Dr Zarkoff Wrote:
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> Real life intervenes: engineers and conductors are
> separate crafts represented by separate unions
> (there are a few notable exception to this, of
> which Amtrak is not one). This means that on RRs
> where engineers are represented by the BLE, it is
> quite free to agree to go E-only without any input
> from the trainmen (and has done so here and
> there). Because of how the UTU got the beltpack
> agreement and what it contains, the Big E could
> care less whether trainmen have a job or not
> (except of course for those properties where the
> BLE holds the trainmen's contract).

>Thanks for clarifying that I thought the engineers and conductors unions had merged a few years ago. So maybe you know the answer to this. If Caltrain or another commuter operator bought new DMU or EMU trains that had the BART train type of equipment that allowed car doors to be opened by an engineer would the FRA still require them to have conductors and assistant conductors aboard? Is there any formula...say conductor only for one or two cars and assist. conductor required if the train had a certain number of cars?