injuries in the company.

“And I was proud to have helped improve the condition of the infrastructure, especially installing all the new welded rail between North White Plains and Brewster. We made so many improvements, I couldn’t even list all of them…

“I was also the proponent of our cyclical maintenance program, which to this day still maintains the integrity of our right-of-way.

“Our on-time performance has been at record levels, despite some difficult years where we had extreme weather…

“That reminds me… I was the guy who came up with the first ‘snow train’—taking gangs from the Upper Harlem from Southeast down to North White, so they could clear snow from every station platform along the way…”

Lieblong continues listing accomplish-ments, but you get the sense he is really just reliving a few memories from his long career.

Beyond RailroadingNow that retirement approaches, Lieblong admits, “It’s funny, I never really thought of myself as an old-timer. I don’t feel like one, and I still think there is room for improvement.

“I always think I could do better. And I am proud I didn’t ‘lose it’ during my career. I never, never forgot where I started. That guided many of my decisions, and I think that paid dividends over the years.

“I will miss the holiday trains. I loved the fact that people from all levels of this company, that I had worked with over the years, would come up and talk to me, and call me ‘Bobby.’ It was a nice feeling.

“I honestly don’t know what I am going to do in retirement. I have personal interests that I will now have the time to pursue. I can spend time with my two grandkids -- Angelina and Jack. (We call him Jack the Bear. He is a big kid!) And I like to travel, so my wife and I will be doing that.

“I haven’t ruled out working in the industry in some capacity. But I am not thinking about that now. I’m just going to see how things play out.”

Soafter40years,Robert“Bobby”Lieblong, who started his career as a Trackman just looking to earn some money to pay off some bills, is finally going to get the chance to head out west, or wherever he pleases.

But he no longer has to go to find himself—he already did that on the railroad. n

He Was Where He Wanted To Be…

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Farewell wishes from Ed Schiefelbein.

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For many, the word “diversity” refers solely to race and gender. However, the definition of “diversity” is much broader and encompassing.

Our workforce is a collective group of individuals whose individual qualities distinguish them from one another.

The qualities that make each of us unique and special make us diverse as an organization.

One of the best examples of Metro-North Railroad’s diver-sity is the wide spectrum of generations in our workforce. We have employees ranging in age from their early 20s to their 70s.

Each age group has its own set of values, traditions and expectations based on that generation’s shared experi-ences. These generational experiences range from the political issues to the music of the era.

We can all benefit from each other’s generational differences and at Metro-North Railroad, we recognize the importance of diversity and value those differences.

We welcome all perspectives and rely on our common purpose to provide our custom-ers with outstanding service and to create a new and positive shared experience for all our employees.

Educator, civil rights advocate, lawyer… Robert Rodriguez’s diverse background

makes him the ideal person to be Director of Metro-North’sOfficeofDiversityandEEO.

A graduate of Fordham Law School, Rodriguezhasmorethan14yearsofEqualEmploymentOpportunity(EEO)experi-ence and an extensive knowledge of civil rights. His expertise on diversity and civil rights can be traced back to his investigative workwiththeU.S.DepartmentofEduca-tion’s Office of Civil Rights and his past role as Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Diversity at CUNY’s City College.

“Our primary function is to address complaints of discrimination in the work-place, and the number one way to prevent discrimination is to educate employees about their rights,” Rodriguez said. “The Office of DiversityandEEO’smissionstatementis:‘To create an inclusive environment at MTA Metro-North Railroad where the diversity of all people is valued and respected.’”

The department engages in various activities to promote this statement, includ-ing training, workforce analysis, helping with recruitment, and visiting job fairs at universities and trade schools. “Any sort of incident that involves bias on the basis of age, race, gender, etc., falls onto our lap,” said Rodriguez.

And whatever the department reports must get sent to the Federal Transportation Administration. So whether you’re white, black, green, blue, male or female, these guys (and girls) have got your back.

With Rodriguez’s experience, it is clear that he is the right fit for the job. But every great leader needs a strong team to back him (or her) up. Along with Rodriguez, the department is staffed by: Maryann S.

Gormley-O’Connor, Assistant Director; Roberto Aguirre, Assistant Director; and Nancy Fernandez-Cotto, Manager.

Gormley-O’Connorhasmorethan30years of experience working at Metro-North inbothHumanResourcesandEEO.She brings to the office a wealth of knowl-edge of the railroad and its history.

Aguirre has been with the MTA for 20 yearsandhismainspecialtyisEEOstatisti-cal reporting. “Our goal is to enlighten the workforce on what makes us different, what brings us together as one, and what high-lights our differences so we can respect each other,” Aguirre said. “We want everything to be fair and equal.”

Cotto, who has been at Metro-North for fourmonthsnow,bringsextensiveEEOexperience from the private sector, having worked at JetBlue and HBO.

“[The office] is very collaborative,” Rodriguez said. “I make the final decision, but everything is done as a team.

“[Metro-North] is a culture that’s very proud of what they’ve accomplished, of what they do day in and day out,” he added. “It’s an honor to be in an environment where you can feel that.”

As for the future, the department will be very active in the upcoming years.

“Metro-Northis30yearsold,andtherewill be a lot of transition as more and more employees retire,” Rodriguez said. “This is an opportunity to see the railroad transition to a new generation of employees, and I’m excited to be a part of that.” n

Written by the “diversely talented” Corporate & Public Affairs intern, George Mateo.

A Diverse Team for the Job

OfficeofDiversity& EEO dream team (l.‑r.):AssistantDirectorRobertoAguirre; Assistant DirectorMaryannS. Gormley-O’Connor; Manager Nancy Fernandez-Cotto; and,DirectorRobert Rodriguez.

DIVERSITY

What is ‘Diversity’?

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D ear Mr. Permut

I write to sincerely commend the commitment to guest service and the character of two Metro-North employees.

On the evening of March 28, 2013, while com mut ing to Green-wich from GCT my iPhone slipped between the seat cushion and the interior car wall (may be a first for this occurrence on an M8). The phone was im pos sible to retrieve without tools. Conductor Ed Roach attempted to recover the item, then sought me chan i cal as sis tance in the Stam ford yard, volunteered the use of his personal phone (to call family re: delay), and he offered useful suggestions as to next steps. Through out, Mr. Roach was a gentle man and service professional.

My journey then took me to GCT where Customer Service, the Station Master, Lost & Found, and Track 25 folks were all sympathetic and help ful. The Easter holiday weekend further complicated my situation. But my phone was neither lost nor likely to be found.

With extraordinary patience, Mech an i cal Supervisor Wayne Foo listened to my story (with car # and seat location details); Mr. Foo assured me that he would find the phone if it was still there. He called me to report his progress and promis ed to track the car movement for its return to GCT; within 24 hours of our initial conversation, Mr. Foo rescued my phone from a sorry fate of silently free riding hidden forever in the seat base of an M8 car seat.

Mr. Roach and Mr. Foo went beyond any reasonable ex pec ta tion to accommodate a customer. They are a credit to your or gan i za tion. Thank you to your team at Metro-North.Sincerely, —MICHAELBURKE

CUSTOMER CORNERThis column will highlight a customer letter that shows how, on a daily basis, our employees’ dedication and hard work contribute toward Metro-North’s reputation as a brand name for excellence.

HEALTH &

SAFETY DAYS 2013

Our annual Health & Safety Day events pro vide employees with a wealth of information about safety on the job as well as at home. Attendees are also given data pertaining to their financial “safety,” such as how to invest now and what to expect later. At some locations there was opportunity to donate blood. All in all, health and safety days are just what the doctor ordered!

Brewster

Brewster

North White Plains

North White Plains

North White Plains

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HARMON

NORTH WHITE

PLAINS

STAMFORD&

NEW HAVEN

GRAND CENTRAL

TERMINAL

YOU TALKED,THEY LISTENEDThis year’s Town Hall meetings brought

President Howard Permut and senior management to the field where they met hundreds of employees who came with questions and interest in hearing about how Metro-North is doing.

There was plenty of feedback and

inquiries—some tough, some expected, but all answered to the best of President Permut’s and senior staff ’s ability.

The agenda also included an overview about the company’s renewed emphasis on safety as Priority One, and a focus on our challengesandaccomplishments.Equally

important was discussion about our future direction as we complete this final year of our Vision2013mission.

As soon as all the comments are assem-bled, we’ll tell you more about the response to some of your issues and requests in future issues of On Track.

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Published for the employees of MTA Metro‑North Railroad by Corporate & Public Affairs, 345 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Executive Editor: Mark MannixEditor/Writer: Joe Antonacci

Managing Editor/Writer: Nancy HuieWriter: Mary Di Landro

Summer Intern: George Mateo

Senior Graphic Designer: Barbara Sarcich Contributors: Patrick Cashin

Meredith Conti Linda Keyes Kyle McCarthy

On the Road to Vision 2013Here’s how the railroad stands in some of our key goals for 2013 as of May 31, 2013:

May 2013 YTD 2013 GoalAchieveZeroInjuries:FRA Reportable Injuries 35 88 145Lost Time Injuries 29 64 101Achieve98%On‑TimePerformance:On-Time Performance (E of H) 96.1% 97.4% 97.8%Mean Distance Between Failure

(as of June 30, 2010) 165,708 171,763 150,000

Achieve98%CustomerSatisfaction:Consist Compliance (E of H) 99.7% 99.7% 98.6%Customer Complaint Index (per million riders) 132.4 140.3 136.9Transport100MillionCustomers:Ridership (E of H) 7.06 mil 33.3 mil 100 millionAchieve 9% Reduction in Cost Per Passenger (from $11 to $10):Fare Operating Ratio 57.40% 59.80% 61.1%Cost Per Passenger $13.14 $12.60 $12.66Achieve $75 Million Increase in Non-Passenger Revenue:Incremental Non-Fare Revenues 4.07 mil 4.07 mil $18.7 mil

For more information, visit our intranet at www.mnr.org or our extranet at www.yourmnr.org.

Totally Rewarding!

Looking for a way to get back in shape? Like to buy your groceries in bulk? Or save money with great deals and discounts at popular locations? Want to take in a show without breaking the bank? Well, look no further, because our Human Resources Department has an ever-expanding incentive program called “Total Rewards.”

And the discounts keep coming--added sinceearlyJulyare:Juice4U,Jos.A.Bank,Costco, 1-800-Flowers, GNC, Sam’s Club and Red Wing Shoes! And there are the tradition favorites, such as the health club discounts, BJ’s, Lifecare and Plum benefits.

The Total Rewards Tower was created in 2011 as a way to give useful benefits to all in the Metro-North family. The employees currently spearheading it are: AntonioDelValle, HR Business Manager; DayshaAlston‑Gordon, HR Business Manager; Tracy-Ann

Jeffers, HR Generalist and Sarah Cordero, HR Leave Coordinator.

You can see it all by going to our intranet (www.mnr.org) or extranet (www.nee1983.org) and clicking on “Total Rewards,” (under the Benefits tab). If you want to learn about Total Rewards discounts the “old fashioned” way—on paper—you’ve got it! The group has created flyers that are sent out to administra-tors to hang up in on break rooms and to disseminate to employees (Health Club and BJ’s flyers are currently up).

So check out Total Rewards and start saving big!

Promotions & Retirees Are Going Online

Our Human Resources Department is working to bring the full listings of 2013 Promotions and Retirees to the intranet and extranet this fall.

Going forward, HR will be able to publish a complete roster of promotions and retirees every month on this online page, which employees can view at work or from home.

Look for more details about this new online feature in future issues of On Track and Weekly News.