Western Railroad Discussion > When is an engineer's license needed?

I know that the guy driving the BNSF stack train going by my window needs a Federal engineer's license.

I suspect that the guy down the street at the lumber yard that shifts a car or two around once a week with the trackmobile does not neet a license.

What about the operation of an elderly EMD switcher at an industrial plant such as a feed mill that shuffles grain cars around a siding or two on mill property? Does the requirement kick in as soon as a wheel touches rail outside a plant? When the motive power goes over a certain weight?

From what I have gathered, industrial switcher operators do not need a license, and they wouldn't be able to get "on the main" anyways.

I know that I will not be entirely correct on this and I hope that someone else fills in the blanks.

General railroad system operating under FRA will need a license.

Shortlines yes however there may be some exclusion to this need.

Mills and industrial within private property, license not needed.

Railroad maintenance facility or flagged out portions of track generally does not need a license.

interesting thread, couple of more questions?? 1) track inspectors with hyrail trucks 2)mow railroad employees with roadrailer trucks pulling ballast cars, and 3) mow non-railroad employees with railgrinders or ditchers ie (large pieces of equipment for use on rails only).

let the answers flow forth unto us dummies.

dave, out.

davebb71 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> interesting thread, couple of more questions?? 1)
> track inspectors with hyrail trucks 2)mow railroad
> employees with roadrailer trucks pulling ballast
> cars, and 3) mow non-railroad employees with
> railgrinders or ditchers ie (large pieces of
> equipment for use on rails only).
>
> let the answers flow forth unto us dummies.
>
> dave, out.

Operating this equipment, the operator fall under mow Roadway Worker Rules and are tested annually.

Interesting thread...What about tourist/passenger carrying RR's like Grand Canyon, C&TS, D&S, etc.?
Are their engineers required to be licensed?

Thanks.. f

Those are real railroads; surely they have to be licensed. But how about an operating railroad museum? Not a common carrier railroad but connects to the rail network, carries passengers, and I think some aspects of the operation are subject to FRA nowadays.

I think that the key word here is going to be "insular". When a plant operation is protected or "insular" from the general railroad system, they do not come under 49CFR Part 240 and can even operate across public grade crossings. Usually plant rules state that no operations take place while the railroad picks up or sets out. I have been told that insular operation can be as simple as putting in a derail, but no one other than the railroad itself may operate the derail. Just my $0.02 worth.

Dave

SMV1801leavingguad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think that the key word here is going to be
> "insular". When a plant operation is protected or
> "insular" from the general railroad system, they
> do not come under 49CFR Part 240 and can even
> operate across public grade crossings. Usually
> plant rules state that no operations take place
> while the railroad picks up or sets out. I have
> been told that insular operation can be as simple
> as putting in a derail, but no one other than the
> railroad itself may operate the derail. Just my
> $0.02 worth.
>
> Dave

BINGO!!!

Give that man a cigar...

SOB

basicly if it operates on general railway system of usa and looks like a train you need a licence.
anything behind a derail and restricted to 55 mph or less does not need anything.

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_05/49cfr240_05.html

Thanks gang!

I'll buy myself a lumber yard and a Trackmobile and go to town!

At the Museum I operate on we need an FRA license if we go across a public grade crossing even though we are on Museum track or go off Museum trackage onto the local railroad trackage. Most of our engineers are all licensed.

Similar to how you don't need to register a car (nor I believe need a driver's license) as long as you operate only on your private property.

I volunter on a tourist railroad and we need an enginers liscence.
JC

Anyone operating under part 49CFR needs a license. What all that encompasses, I am not sure, but I believe it means air brakes and/or public crossings are involved.