• Miguel Ayala •
• Richard Ellam •
• Carman Krause •
NEWS
Safety First
A Newsletter for Herzog Companies
• Joe Warner •
• Duane Dopp •
• John Keselburg •
www.herzog.com
FALL 2012
• Tim Lick •
Not pictured: Craig Ebersold, Dave Keselburg, Blake Parker, Hector Martinez, Rocky Oustad and Ricardo Chaidez.
Light Rail Lines Officially
Welded Together
On September 5th a “golden weld”
connected the tracks of the planned
Central Corridor (aka the Green Line)
with the Hiawatha LRT (the Blue Line).
The train connecting Minneapolis to St.
Paul won’t start running until 2014, but
the Metropolitan Council aims to have
the line 75 percent complete by the end
of this year. In addition to serving the
five downtown stations already used
by Hiawatha, the Central Corridor will
create four additional stations in the city
- West Bank, East Bank, Stadium Village
and Prospect Park/29th Avenue.
Central Corridor Project Manager Mark
Fuhrmann describes the significance of
the join in a Met Council news release“This weld is our own version of the
Welder Duane Dopp waves to a passing
Hiawatha LRT train shortly before the
weld occurred on the flyover or train bridge
built over Interstate 35W in Minneapolis
between the Cedar Riverside and
Metrodome LRT stations.
golden spike for the transcontinental
railroad as it connects the Twin Cities of
St. Paul and Minneapolis.”
Herzog is the driving force behind this
weld on the Central Corridor Light
Rail Transit (CCLRT) Systems Project.
Herzog installed the rail which consisted
of two #8 turnouts, two #8 crossovers,
one #6 crossover, one #6 double
crossover and approximately 800 TF of
ballasted track. The Herzog team also
installed 69 insulated joints with four of
them being change orders in embedded
track. In tightly scheduled windows,
all trackwork was constructed in three
different 56-hour weekend shutdowns
and one 30-hour shutdown for the #6
double crossover installations. The
weekend of September 21 – 23 involved a
shutdown to finish punch list items. The
team will then demobilize the job.
Additional features of the project include
six LRT stations and 14 traction power
substations that will help to power the
light rail vehicles.
According to a press release at the end of
July, the project was 68 percent complete
and well on its way to achieving the 75
percent completion milestone by the end
of the year.
Welder Miguel Ayala stands back as flames
shoot briefly from the weld.
One hundred percent completion
can’t happen soon enough for affected
businesses. Some have put on a brave
face and are touting all the foot traffic
generated by the tens of thousands of
light rail riders. Others continue to suffer
silently or loudly over the loss of business
caused by the construction.
Project Manager Craig Ebersold credits
his team for a job performed on time
with no accidents. The Metropolitan
Council has recognized the team by
including Herzog in a press release
featured by two local and one national
publication.
The team includes:
Superintendent: Dave Keselburg
QCR / FE: Blake Parker
Operators: John Keselburg, Richard
Ellam and Joe Warner
Laborers: Miguel Ayala (Lead Foreman),
Carmen Krause, Tim Lick, Duane Dopp,
Rocky Oustad, Hector Martinez and
Ricardo Chaidez
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN
9-Volt Batteries and Junk
Drawers can Start a Fire
Do you have a “junk drawer” somewhere in your house?
Most people do, and most of us probably don’t give a second
thought to what we put in it.
By the time you read this, we will be just weeks away from the election on Tuesday,
November 6th. We have a lot of folks who travel. If there is any chance you may be
gone on November 6th, I encourage you to get an absentee ballot and exercise your
right to vote.
There is one overwhelming issue: Is this country going to depart from the
principles of free-market capitalism to one of the European welfare-states? This will
be the most important election in my lifetime. I’m fortunate to have sufficient assets
to take care of myself and my family. What worries me is the future of our children
and grandchildren. I truly believe the outcome of the November election will have a
profound effect on the youth of our nation and whether they will have the freedom
and opportunities we now have.
Excessive regulation and higher taxation are recipes for four more years of bad
news. The current administration’s campaign is based on both of these. An example
of bad legislation is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
After much research, we still do not know what effect this law will have on our
existing health plan, of which we have received numerous positive comments and
overwhelming approval from those covered. It appears that our plan may not meet
government guidelines and may require us to pay significant penalties which could
lead to dropping our health plan and subjecting our employees to the government
plan, whatever that is. We just do not know at this point.
But we probably should since there may be items that when
thrown in together can start a fire. People have all sorts of stuff
in a “junk drawer.” But one of those things could cause a fire –
a 9-volt battery.
With fire extinguishers and a crew standing by, Chief Kevin
MacCaffrie demonstrated.
“The potential is there,” says Chief MacCaffrie. “There’s a lot of
things in a normal junk drawer that do burn, and apparently
the ignition source was a 9-volt battery.”
Chief MacCaffrie put items like keys, the clip of a pen and
paper clips on the battery and set it next to a tissue. In minutes,
the battery heated up. “I suggest you not touch that battery,” he
said.
In about 10 minutes, it had already browned the tissue. The
same process works even faster with steel wool.
Chief MacCaffrie says there are easy solutions.
“Just take a piece of electrical tape and put it across the battery
and you have no chance,” he said.
It’s a simple move to protect your house from a common but
very real risk.
Experts say it’s also dangerous to store 9-volt batteries in
containers with other batteries.
In fact, a house fire in July in New Hampshire was caused
by a 9-volt battery that was stored in a plastic bag with other
batteries and rubbed up against them, igniting the fire.
Source: Pittsburgh CBS Local News
Congratulations to the folks in the Elwood shop for
their outstanding safety stats.
Last Recordable Incident: 07/11/2003
Lost Time Incident: 04/25/1989
Medical Only/First Aid: 05/24/2002
Save the Date
Stan Herzog
Page 2 • FALL 2012
She’ll now heed
the fire marshal’s
warning and separate her 9-volts.
Elwood Shop
Keeping it Safe!
Why do we fundamentally want to change this great nation?
Thank you to all who contribute.
“We didn’t know
that,” she said. “My
husband nor I would
even think of that.”
The battery warning surprised homeowners. Pat Kelley didn’t
realize her junk drawer was full of things that could cause a
fire.
The current policies of our federal government promote envy, division and
antipathy toward those who work hard and play by the rules. Given the possible
increase in government regulations, higher taxes and hostility towards financial
success, the future success of this company is unpredictable.
Editors of Herzog News:
Michelle Davis
Rayanne Robertson
William Gilbert
SAFETY
Elwood, KS- It’s that time of year again. December 1,
2012, marks the 28th anniversary of the annual Herzog
Auction. Pickups, SUVs, a backhoe and other various
items are just a few things on this year’s list, but continue
to check the website for updates as items will be added
until the day of the sale. For more information about the
auction, please contact Dan Samford at 816-901-4087
(office) or visit the website at www.herzogauction.com.
Hope to see you there and don’t forget to bundle up!
Congratulations to Jack Webb for passing the course
criteria of the ISO 9001:2008 36-hour Certified Lead
Auditor Training.
Herzog News • Page 3
WELLNESS
AWARDS
Contractors from North Carolina, Missouri and
Colorado Receive National Safety Awards
Representatives from each company were invited to make a
presentation before a panel of industry professionals during
the ARTBA convention. Judges evaluated the entries based
on corporate safety culture, operational safety plans and
worker training programs. Awards were presented in three
categories, based on the number of employee hours worked
during the previous year:
•
•
Memphis, TN- Transportation construction industry
firms from North Carolina, Missouri and Colorado were
recognized September 12th for their outstanding worker
safety programs during the 2012 American Road &
Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) National
Convention held in Memphis, TN.
Winning firms were the top honorees of the ARTBA
Foundation’s “Contractor Safety Awards,” a program
developed to promote worker safety and health as core values
of the transportation design and construction industry.
Award winners demonstrated a low “OSHA Recordable Rate”
as measured against benchmark metrics established by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Five finalists were selected based on their achievements as
evidenced by recordable rates below the industry average
and low workers’ compensation experience modifier rates.
•
500,000 or fewer hours: Sharpe Bros., Greensboro, NC
500,001 to 1,000,000 hours: Herzog Contracting Corp.,
St. Joseph, MO
More than 1 million hours: CH2M Hill, Englewood, CO
“Safety on the job site is an essential element in longterm business success—especially in the transportation
construction industry,” said Brad Sant, ARTBA senior vice
president for safety & education. “This award honors those
firms who have demonstrated industry-leading programs as
evidence of their commitment to employee and workplace
safety.”
The ARTBA Foundation was established in 1985 as a 501(c)3
tax-exempt entity to support research, education and public
awareness. It supports an array of initiatives, including
educational scholarships, awards programs, a national
exhibition on transportation and a facility dedicated to
improving safety in roadway construction zones.
Source: American Road & Transportation Builders Association
Another Year Injury Free
Falls City, NE- The National Safety Council has
recognized Herzog Railroad Services Inc. Falls City, NE
location with the Safety Leadership Award. The award is
given to companies that have achieved five consecutive
years without an occupational injury or illness resulting in
lost work days or death. Falls City has also just completed
another injury free year and our goal is to add many
additional years to our current record.
Pictured above in no particular order: Jeffery Blazer, Brian Buckminster, Erik Carlson, Keith Carpenter, Brad Cluck, Nick Cluck, Gregg Davis, Matt Donahue, Cody
Guthals, Austin Hurst, Eric Hopper, Gary Johnson, Thomas Keller, Wade Klaus, Jason Kreifels, Justin Kreifels, Christian McFee, Kevin Nowling, Bill Phroper, Josh
Pickett, Jace Prater, Eugene Rosenberger, Crystal Scrivens, Jeremy Smith, Brandy Strecker, Nick Strecker, Wes Twyman, Jeff Verbick, James Wood, Geoff Zimmerman,
Sam Cobb and George Williams.
Not pictured: Cliff Phroper, Rodger Clark, Mike Barnett, Jeremy Barber, Joe Benavidez, Earl Brown, Victor Boynton, John Elms, Tony Schulenberg, Randy Willey,
Miguel PuPo Garcia and Zack Smith.
Page 4 • FALL 2012
How to be Thankful this Thanksgiving
It’s 11 am, the turkey is still frozen,
the in-laws are pulling into the
driveway and you still haven’t set the
table. Is this what Thanksgiving is all
about? If you’re feeling the pressure to
have everything just right, take a few
minutes to read over the following tips that will (we hope) help
put the “happy” back into the holidays.
Plan -- but not too much
“I think part of the problem with holiday stress is when the
holidays are really blown out of proportion and people start
preparing for them so far in advance,” says Carol Goldberg,
Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and president of Getting Ahead
Programs, a New York-based corporation that conducts
workshops on wellness and stress management. “Advance
preparation is nice, but it shouldn’t take over your whole life.
You shouldn’t be so focused that afterward you’re going to feel
somewhat let down because the celebration didn’t match your
expectations.”
Share the work
If you have people coming over for
dinner or a celebration and they offer to
bring something, let them, recommends
Dr. Goldberg. “You’ll have less stress
and people will feel that they’re doing
something worthwhile and useful,” she says.
She adds that there’s nothing wrong with buying some of the
food, if you can afford it, or considering a caterer. “Today,
lifestyles are much more pressured than they were years ago.
We shouldn’t try to replicate the kind of celebration we grew
up with,” says Dr. Goldberg.
Being the host or hostess during the holidays can be a stressful
role. Dr. Goldberg suggests sharing preparation and cleanup
with others. “Hiring help if you can afford it can make
celebrations less stressful. Otherwise, if guests ask how they
can help, see if a few could arrive earlier to help set the table
or stay afterwards to help with the cleanup,” she says. “It’s very
hard to get up the next day to a dirty kitchen with all kinds of
food already caked on. Let them know in advance so they can
set their schedule accordingly.”
Start new traditions
“Ask the people coming to your celebration what they really
want to do,” says Dr. Goldberg. “It’s very possible they don’t
want to come and get stuffed with lots of calories. They might
not even want to have turkey -- they may want to have some
ethnic food, like Chinese. There’s nothing that says it has to
be turkey.”
Although Dr. Goldberg says there is something to be said for
tradition, not everyone wants the same kind of celebration.
“Some people might not want to stay home, they might
want to go to a restaurant, and there’s nothing wrong with
that,” she says. “They may not want to sit at home and watch
football games, they may want to watch something else or do
something else.”
All in the family
“Another thing which people today find very stressful,
because there are so many divorces, is the reconstituted family
structure,” says Dr. Goldberg. “Holiday time tends to be family
time, so people who are divorced have to face ex-in-laws and
ex-spouses, and that can be very difficult.” If you’re divorced or
separated, and your children are splitting the holiday between
both parents’ homes, make arrangements to pick up or drop
them off at a neutral location, says Dr. Goldberg.
When it comes to conflicts with parents or siblings, Dr.
Goldberg says to keep in mind it’s only for a few days. “It’ll be
over soon,” she says. “If you see the time as limited, it’s easier to
take.”
Exercise away your stress
“Exercise is a physical outlet for emotional stress,” says Richard
Cotton, an exercise physiologist and former spokesman for the
American Council on Exercise. “It’s a form of release.”
Although there isn’t one type of exercise that’s right for
everyone, Mr. Cotton says that keeping your body in shape
or keeping some level of conditioning can be beneficial when
it comes to managing stress. “It’s physical movement to help
resolve the distresses that are building within,” he says. “When
we keep ourselves in shape, we’re more tuned up and we feel
better, and when we feel better, we’re more able to cope with
the stresses of the holidays.”
As with other aspects of the holidays, planning is important
with exercise, too. “Preparing the mind can help enormously,”
says Mr. Cotton. He warns, however, against making stressrelieving exercises a stress in themselves. “Figure out what’s
realistic, when you can and can’t exercise, and do your best
to stick with that,” he says. “Avoid making the guilt of not
exercising an additional stress. Plan and make realistic
expectations of yourself. It can certainly make a huge
difference.”
Source: Wellness Library Health Ink and Vitality Communications ©2012
Herzog News • Page 5
QUALITY
COMPANY NEWS
Quality Plans
Every time Herzog responds to a request for proposal (RFP)
(and ultimately after successfully winning the bid) the
project team is confronted with a requirement to develop,
submit for approval and implement a quality plan. Why do
we have to write a quality assurance (QA) or quality control
(QC) Plan?
PLAN
• Determine
goals and
targets
• Determine
methods
of reaching
goals
DO
• Engage in
education
and training
• Implement
work
CHECK
• Check the
effects of
implementation
ACT
• Take
appropriate
action
A contractor or operator QA or QC plan is the process
for delivering the level of quality required by the contract.
This document provides guidance on the framework for
delivering quality of construction, operation, services
or manufacturing to grantees, contractors, operators,
subcontractors and suppliers of Federal projects. These
include the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA),
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and others. The quality plans, together with
the contract specifications, define the expected results and
the criteria for accepting and using the requirements for the
quality plans.
FTA grantees undertaking major capital programs are
required to prepare a Project Management Plan (PMP)
that includes a Quality Plan consistent with its 15 quality
elements described in the guidelines (FTA-IT-90-5001-02.1)
issued in February 2002. Even for those FTA projects not
considered major, a Quality Plan is always a requirement
included among the deliverables for guiding activities to
ensure project quality.
Every U.S. State Department of Transportation District
is required to have a District Quality Control Plan
for Roadway Design and the other production units
which address a broad overall quality initiative. The
District Quality Control Plan identifies the organization,
responsibility and accountability used to perform and
document overall quality control, including the requirement
for a Project Quality Control Plan on all projects. In the
state of Florida, its Statute 20.23(4)(b) requires a Quality
Control Process and Project Quality Control Plan for its
Page 6 • FALL 2012
By Winnie Alfelor
projects to be approved by the DOT Project Manager.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has been
effectively managing military and civil works construction
projects for many years and requires its contractors to
implement a quality program using ISO 9001:2008 as its
quality system model.
University of Missouri
Engineering Career Fair
By William Gilbert
Columbia, MO- Herzog recently attended the University of Missouri Engineering
Career Fair on September 18th. There were hundreds of undergraduate and graduate
students shaking hands and passing out resumes as they searched for internships and
full-time positions. More than 120 company booths were set up making this one of the
University’s biggest career fairs.
The EPA requires QA or QC Plans for all applicable projects
and tasks involving environmental data to ensure the
project and task is documented and reviewed before the
work is started. The EPA suggested a multi-step process for
developing a QA or QC Plan, as follows:
The Herzog team at the career fair (Corey Blevins, Shanda Durbin and William
Gilbert) met dozens of engineering students who expressed a great interest in
internships and full time positions. Everyone had impressive resumes and were eager
to learn more about Herzog.
1. Assemble a project team and “systematically plan” what
needs to be done.
2. Write the QA or QC Plan using the results of that
planning process.
3. Submit the QA or QC Plan for review and approval.
4. Once approved, distribute the QA or QC Plan to all
pertinent individuals involved with the project or
program.
5. Begin work, but remember to document any changes in
the QA or QC Plan, and if necessary, obtain re-approval
and distribute the updated version to all concerned
personnel.
6. Review the QA or QC Plan on a systematic basis to
ensure that it remains up-to-date.
The “SMART” Choice
Creating a Quality Plan is essential if you want to provide
the customer with confidence that you will produce a
solution that meets their needs. The Quality Plan states
everything you’re going to do to ensure the quality of
your solution. It promotes communication among the
project participants, such as designers, construction group,
subcontractors, suppliers, clients and stakeholders. The
Quality Plan also establishes a benchmark for effective
development of quality assurance and quality control to
assure that quality goals have been effectively implemented.
The Herzog Railroad Services Inc. P.L.U.S./SMART trains
offer the railroad industry the only ballast spreading
technology powered by the accuracy of GPS. The Herzog
GPS ballast unloading systems have undergone many
upgrades since they were first introduced to the industry in
2001. There have been several enhancements made to the
solar panels, batteries, flow sensors and hydraulic cylinders
that open and close the doors. However, in the last couple
of years, our trains have experienced their most significant
upgrades yet.
One of the most recent train upgrades was the 2nd
generation GPS ballast train or, as we call it, The SMART
train. This new technology gave the railroads the option of
not only dumping on the shoulder but into the center of the
track as well.
Another recent upgrade to our GPS trains was the
development of The Herzog Pro Scan Lidar truck which
replaces the traditional survey that is done before every
train is dumped. In the past the only option was for the
Herzog technician to ride in the railroads hyrail vehicle
and manually input the amount of ballast presumed to be
needed. The Herzog Pro Scan Lidar Truck can now take the
guesswork out of this process. The railroad representative
now rides in our Lidar truck while we scan the track to
Shanda Durbin with one of the
many students who stopped by the
Herzog booth for a visit.
By Tim Francis
determine the
appropriate amount
of ballast needed
based on the
template provided to
us from the railroad.
The Lidar trucks GNSS inertial system will allow us to
produce a seamless survey and ensure that there is never
a location where we cannot utilize GPS accuracy to dump
our trains. Our Lidar Truck, when used in conjunction with
our GPS ballast unloading trains, will further enhance our
train’s dumping accuracy and certify that the rock is placed
where the customer needs it. With this technology we now
have the ability to shrink our dump zones to 15 feet on the
approach to a fixed point and five feet on the departure. This
capability will also increase surfacing gang productivity and
reduce track and time needed due to unnecessary pulling of
ballast because of lengthy dump zones.
One thing we at Herzog can say, is that we never stop
improving our products. If the Herzog name is on it you can
be assured that safety, efficiency and customer satisfaction
have always been and will continue to be a priority.
Herzog News • Page 7
COMPANY NEWS
COMPANY NEWS
PTC Mandated After Metrolink Accident
New Federal Funding for the Rail Runner Express
Albuquerque, NM- Operations of the New Mexico Rail Runner Express have resulted in a substantial increase in federal
transportation funds flowing into the region and the state. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5307 Urban Area
Formula Program has increased funding distribution to the Albuquerque urban area by nearly $6 million dollars a year,
and that increase is directly attributable to operations of the Rail Runner Express. Eligible uses of these funds include track
and train maintenance, which constitute a significant portion of the current Rail Runner Express operational expenses.
Another FTA funding source, the rail formula funds require seven years of National Transit Database reporting and is
anticipated to start in 2015. FTA 5307 and FTA rail formula funds will ensure that the train and the railroad system are
kept in good operating condition for years to come.
Source: New Mexico Rail Runner Express Newsletter
Albuquerque, NM- New Mexico is home to many 5K races and now there is
another one to add to the list: the Inaugural Rail Runner 5K. The event was
sponsored by TCR Race Productions and Herzog Transit Services, Inc. and
took place on August 11, 2012.
The registration fee included a t-shirt, post-race refreshments by Starbucks,
post-race massage by Por Vida Therapeutics, 15 percent off Garcia’s Kitchen,
$10 off purchase of $50 or more from ABQ Running and 20 percent off parts
and accessories at Trek Bicycle Superstore. Registration fees went toward rail
safety education for communities along the route of the Rail Runner.
The 3.1 mile course is USATF (USA Track and Field) certified. The race
included divisions for male and female runners in the various age categories.
The top male and female finishers won $250 each and
a plaque. The first, second and third place winners
in each male and female age division won a medal.
All participants received a finisher’s ribbon. The Kids
1K race is a non-competitive race for kids 10 years old and younger. Our very own Lou Litten,
Vice President, Operations Deputy Division Manager, took second place for his age group. Lou’s
daughter, Carley, took first place for her age group. Carley is a freshman and plays soccer for her
high school JV team.
Lou and Carley racing to
the finish line. Looks like
Lou has some catching
up to do!
The National Transportation Safety Board determined that
the Metrolink Engineer failed to stop at a “Stop” signal
indicating it was not safe to proceed and then collided headon with the oncoming UP train, killing 25 and injuring 135
people. Estimated damages totaled more than $7 million.
They further determined that the Metrolink Engineer was
text messaging while operating the train.
October 16, 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law
the Rail Safety Improvement Act. In this act a system called
Positive Train Control (PTC) has been mandated by law
to be constructed throughout America’s railroads by 2015.
PTC is a sophisticated system utilizing Global Positioning
Satellite (GPS) and data communications between the
operating control center, locomotives and wayside signal
systems. It will allow the onboard locomotive computer
system to send and receive vital information on its position.
Additionally, it will receive information from approaching
wayside signal aspects as well as on-track conditions such
as Form Bs. If a condition arises where the engineer fails to
stop the train, PTC will automatically take over and safely
stop the train.
In October 2010, Parsons Transportation Group was
awarded the PTC contract for Metrolink. Herzog
Technologies Inc. (HTI) was hired to perform the PTC
upgrades to the vital signal components of the Metrolink
signal system with the new state of the art technology. With
approximately 160 locations, HTI took on this project
working mostly at night and on weekends. The HTI project
was led by Senior Project Manager Robert Sutton, Chad
Baker, Robby Smith and Todd Glover. The team was given
the task to go into each of the 160 signal locations, take
the vital units off line, remove the old and replace with the
new upgraded PTC components. After the upgrades were
completed, HTI then fully tested the systems to ensure
safe operations. The HTI team said this was an honor to be
involved in a project building a system that will save lives
and prevent incidents like the Chatsworth accident from
happening again.
Chad Baker, pictured below, is reading track codes as part
of the system safety checks performed after the upgrades are
completed.
Also on August 11, 2012, the same sponsors hosted the Inaugural Rail Runner 25-Mile Bike
Tour. The bike tour began at the Los Ranchos Rail Runner station at Edith and El Pueblo in
Albuquerque. Aid stations and a SAG wagon were available during the bike tour.
Lou Litten receiving his medal
after the race.
Page 8 • FALL 2012
September 12th marked the fourth anniversary of the
deadliest train accident in the district of Los Angeles
Metrolink’s history. At 4:22 pm in Chatsworth, CA,
Metrolink train 111 consisting of a single 250,000 pound
EMD F59PH locomotive along with three Bomdardier
BiLevel Coaches loaded with 222 people collided head-on
with a Union Pacific (UP) freight train. The UP freight train
was equipped with two SD70Ace locomotives weighing
408,000 pounds each. Like most Metrolink trains, Train
111 consisted of a single locomotive in a “push/pull”
configuration where the train can be operated by either the
locomotive or by the cabcar when traveling in a reverse
direction. The cabcar is equipped with a small compartment
for the engineer to control the train, leaving the remaining
area for passengers. Both trains were moving approximately
40 mph at the time of impact. Train 111 was traveling in a
reverse direction when the cab car collided head-on with
the UP train, causing the Metrolink locomotive to telescope
into the passenger cars at the opposite end.
By Robert Sutton
Source: New Mexico Rail Runner Express Newsletter
Rail Runner General Manager
Gilberto Melgarejo presents a
winner their check.
Lou’s daughter Carley receiving
her medal after the race.
Some of the bikes as the Bike
Tour is getting started.
Robby Smith, pictured above, is uploading the new software
into the Vital Harmon Logic Controller or the “Brain” of the
system. These VHLCs are located in the signal houses along the
railroad tracks. This teaches the wayside signals to “talk” to the
PTC system. Talking means communicating the wayside signal
aspects such as a message, “I’m green,” or “yellow,” or “red” to
the onboard locomotive computer.
Herzog News • Page 9
COMPANY NEWS
TIDBITS AROUND THE COUNTRY
Structures Gang Ahead of Schedule
By Chad Davis
Job Well Done!
Austin, TX- Capital Metro Transportation Authority (CMTA) celebrated the Herzog structures gang accomplishment
of upgrading critical bridges from condition one critical to condition three good. The work began on June 2011 under
contract modification number eleven. Under this modification, all the rated one critical bridges were to be upgraded
to condition three. These repairs should have taken 24 months but instead the work was completed in 14 months. The
structures gang accomplishment made an important improvement on the infrastructure that extended the life of the
existing bridges by 15 years, all while saving CMTA a significant amount of capital dollars as compared to what was
“originally” proposed for the FY12 budget. CMTA celebrated a combined team effort. They mentioned during the
celebration that Herzog has worked to meet CMTA’s goals ahead of schedule. A JOB WELL DONE!!!
TASI Community Contributions
By Rick Bellew
Bay Area, CA- On August 5, 2012, Transit America Services Inc. (TASI) participated in an event called the Las
Madres Club 2009 Touch a Truck event. The event brings together large industrial vehicles and equipment so that
local neighborhood children can get a hands-on experience. This event is sponsored by the Las Madres Neighborhood
Playgroups and Las Madres Club 2009. TASI contributed by bringing
a Tie Handler to the show and allowing the kids to see how it works
and functions. They were very excited to see what the truck was
capable of, and we were the life of the party until the firemen brought
out the hoses and started spraying. Pesky firemen!!!!
Approximately 400 people from Silicon Valley attended the event.
This was a community event, and TASI was proud to contribute
to this effort. Johnathan Jones, who works in the Engineering
department, requested the ability to utilize the Tie Handler for the
upcoming event. It is good to have team members who contribute
to the community. I would like to personally thank Mr. Jones for his
participation in this event, as well as his time and effort he gave in
preparing the truck for the show.
Way to go, Herzog!
Pictured from left to right: Bridge Inspector Bobby Barry, Project Manager Chad Davis, Structures Driver Jose Perez, Structures
Labor Raul Medina, Structures Foreman Manuel Torres, Operator Homero Medina, Assistant Foreman James M. Bailey, DPM/
Structures Manager Danny Bailey and General Manager Terry Bruner.
St. Joseph, MO- The results are in from the blood drive that was held August 1,
2012. Herzog Railroad Services, Inc. at Easton Road registered 21 volunteers and
collected 15 units of blood, 10 of those volunteers were first time donors. Herzog
corporate registered 19 volunteers and collected 16 units of blood, 7 of those were
first time volunteers. Thank you to everyone who donated.
HTSI Safety Luncheon
Local Community Blood
Center Facts
By Terry Bruner
Austin, TX- HTSI held a luncheon to celebrate 1,000 days without an
injury. HTSI was awarded the Capital MetroRail contract on December
9, 2009, and began the commuter service on March 22, 2010.
Pictured above: Steve Welch and Brad
Green who cooked and served 60
hamburgers and hot dogs for employees.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pictured above: Chase Clendennen,
Israel Quintanilla, Scott Schepers, Zak
Henderson, Max Villanueva and Terry
Bruner.
Page 10 • FALL 2012
Pictured above: Kazi Jahangir, Erika
Cortez, Muriel Friday, Juston Smith,
Kent Kaser, William Brown, Paul
Kilgore and Josh Harper.
Pictured above: Andy Steffanic, Chris
Kendall, Mark Panzarino, Kent Kaser,
Pat Duty, Terry Dickerson and Narvin
Logans.
•
•
Community Blood Center needs 580 donors each day to meet
area hospitals’ needs.
Community Blood Center collected approximately 13,000
units of blood in its first year of operation, 1958.
Community Blood Center has collected nearly 2,000,000 pints
of blood since opening in 1958.
Community Blood Center sends out almost 3,600 units of
blood components each week to treat patients in over 70 area
hospitals.
Since opening in 1958, over 800,000 people have received
blood donated at Community Blood Centers.
By just making one donation, you can help as many as two
patients. Your blood can be divided into blood components plasma and red cells.
The Community Blood Center relies solely on volunteer blood
donors to meet the community’s blood needs.
Blood products have a limited shelf life.
• Red blood cells only last 42 days
• Platelets only last 5 days
• Plasma may be frozen and stored for 1 year.
A few of our
volunteers
from the blood
drive.
Herzog News • Page 11
FAMILY
TIDBITS AROUND THE COUNTRY
Corporate Challenge 2012
Lorrie Smiley
Lorrie is the proud new grandma to Allison (Alli) Elaine Strong. She was born August 30th
to Stefanie (Lorrie’s daughter) and Jason Strong. She weighed 8 lbs 1 1/2 oz. and was 21”
long. Alli is welcomed by her cousins Lillie and Landen.
St. Joseph, MO- This year’s corporate challenge was a great team building event for our employees. Our kickball, softball and
volleyball teams recently participated in competitions and made us proud.
The kickball team took second place overall. Jeff Wigh was the MVP, kicking several in-side-the park home runs and one out
the park. Deric Berry said, “Overall, it was a great team effort, losing the first game and coming back to take second place
overall.” He also noted, “Sara and Laura stepped up to the plate by rotating at kicks between every guy to stay in compliance
with the kickball handbook!”
Trey Rowe
The softball team placed fifth overall. The team as a whole agreed it was a lot of
fun and very entertaining.
The volleyball team placed seventh overall. Starting the tournament at 7 am
meant frozen toes in the freezing cold sand. As the games started, each team
seemed to forget that volleyball does have “out of bounds” areas, as balls seemed
to be getting passed to the courts next to them, as well as over the fence. Some
people also seemed to forget that volleyball does have “rules” and if you don’t
follow the rules the ref will blow the whistle! Melissa Hollingsworth had to ask
her husband and brother-in-law to fill in on one of the teams. She said, “This is
the last time I will ask them to play since they did not get blessed with volleyball
talent.” As the day progressed each team started to click together and both teams
showed improvement. Rachel Hessemyer noted, “There is nothing funny about
losing. Although we didn’t get first, each team had a blast hanging out all day and
we are looking forward to playing in it again next year.”
Trey started with HRSI/HSI as the new Division Safety Manager in September. He
will be working with George Williams and Ryan Van Meter. His responsibilities are to
protect Herzog employees and assets by managing the occupational safety program
and minimizing risks. Trey and his wife, Mallory, just moved to St. Joseph, MO, from
Valdosta, GA. They have a son, Beckham, who is three and loves to play teeball, wrestle
and watch Yo Gabba Gabba. Trey’s hobbies include buying/selling/trading antiques and
collectables, especially old St. Joe relics. Trey and Mallory have a dog named Gracie.
Trey also served in the U.S. Navy as a Seabee for four years.
Pictured front left to right: Chad Eddins, Sara
Gross, Kaitlyn Mejia (daughter of Nick and Jenny
Mejia) and Nick Mejia.
Pictured back left to right: Deric Berry, Jeff Wigh,
Laura Schneider.
Mandy Thompson
Mandy joined HCC in August as the Director of Employee Development and Benefits.
She has been married for four years to Nshan. He is an electrician. Together they have
a daughter, Kierstyn, who is 15 months. Mandy enjoys water skiing, exercising and
spending time with her family. She has two yellow labs, Sadie (who only has three
legs) and Coco. These were Mandy’s babies before Kierstyn came along. Her favorite
food is plain chicken and she doesn’t have a favorite movie since she usually falls
asleep after they start.
Herzog as a whole finished sixth place overall in the entire corporate challenge.
Pictured above left: A few players from the two volleyball teams. Bryan Jones,
Chance Hollingsworth, Casey Hollingsworth. Melissa Hollingsworth, Chad
Eddins, Sara Gross and Jenna Haecker.
Pictured above right: Melissa Hollingsworth and Rachel Hessemyer.
Pictured front left to right: Jodi Anderson, Sara
Gross, Laura Schneider, Shanda Durbin, Jeremy
Snipes, Shannon Smith, Kelly Raines, Pal Hopkins
and Bryant Krauth.
Pictured back left to right: Bryan Jones, Deric
Berry, Jeremy Hoffman, Chad Eddins and Richie
McCullough.
Open for Services!
Page 12 • FALL 2012
By Jeff Wigh
St. Joseph, MO- During the week of August 20th, HSI moved into the newest
Herzog facility, 4801 Riverside Terrace. Herzog Services’ shop personnel and
R&D group are excited to work together in the new building. Featuring an
upstairs office area, training room, parts and inventory bay, one truck bay with
embedded rail, eight additional truck bays and over 5,000 square feet of lab and
electronics work space, the new shop will allow HSI staff to continue to build,
support and develop the industry’s best fleet of ultrasonic rail inspection vehicles.
First day of
First Grade
Christopher Baker (6) and his
dad Chad Baker, Director of Field
Operations HTI, are shown together
on his first day of 1st Grade. Last
year on Christopher’s first day in kindergarten Chad was in Texas
working on HTI’s newly awarded PTC project and wasn’t able to
make it for his first day. He made a commitment to Christopher that
daddy would make it to his first day of first grade and he made it!
s
n
o
oti
Prom
Shanda Durbin was
recently promoted to
Wellness Coordinator
and Recruiter.
Christopher attends Monte Vista Elementary in Vista CA.
Herzog News • Page 13
FINANCIAL
EEO
Are You Responsible?
By Patricia Bagby CEO PBBD Enterprises
One of the things I like most about my
job is that I get to help both employers
and employees build a practical, workable
guide to better human relations. Being
positive at work provides a double dividend.
First, it helps you create healthy human
relationships which lead not only to a new
friend but also to career success. Second,
any quality relationships you create provide
reinforcement for your on-going attitude needs. My experience
has taught me that attitude is a highly personal and sensitive
topic. No one can force a change in your personal attitude. You
alone have that responsibility, and you must do it in your own
way. Simply put, you take the picture of life you want to take.
In my coaching, training and consulting, I spend a lot of time
talking about the law and rights and responsibilities of both
the employer and the employee. Employers are responsible
for creating a workplace that respects the dignity of every
individual. Employees play an important role in creating that
positive environment. Let’s see what that looks like beyond the
letter of the law.
The terms “responsible” and “accountable” are often used
interchangeably, when each one has a distinct focus.
Responsible refers to how an individual should view that for
which he or she is made responsible with respect to initiative
and integrity. Accountable refers to how the individual will be
judged and thus either rewarded or punished. Nothing brings
out the best in a person like having someone believe in them
and trust them with responsibility. We all need places where we
are trusted, where we can grow, develop and prove ourselves.
There are several things supervisors can do to make your work
environment a positive one and create a feeling of cooperation,
teamwork, and joy among your team. Did I say joy? Yes, I
did! Henry Ford once said, “There is joy in work. There is no
happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished
something.” So, you start by building trust. Trust is about
doing what you say you are going to do and being who you
say you are. It is about showing in everything you do that you
are reliable, responsible accountable, and consistent. Also, let
your team know you expect the same from them. When your
words and behavior are harmonious you foster trust. When
your team sees that your words and your behavior do not match
they are not likely to trust you. Even when you are dealing with
uncomfortable situations, when you are honest and upfront it
will make things easier for everyone. It is important that you
are aware of all your words and behaviors and ensure that they
are worthy of your employees trust. Some people have innate
leadership characteristics but there is no concrete evidence that
shows leaders are just born that way. A good leader will take
Page 14 • FALL 2012
personal responsibility when things do not go according to plan
or when a project fails as well as award credit when credit is due.
Every employee needs to feel valued. You accomplish this
through positive and open communication. Listen to each
person and honor each one for what he/she has to say. This
shows that you value and respect every individual. Everyone
is equal because every job is equally important in fulfilling the
mission of the organization. Expect the best from your team.
Treat them as if they are capable, competent people and expect
them to function as such. You set the tone: be accountable and
reliable, show up on time and with a positive attitude, be willing
to take on tasks and assignments, be proud of your workplace,
treat everyone with respect and in a friendly manner, focus on
work and leave personal issues outside the workplace.
Here are some characteristics of valuable employees. Make them
a part of your thinking. Doing so will dramatically increase your
worth.
• Listening to instructions: Mistakes and accidents are often
the result of people failing to pay attention to what they are
told. Carefully listening to instructions will reduce mistakes
and prevent accidents.
• Taking responsibility: Know your duties inside and out and
pay attention to detail.
• Giving credit to others: Just as people point fingers at others
when things go wrong, these same people will take credit
for the good work of others. Practice giving credit to others.
This will improve and strengthen morale among your fellow
employees. Whenever you are complimented for a job well
done, always share the spotlight with those who helped you
succeed.
• Being responsive: There was a time when, if someone
said, “thank you”, the other person would reply, “you are
welcome.” But not anymore. Today people usually reply
with “uh-huh” or “sure” or some other statement. It is as
though they lack the common courtesy to respond properly.
• Performing your duties cheerfully: Some people are
naturally upbeat, positive and easy to be around. No one
wants to be around someone with a negative attitude. A
positive, cheerful attitude can be contagious.
• Being dependable: By your actions, show people that they
can depend on you and that you keep your commitments.
Being responsible at work is all about your character. If you
want to climb higher up the ranks, start to think like the
boss and take more responsibilities. When people fail to take
responsibility, they fail in their jobs, they fail their teams and
they will fail to grow as individuals.
Ms. Pat Bagby provides practical solutions for all aspects of human capital
management and Fair Employment Practices. Ms. Bagby is also a licensed
contractor. To learn more about Pat Bagby visit www.pbbdenterprises.com.
Dos and Don’ts of
Beneficiary Designations
By Matthew Robertson, CPA
Who are the named beneficiaries for your retirement accounts or life insurance? When was the
last time you checked to make sure these designations still reflect your wishes? Following are
some dos and don’ts that illustrate how important beneficiaries can be.
DON’T: Name your estate as beneficiary
If you don’t name specific beneficiaries, or if you name your estate as beneficiary, chances are
these assets will end up in probate court. Probate court is slow, so your heirs will have to wait
to receive the assets. Plus, there will be legal fees to pay. Also, if these assets go to your estate,
they can be claimed by creditors. Taxes may even wipe out the benefits of some tax-favored
retirement accounts. You can avoid most of these complications by only naming individuals or
trusts as beneficiaries.
DON’T: Name minors as beneficiaries
In some states, minors can only inherit limited amounts of estates after they turn either 18 or 21. If you designate a minor, a
court will appoint a guardian to manage the funds until the child reaches the age to inherit. If you expect to have heirs who
are minors, set up trusts to handle their funds and designate when they will have access to all or part of the assets in the
trust. Then name the trust your beneficiary.
DON’T: Assume your will overrides your beneficiary designations
Except in the case of your spouse, your beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and insurance always override
your will. If you want someone besides your spouse to inherit retirement account or insurance assets, he or she has to sign
a written spousal waiver.
DO: Specify percentages, not dollar amounts
Say you have a retirement account worth $100,000, and you designate $80,000 of this amount for your nephew, with the
remainder to his brothers and sisters. What if the account is only worth $80,000 at your death? The nephew would inherit
all of the money and his siblings would get nothing. A better way to make sure no one is left out is to use percentages.
DO: Name secondary beneficiaries
If your primary beneficiary has died or is otherwise ineligible, and you haven’t named a new one, the assets go to your
secondary beneficiaries. Without a secondary beneficiary, the assets go to your estate.
Matthew Robertson, CPA is an assurance partner with CliftonLarsonAllen. He can be reached at matthew.robertson@
cliftonlarsonallen.com.
CliftonLarsonAllen is one of the nation’s top 10 certified public accounting and consulting firms. Structured to provide clients with highly specialized industry insight, the firm delivers its
audit, accounting, tax, consulting, and advisory capabilities from industry-specific perspectives. CliftonLarsonAllen offers unprecedented emphasis on serving privately held businesses and
their owners, as well as not-for-profits and governmental entities. The firm has a staff of more than 3,600 professionals, operating from more than 90 offices across the country. For more
information about CliftonLarsonAllen, visit www.cliftonlarsonallen.com.
Herzog News • Page 15
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For more information about Dunn & Davison, visit www.dunndavison.com.
Page 16 • FALL 2012