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Re: Barbara Boxer P.O.'ed At Metrolink
Author: Coalfired
Date: 09-26-2009 - 18:43
Ken Shattock (aka 'KRK') Wrote:
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> Gee, Dilbert--
> What does Amtrak's stupid two-person study say for
> a STEAM locomotive engineer and fireman for the
> last 150 years ?? Huh?? Do you think that those
> two dudes ever talked to each other about BS
> topics or paid more attention to what they were
> doing ??
>
> Tell you what, if Barbara Boxer had her way and
> got Congress to make her ideas a National thing,
> as far as safety is concerned, you just might see
> the end of STEAM excursions forever.
>
> And for another thing, when the current STEAM
> excursions are operated, you have WAY TOO MANY
> people in the Cab, in MOST cases, hanging on to
> ladders and stancions and whatever.
> Any of you guys have seen this, both in person and
> on videos... Can't any of this be ruled a
> "DISTRACTION" to the operating crew ??
>
> KRK
Well, having spent a pretty fair amount of time as operating crew aboard mainline "big steam" I can say with authority that there is little if any BS going on. For one thing, it is way too noisy in the cab for conversation across the cab. For another everyone is way too busy to bother with anything not related to the task at hand.
I agree there can be a lot of people in the cab, but they are necessary. Engineer, Fireman, Pilot. Sometimes a second fireman.
All these people are there for a good reason. They stick to their jobs and they're all watching the road ahead. Also remember that with a steam locomotive, you must have a crew looking ahead on each side of the cab because you can't see the other side past that big black snoot out front.
When running, it is all business.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gee, Dilbert--
> What does Amtrak's stupid two-person study say for
> a STEAM locomotive engineer and fireman for the
> last 150 years ?? Huh?? Do you think that those
> two dudes ever talked to each other about BS
> topics or paid more attention to what they were
> doing ??
>
> Tell you what, if Barbara Boxer had her way and
> got Congress to make her ideas a National thing,
> as far as safety is concerned, you just might see
> the end of STEAM excursions forever.
>
> And for another thing, when the current STEAM
> excursions are operated, you have WAY TOO MANY
> people in the Cab, in MOST cases, hanging on to
> ladders and stancions and whatever.
> Any of you guys have seen this, both in person and
> on videos... Can't any of this be ruled a
> "DISTRACTION" to the operating crew ??
>
> KRK
Well, having spent a pretty fair amount of time as operating crew aboard mainline "big steam" I can say with authority that there is little if any BS going on. For one thing, it is way too noisy in the cab for conversation across the cab. For another everyone is way too busy to bother with anything not related to the task at hand.
I agree there can be a lot of people in the cab, but they are necessary. Engineer, Fireman, Pilot. Sometimes a second fireman.
All these people are there for a good reason. They stick to their jobs and they're all watching the road ahead. Also remember that with a steam locomotive, you must have a crew looking ahead on each side of the cab because you can't see the other side past that big black snoot out front.
When running, it is all business.
