 While half of the railroad unions still need to approve and ratify their tentative agreements with U.S. freight railroads, one of the larger issues that has come up during the negotiation process has been reexamining what kind of work schedule locomotive engineers and conductors should have. Train engineers and conductors traditionally have had a schedule that has been considered unpredictable and erratic because it depends on the railroads ever-changing operational needs as well as uncertainties with crew availability. 