Western Railroad Discussion > FRA'S Unwise Thinking

FRA admin. Amt Bose in case where railroad wish to operate with two crews members  That the railroad perform a rigerous, through and transparent risk assignment and hazzard analysis and FRA will provide opportinity  for the public coments.on these submissions....What can the railroads come up with idea's of one man crew visa two men crews except to save money for the railroads..
The short lines need two men in each cab.  service means spot cars which means throughing switches and,pulling coulpers,guiding ther engineer through the switches and joints.... the belt pak means one man running the power and do the same work as a conductor would be which means taking time to do the task. How many management have worked a belt pak, most all have not....One man crews on short lines mean that they face all the hazzards of local switching..  Saving money is the key word for one man crews only, it still mean poor service and slow service and all work takes time and doing it right....What happens a broken angle, twist keene or serious fall that will happens, one any cases, the operators will be blames for the accident.

You need to read the proposed rule...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

            Well, I could only hope I never break my 'keene' .

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
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>             Well, I could only hope I never
> break my 'keene' .

Or a broken "angle."

Guys , Spellcheck run amok!
Give the guy a break....he's talking from actually doing it.
George Andrassy

The new rule makes allowance for both single and two man operations and doesn't rule out single man
where it's safe and effective. I keep saying it and people don't seem to get the point, the trains that the
Class 1s are running barely make it over the road without problems. Put no one in the cab, the train still
isn't going to make it, yes you might avoid a crew change but you still will need ground people to
handle your mechanical issues. Is your single engineer or remote control going to do a proper tie down
per the rules? The engineer can't leave the cab and he's going to set 11 handbrakes plus the power
or whatever else is required or is that going to be your ground people. Your ground people who are
replacing a second crew person at the cost of a few less people but with the added expense of a
vehicle and equipment? The rails can't see beyond the end of their nose!

Out 

callum_out Wrote:
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>  The engineer can't leave the cab
> and he's going to set 11 handbrakes plus the
> power
> or whatever else is required or is that going to
> be your ground people.
>
> Out 

Can't leave the cab ?! Where did you hear THAT whopper !?

Uhhh. Where I work they were trying to fire engineer’s for getting off and throwing switches without securing the consist. Every engine. I haven’t left the cab in years.

Posted from iPhone

Wasn't tieing down the train at Lac Megantic what got solo crew member Harding in trouble?

Posted from Android

Plowhandle Wrote:
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> callum_out Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >  The engineer can't leave the cab
> > and he's going to set 11 handbrakes plus the
> > power
> > or whatever else is required or is that going
> to
> > be your ground people.
> >
> > Out 
>
> Can't leave the cab ?! Where did you hear THAT
> whopper !?

Heck on Big Orange you can't even change operating ends without tying at least one hand brake on the power.

Plowhandle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> callum_out Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >  The engineer can't leave the cab
> > and he's going to set 11 handbrakes plus the
> > power
> > or whatever else is required or is that going
> to
> > be your ground people.
> >
> > Out 
>
> Can't leave the cab ?! Where did you hear THAT
> whopper !?

I think he meant leave the cab to tie handbrakes on the train. Which last time I checked wasn't one of my responsibilities as a locomotive engineer at BNSF. And there are certain situations where the rules dictate the engineer has to stay in the cab. Say like when we have a utility crew member attached to assist us. If the utility gets an "in between" I have to stay put. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/22 12:15 by GN599.

Yes I meant to tie down handbrakes, thought that was clear.

Out