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Re: Conductor's training
Author: Dr Zarkoff
Date: 01-25-2011 - 11:31
>They actually had to describe the exceptions for securing equipment to allow for hump yards and kicking cars.
That's the problems with statutes, regulations, and rules. No matter how much care and detailwork goes into them, at best they can be only an approximated common denomenator set of instructions for the majority of situations, just not all of them.
>And in another one they disallowed a railroad practice allowing a train to follow at restricted speed because the crew might not follow the rule?
Never heard of this one -- perhaps the RR in question was having problems. Where and when did it happen?
How long does it train take to train a switchman/brakeman, let alone promote one to engine foreman and/or conductor? Well, let me put it to you this way: one night when we were getting the engine off the fueling track (this was in the mid 1980s), the pin puller raised his lantern, paused, and said to himself "back-up" and put his hand over his face for a few seconds to meditate. Then he got an inspiration, took his hand down, and swung his lantern in a circle. Off we went (backwards of course). Later on I asked the others on the crew how long the guy had been around. They said "about 20 years". "You've got to be kidding." "Nope, that's why he's known as Cement Head." That night we were going to be switching out loaded propane cars, lube oil cars, and all other kinds of nasty stuff and spot the refinery. So, how long does it take?
That's the problems with statutes, regulations, and rules. No matter how much care and detailwork goes into them, at best they can be only an approximated common denomenator set of instructions for the majority of situations, just not all of them.
>And in another one they disallowed a railroad practice allowing a train to follow at restricted speed because the crew might not follow the rule?
Never heard of this one -- perhaps the RR in question was having problems. Where and when did it happen?
How long does it train take to train a switchman/brakeman, let alone promote one to engine foreman and/or conductor? Well, let me put it to you this way: one night when we were getting the engine off the fueling track (this was in the mid 1980s), the pin puller raised his lantern, paused, and said to himself "back-up" and put his hand over his face for a few seconds to meditate. Then he got an inspiration, took his hand down, and swung his lantern in a circle. Off we went (backwards of course). Later on I asked the others on the crew how long the guy had been around. They said "about 20 years". "You've got to be kidding." "Nope, that's why he's known as Cement Head." That night we were going to be switching out loaded propane cars, lube oil cars, and all other kinds of nasty stuff and spot the refinery. So, how long does it take?
