Tami Parsons-Dicks This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. 6-2001

   www.newsteel.com/articles/2001 - [Cached]

   Published on: 6/1/2001   Last Visited: 7/22/2001

   In CSX Transportation's Network Operations Center in Jacksonville , Fla. , left to right : Tami Parsons-Dicks , director of merchandise operations for AK Steel's business with the railroad ; Daniel DeBoer , the chief train dispatcher ; and Gwen Gamble , assistant manager of passenger operations.
   ...
   They're the top guns , says Tami Parsons-Dicks , CSXT's director of merchandise operations for AK Steel's business with the railroad. There's a lot of pressure in here..
   
   The monitors direct the locomotives to particular trains and tell them where to go for repairs and fuel. CSXT implemented a two-percent fuel surcharge in Sept. 2000. The company spent $250 million more for diesel fuel in 2000 than in the previous year and consumed more than 600 million gallons.
   
   ...
   If that number is in the low 80s , we know we're in trouble , Parsons-Dicks says.
   
   The system had 3 , 575 locomotives and 697 trains active on this morning ; more than one locomotive pulls each train. There were 118 locomotives in repair shops. The different departments meet at 7 o'clock every morning to discuss issues that arose during the night and to see what's ahead for the coming day.
   
   MOVING AK'S STEEL AK does $140 million in annual business with the railroad and is its largest metals customer.
   ...
   I feel like I'm right in the heart of AK's operations , Parsons-Dicks says. We really are helping them coordinate their business..
   
   CSXT runs two hot , or highest-priority , trains every day of the year for AK. These trains cannot be delayed. The two trains travel empty or carry scrap from the Middletown , Ohio , plant to the Ashland ( Ky. ) Works and carry slabs from Ashland to Middletown. Another regular train AK depends on delivers iron ore from Toledo , Ohio , to Ashland.
   ...
   This was a difficult route to manage while CSXT was integrating the Conrail system into its own , Parsons-Dicks says. AK depends on me to give them a good ETA [ estimated time of arrival ] so they can get their crews in place to unload , she says.
   
   AK realizes delays will occur , but I better let them know when something goes wrong , Parsons-Dicks says. CSX Operations Center employees call her at in the middle of the night if a problem arises.
   
   OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS The largest room in the Network Operations Center is the Dispatch Center , where 60 dispatchers are working at any one time. Dispatchers also are in Chicago and Indianapolis. These people manage the movement of trains in the CSXT system to ensure a fluid network without congestion. They line up crews and locomotives and monitor traffic between terminals on computer screens.
   
   ...
   It's a lot of confusion , but if everybody does what they're supposed to do , it goes smoothly , Parsons-Dicks says.
   
   CSX : on land and sea
   
   CSX Transportation is the railroad division of CSX Corp. , of Richmond , Va. CSXT accounted for 74 percent of the parent company's $8.2 billion in revenue in 2000. It operates 23 , 000 miles of track and has 3 , 500 locomotives and 98 , 000 freight cars. Other CSX Corp. divisions include :.

2. 2. 6-2001

   www.newsteel.com/articles/2001 - [Cached]

   Published on: 6/7/2002   Last Visited: 6/7/2002

   In CSX Transportation's Network Operations Center in Jacksonville, Fla., left to right: Tami Parsons-Dicks, director of merchandise operations for AK Steel's business with the railroad; Daniel DeBoer, the chief train dispatcher; and Gwen Gamble, assistant manager of passenger operations.
   ...
   "They're the top guns," says Tami Parsons-Dicks, CSXT's director of merchandise operations for AK Steel's business with the railroad. "There's a lot of pressure in here."
   
   The monitors direct the locomotives to particular trains and tell them where to go for repairs and fuel. CSXT implemented a two-percent fuel surcharge in Sept. 2000. The company spent $250 million more for diesel fuel in 2000 than in the previous year and consumed more than 600 million gallons.
   
   ...
   "If that number is in the low 80s, we know we're in trouble," Parsons-Dicks says.
   
   The system had 3,575 locomotives and 697 trains active on this morning; more than one locomotive pulls each train. There were 118 locomotives in repair shops. The different departments meet at 7 o'clock every morning to discuss issues that arose during the night and to see what's ahead for the coming day.
   
   MOVING AK'S STEEL AK does $140 million in annual business with the railroad and is its largest metals customer.
   ...
   "I feel like I'm right in the heart of AK's operations," Parsons-Dicks says. "We really are helping them coordinate their business."
   
   CSXT runs two "hot," or highest-priority, trains every day of the year for AK. These trains cannot be delayed. The two trains travel empty or carry scrap from the Middletown, Ohio, plant to the Ashland (Ky.) Works and carry slabs from Ashland to Middletown. Another regular train AK depends on delivers iron ore from Toledo, Ohio, to Ashland.
   ...
   This was a difficult route to manage while CSXT was integrating the Conrail system into its own, Parsons-Dicks says. AK "depends on me to give them a good ETA [estimated time of arrival] so they can get their crews in place to unload," she says.
   
   AK realizes delays will occur, "but I better let them know when something goes wrong," Parsons-Dicks says. CSX Operations Center employees call her at home in the middle of the night if a problem arises.
   
   OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS The largest room in the Network Operations Center is the Dispatch Center, where 60 dispatchers are working at any one time. Dispatchers also are in Chicago and Indianapolis. These people manage the movement of trains in the CSXT system to ensure a fluid network without congestion. They line up crews and locomotives and monitor traffic between terminals on computer screens.
   
   ...
   "It's a lot of confusion, but if everybody does what they're supposed to do, it goes smoothly," Parsons-Dicks says.
   
   CSX: on land and sea
   
   CSX Transportation is the railroad division of CSX Corp., of Richmond, Va. CSXT accounted for 74 percent of the parent company's $8.2 billion in revenue in 2000. It operates 23,000 miles of track and has 3,500 locomotives and 98,000 freight cars. Other CSX Corp. divisions include: