ECONOMICS OF DOUBLE SHIFTING WHERE GANG HAS HEAVY INVESTMENT IN EQUIPMENT

IN RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY MAINTENANCE THE RATIO OF EQUIPMENT COST TO LABOR COST HAS BEEN UNDERGOING A CHANGE THAT HAS ALTERED THE VIEW TOWARD IDLE MACHINES. HOWEVER, THE NATURE OF WAY WORK--GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED, CONTINUALLY CHANGING, SUBJECT TO DARKNESS---DISCOURAGES ATTEMPTS TO TRANSFER TO THIS KIND OF WORK THE LABOR PRACTICES OF SHOPS. FACTORS THAT MUST BE ANALYZED WHEN CONSIDERING DOUBLE-SHIFT WAY OPERATIONS ARE LISTED, FUNCTIONS THAT DO AND DO NOT LEND THEMSELVES TO DOUBLE-SHIFTING ARE DESCRIBED, TYPICAL ANTICIPATED COST SAVINGS ARE NOTED BY WAY OF EXAMPLES, AND THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DOUBLE-SHIFTING ARE LISTED.