One of the most important parts of working on a pool assignment is properly "registering your miles". On the RT33 pool, and the RT11 when returning from Eugene, the actual miles ran is 198. However, the "registered miles" of your trip often will be much more.
When tying up in the computer, you are given a field to fill out titled "REG MI". This number will NEVER be less than 198. Registered miles refers to the equivalent mileage of the money you are paid and for any extra work you performed above and beyond the 198 mile basic trip to or from Eugene. These mileage numbers are totaled up each month, then divided by the number of turns working on the pool. As long as the total equals between 3800 and 4200 miles per month, the turns are not cut, per the hub agreement.
Since the agreement allows a range instead of a specific number to always be exceeded, the Local Chairman usually regulates the number of turns so the average miles per turn is as close to 3800 per month as possible. This results in the most amount of turns allowed thereby giving us the most jobs. The Carrier, of course, will try to regulate the number of turns toward the 4200 mile end of the range, thereby reducing the number of turns (READ= JOBS!) and reducing their labor costs.
You have no doubt seen the postings on the walls all around the computers at the yard offices with the graph listing mileage equated to time, with two ranges listed; one for "HAHT straight time" and one for "OT tow in". These numbers reflect what you should be adding to your basic 198 miles when you get tow in, get heldaway pay, or when you perform extra work while on the pool.
Some examples for you:
You die at Oakridge. Your taxi finally shows up an hour later. You get tied up after being on duty a total of 14 hours. Your registered miles will be 198 for the trip PLUS AN EXTRA TWO HOURS WORTH OF MILES FOR THE TOW IN. Look at the chart by the computer when tying up. The chart which is titled "OT tow in" says 14 hours on duty equals 276 miles. THIS IS THE NUMBER YOU WILL ENTER INTO THE REG MI FIELD ON YOUR TIE UP SCREEN. By doing so, you now have properly registered your miles for this leg of the trip.
You finally get called to deadhead home two days later. You ended up getting 11 hours of heldaway. When you tie up, you see the "HAHT straight time" chart says 11 hours of heldaway eqauls 179 miles. THIS IS ADDED TO THE 198 MILES YOU JUST RAN BY DEADHEADING HOME. So your total registered miles for the trip will be 198 PLUS 179 EQUALING 377 MILES. Now you can see how properly registering miles can easily equal more jobs on our pool than if you just enter 198 each time.
One more example. You go on duty and have to go out to Worden to get the train cause it didn't make it to the yard. You then go all the way to Cascade Summit and get put in the siding. The dispatcher tells you to tie your train down, and go light power to Fields and help the MEURV up the hill because they weigh fifty billion tons or some such silliness. You drag them up the hill to Cascade Summit then get back on your train. You make it to Oakridge and die. You get into Eugene and finally tie up after 14 hours on duty. Can you see all the miles you will be getting? First, you get 65 miles due to your "25 mile zone" claim for going out to Worden to get the train. This is due to the 25 mile zone claim being a four hour basic day (130 basic day divided in half equals 65). Next you get 36 miles extra for rescuing the MEURV. This is figured by adding the extra miles you traveled (18 miles from Cascade Summit to Fields, then 18 more to return to the Summit). Finally, you get the extra miles for the tow in of two hours equaling 78 miles. All this IN ADDITION TO the 198 miles for the trip to Eugene. So in this case you ended up with 377 miles total.
So, please please please register your miles! If you need help, call one of your Local Chairpersons and ask for help, or send an EMAIL and ask!