On the RYPN forum, someone mentioned that Hunter Harrison did away with the "Three Step Protection" rule at CSX. After the Lac-Mégantic disaster, cutting safety seems like the last thing a CEO would do. I find it unbelievable.

Quote:

Paul on Rypn.org

On CSX, and I can only comment about their rule from personal experience, Three Step Protection is:

1) Throttle off, reverse lever centered, which prevents throttle from being moved from off.

2) Full independent (locomotive) brake applied; automatic (train) brakes applied as needed.

3) Generator Field switch opened (off). (Prevents power from being sent to traction motors.)

Now, I've talked to friends from other railroads, one in supervision, who will tell you that Three Step Protection is nonsense, and does nothing to improve safety, but I think it is at least a prompt to be more aware, especially at 3 am in the middle of a 12 hour switching job. I certainly felt a greater sense of safety going between cars as a conductor knowing my engineer had done those things, and as an engineer I felt reassured that I was doing everything I could to ensure the safety of anyone working between cars.