Why? Your question hardly merits a reply, but your understanding of railroad life needs to be raised up a notch: It was not a matter of "protecting" someone. Those were the days of the 16 hour law, meaning 16 hours on duty with eight hours off to drive to and from home, eat, shower, and hopefully sleep, then back on the job. If you haven't walked in those shoes, and it appears that you have not, you haven't got a clue. Hard-working, competent people were often sleep-deprived, as they still may be these days in railroad service, though hopefully not as much as back then.