Passenger Trains > Amtrak reaffirms: Cellphones prohibited for track authority

In a Rules Alert issued June 13, 2016, Amtrak has reaffirmed that the use of cellphones for track authority and other
mandatory communications is prohibited whenever radio communications are possible.

Had this prohibition been observed at Chester, PA on April 3, 2016, the deadly crash of Amtrak 89 into a backhoe
likely would not have occurred.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/16 15:34 by GenePoon.

---

So it took their Speedy Gonzales over two months from the disaster to wordsmith this.

"REAFFIRMS"  Sounds like to me it was in their operating rules and this bulletin is "reaffirming" such. I'm sure it was brought up immediately following this accident, but then that wouldn't be good canon fodder on here now would it Joe?

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> So it took their Speedy Gonzales over two months
> from the disaster to wordsmith this.

Read footnote #1.

SP4360 Wrote:
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> "REAFFIRMS"  Sounds like to me it was in their
> operating rules and this bulletin is "reaffirming"
> such.

correct 

>  I'm sure it was brought up immediately
> following this accident,

it was ... it was discussed by the NEW Amtrak Head of Safety (a non railroader former 13 year i believe law officer) and local mangers,supervisors and employees at 2 different STAND DOWN (work suspended for non operating personel for that day/night) meetings immediately after the incident ... this is just a formal reminder that is posted in the break rooms and wherever employees involved in such procedures can read the reminder ,,,

> joemvcnj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So it took their Speedy Gonzales over two
> months
> > from the disaster to wordsmith this.

>  but then that wouldn't be
> good canon fodder on here now would it Joe?
>

ya can't stop the sensationalists ... it's what they do ...  

The rule as to the prohibition of cellphone use unless radio communications are
impossible already existed previously in General Order 601, Special Instruction 716-S2
which was effective February 2, 2016.

The requirements for a briefing of all crew members prior to the use of the cellphone
so everyone knows it is being done, and another one after such use so that all members
know what has happened and how it affects them, are also part of General Order 601,
Special Instruction 716-S2.

However, the part of the Rules Alert beginning at "Under such circumstances" is NOT.

This includes the requirement that the dispatcher query the person in the field using the
cellphone as to WHY this is being done.  The dispatcher on April 3 didn't do this.

In Chester, the employee who allegedly used the cellphone to release authority, thus
resulting in people on the ground not knowing this had been done, was off the worksite,
having left prior to his going off duty,   So no crew briefing could be done, and the answer
to the nonexistent query by the dispatcher would either have been, "I left the worksite
early though still on company time," or a lie.

It was sloppy all around, and with aspects previously not covered by Amtrak.  Now there
are written instructions that would make noncompliance a formal rule violation. Like so
many others, these rules are written in blood.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/16 17:04 by GenePoon.

GenePoon Wrote:
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> The rule as to the prohibition of cellphone use
> unless radio communications are
> impossible already existed previously in General
> Order 601, Special Instruction 716-S2
> which was effective February 2, 2016.
>
> The requirements for a briefing of all crew
> members prior to the use of the cellphone
> so everyone knows it is being done, and another
> one after such use so that all members
> know what has happened and how it affects them,
> are also part of General Order 601,
> Special Instruction 716-S2.
>
> However, the part of the Rules Alert beginning at
> "Under such circumstances" is NOT.
>
> This includes the requirement that the dispatcher
> query the person in the field using the
> cellphone as to WHY this is being done.  The
> dispatcher on April 3 didn't do this.
>
> In Chester, the employee who allegedly used the
> cellphone to release authority, thus
> resulting in people on the ground not knowing this
> had been done, was off the worksite,
> having left prior to his going off duty,   So no
> crew briefing could be done, and the answer
> to the nonexistent query by the dispatcher would
> either have been, "I left the worksite
> early though still on company time," or a lie.
>
> It was sloppy all around, and with aspects
> previously not covered by Amtrak.  Now there
> are written instructions that would make
> noncompliance a formal rule violation. Like so
> many others, these rules are written in blood.
>
>  

after Chatsworth in 2008 in all my ANNUAL NORAC Rules classes IT WAS ALWAYS reaffirmed that ALL MOVEMENT AND TRAINORDER (track out service) COMMUNICATION TRANSMISSIONS between the Disp and Frm/Pilot be done via RADIO and NOT BY CELL PHONES !!! ... i'll say this ... when my buddy who was my regular frm took off, a lot times i was given a new (young in seniority) frm who was SCAREDD TO DEATH to get track and pilot track equipment ... some of these guys just got out of foreman school and NORAC ... one guy was actually shaking because he so scared and started stuttering ... being a frm myself for over 30 years i knew all of the dispatchers and i trusted them and they trusted me ... i would have to call the disp by phone and reaffirm the disp the guy he's going to communicate with that is my pilot/frm will sound shakey over the radio but i'll be there to make sure he don't do anything stupid and i'll be guiding him through the communication process ... i'll tell the frm to repeat what i say word for word back to the dispatcher and he'll be fine ... there were questions the disp have to ask frm and if the pilot was shakey the disp would be tentative him/herself ... good thing i was always on the lead peice when we moved ... this had to be done on MANY OCCASIONS ...

Reading the notice, I can't find the use of the words "cell phone" or "mobile telephone" at all. It just plainly states "telephone."  So, while this would prohibit using a cell phone, it also prohibits the use of conventional landline telephones as well. 

I like this rule.
When out on the road with someone else in charge of the Hy-Rail, the rest of us in the car only heard one side and it lacked redundancy to say the least.
With a conventional radio everyone hears both sides of the call.
As to being nervous, when I was facing the prospect of clearing a train through a Form Y order (what we now call Form B Bulletin) I had to practice out loud at home the night before.
It too many repititions to build up confidence, even when reading it from the script.
The lesson took, and served me well for decades.
Your nervous supervisor will be a better employee now I hope.

imrl Wrote:
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> Reading the notice, I can't find the use of the
> words "cell phone" or "mobile telephone" at all.
> It just plainly states "telephone."  So, while
> this would prohibit using a cell phone, it also
> prohibits the use of conventional landline
> telephones as well. 

Amtrak use to have an 800 number operator that would patch you through to any Amtrak inter company phone ... there were a few times i had to use a pay phone to a disp or tower opr when my battery went dead or something happened to the railroad radio ... now try to find a pay phone anywhere these days ... the phone boxes are there BUT NO PHOOOONE  !!!!

OOS, You're PM inbox is full.  Any chance of you clearing some room in there?

I like the part about having a job briefing with rest of crew before rolling up track... Wow. Never was a rule more violated than that! I hear that violated on the radio almost daily... Can't fix stupid!

And I see at the bottom they will enter into TESTS that you are in compliance after talking to the RFE. That assumes the RFE has a clue and follow-up.. Like I said, can't fix stupid!

RRTom Wrote:
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> OOS, You're PM inbox is full.  Any chance of you
> clearing some room in there?

ok i don't know why ... NO ONE EEEEEVR PM's MEEEEE 

try it now Tom ... really i don't why it's clogged ...i got a cpl PMs yesterday 

PC1974 Wrote: 
------------------------------------------------------- 
> I like the part about having a job briefing with 
> rest of crew before rolling up track... Wow. 
> Never was a rule more violated than that! I hear 
> that violated on the radio almost daily... Can't 
> fix stupid! 
> 
> And I see at the bottom they will enter into TESTS 
> that you are in compliance after talking to the 
> RFE. That assumes the RFE has a clue and 
> follow-up.. Like I said, can't fix stupid! 

there was an informal discussion when the relieving frm pulled up to the job with he and the dope frm sitting side by side in their trucks their vehicles about 50-75 ft from the machines which were clearly visibleout the windshields ... the releiving frm asked the dope frm what tracks he had fouls on ...the dope frm replied he had a foul on 1,3&4 tracks with 2 track out of service with the LORAM VAC-TRAIN on #2 track ... the relieving frm in that conversation said to the dope frm "when ya give up the foul to let him know so he can put the fouls in his name" with the NATURAL and VERY REASONABLE ASSUMPTION that the dope frm WOULD CLEAR the tracks before releasing the fouls on all tracks ... after a brief conversation between the dope frm and the relieving frm, the relieving frm walked up to the LORAM (walking by and briefly talking to Pete for about 30 seconds) hopped in the cab of the LORAM machine ... THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING WENT WRONG !!! with the dope frm just taking off from the work site without informing ANYBODY of his depature with the relieving frm and workers EXPECTING the dope frm TO CLEAR THE TRACKS and to hear a conversation between the dope frm and the disp releasing the fouls ...  as we all know THAT NEVER OCCURED ... the releiving frm was in the cab of the LORAM facing south sitting in the seat with his head down getting his paperwork ready for the foul transfer with the backhoe next to the VAC-TRAIN about 10 ft in front of him to his right fouling #3 track when he heard the the VIOLENT collision of the train hitting the backhoe but not witnessing the collision looking up in shock and horror to what just happened and immediately calling the disp asking if there was still a foul on #3 track to which the disp replied NO !!!... . ....  



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/16 09:58 by Out_Of_Service.