During my experience as a student conductor and student engineer at BNSF, I can attest to the fact that training at both levels is designed to make the student successful and not intended to wash people out. Craft instructors are one of the strengths of both programs. Railroaders work in a potentially deadly environment every day; sometimes as a last resort the message to students may be somewhat harsh, but it's commensurate to the environment we work in. The foamer thing is irrelevant in terms of how the employee is perceived and treated. The standard is how you perform; both individually and how you work within the team of fellow crew members. I was, and remain appreciative of co-workers who provide feedback, even when the message was delivered harshly. It's about staying out of trouble and staying safe.