So jamming cell phones on the train is a good idea? What about an emergency situation where the radio communication fails. (Or more likely the dispatcher is out on a smoke break.) I've been in emergency situations where the person on the other end of the radio went up the chain of command before calling 911. I carry a cell phone at work--turned of--at the ready in case of serious injury or hazmat spill. I'll make the call to 911 myself and will eliminate the middleman. I've seen too much delay and misinformation when using one or more go-betweens.

Also the rules allow the use of cell phones (to contact the dispatcher for a track warrant for example) when radio communication fails. How would this work with a jammer in place? Stop the train and walk out in a field to clear your warrant?

Forty five minutes to call 911 after a major hazmat spill in a city that later warranted evacuations in not acceptable. I should have called 911 myself.

I agree there is (was) way too much idle cell phone use by engineers operationg locomotives but let's not over react. Hire good people, train them well, enforce the rules and you'll have a safe railroad.