Back in 88...WOW that sounds old... I had borrowed out to Amtrak as an Engineer. Stopped in Milwaukee on#8 for 7 minutes the left cab door opened and agrip and a kid came flying in. The kid put a piece of paper in my face and said he was the Engineer trainee and he'd take her to Chicago. I immediately told him to sit in the Firemans sit and observe maybe not in those exact words but you get my drift. As we proceeded onto Chicago I learned a little more about my very excited trainee. He started as a coach cleaner for Amtrak 6 months later an Asst Conductor and 6 months later into the Engineer programand if all went well 6 months later he would be an Engineer. That ment in 6 months he would be operating Amtrak passenger trains mostly by himself as alot of train assignments do not have anybody in the cab but the Hogger.

This little incident brought back memories of my promotion to Hogger with guys that had 25 years as Firemen and me with 4 years. Most of these guys including some RR Officers couldn't see how you could promote so soon meaning 4 years and 50,000 miles where most of the guys had 20-25 yrs. So much for experience! Thats what they thought and thats what I thought years later when that kid thru that grip into the cab.

All in all as years go by working as ENGR RF SLE TM and SUPER for various companies it all boils down into the training and hands on operation. Its cramed into a short time but if all goes well everyone survives with a few failures and quitters. There is very little on the job training anymore as the RRs have more trains to run and less bodies to do it.

The situation that train 371 was in the other day requires strict rule compliance and experience which the new hogger did not do or have. Putting aguy thru a simulator will not help in asituation like the one in Chicago.

OH...I understand that the excited kid with the grip made it successfully and is running for Amtrak somewhere in California.