UP (and SP before them) has a crew board of engineers and trainmen qualified for snow service. It's a bid job and requires some training, but these are the crews called for the flangers and rotaries, not just anyone. That ensures that experienced people are used. These things are operated by and/or under the close supervision of MoW officers aboard and usually one or two snow-experienced Operating officers, as well. Too, only certain shops and shopmen are assigned to maintain the equipment and keep it ready to go on short notice when snow season arrives.

Other roads and other locations have their own procedures, but they never use "just anybody," for all the reasons listed above and more. This is expensive, complicated equipment that can be severely damaged (and can do a lot of damage) in an instant if not properly handled, so no railroad is going to send a bunch of goobers out with it to learn as they go.