Before I had to stop working, I had to do a color blindness test as part of my bi-annual physical for my Class A Commercial Drivers License. As standards for that are set by the DOT, I would assume the same criteria applied to locomotive engineers. I don't remember the name of the test, but it was book with a lot of shapes interspaced with color or gray. You had to move you finger along the design. The last time I renewed my medical card, as I walked into the exam room, there were four colored strips above the door. I was just asked to identify them and that was it.

As for commercial licences and diabetes, the rules have changed since I retired but I do know you are disqualified if you need to inject insulin. If pills will suffice, you can work but subject to testing every 90 days. Again, I would think the same would apply to engineers. The catch in all this is that they do not test for diabetes but rely on your statements. If you go to a different doctor, it would be easy to conceal. The only urine test we did was for drugs.

Now, fast forward. When the accident happened, I believed then and still do now, that it was a suicide. Sanchez had a troubled life and loved attention so he went out in a rather dramatic fashion, taking others with him.