> Idiot. Amtrak and commuter runs can only average 6 hours OD maximum to maintain single-man head-end crews.

Don't know about commuter runs, but the Atk engineer's agreement says "6 hours from scheduled departure (point) to schedules arrival (point)", not time on duty, which can be longer, sometimes by quiet a bit. If the train is delayed enroute so it arrives after the expiration of the 6 hour window, there is a formula that so many late arrivals in a given period of time mandate the addition of a second engineer until the arrival rate per time period falls below what is specified by the union contract.