Engineer? Fireman?

As Roadster noted, according to the rules the engineer is not supposed to copy forms while operating the engine. If you are going merrily down the track, your conductor is handy and he can copy, no problem.

If you are switching, there are three ways to handle it. If you feel you can safely copy the information AND if you feel there is no chance of anybody hiding in the weeds to catch you, you go ahead and copy, making sure that while you repeat it back you don't apply the brakes or something that would give you away. Another thing is to make a production out of it, call your conductor and tell him you're going to stop the move so you can copy a form. This may slow down your production but it has the benefit that any officials who may be monitoring the radio hear the whole thing and figure you are being a a good boy and complying with the rules. Or you can just tell the dispatcher you are switching and you'll have your conductor call in for a form when he gets back to the engine.

BoilerBob wrote:How long are railroad crews allowed to work? I seem to remember someone telling me 11 hours and 59 minutes. What happens if a crew is on the road and their time is almost up?

After working 12 hours, crewmembers are required to take a 12 hour rest period. 11 hours 59 minutes, being less than 12 hours, only requires an 8 hour rest, thereby allowing the employee to catch an earlier job off the extra list, while only losing 1 minute of pay.

On our road, the rule states that "an employee at the controls of a moving train may not copy written instructions...". It is usually the Engineer at "the controls of a moving train" but if the Conductor is at the head end of a shove, then he cannot copy as well since he is also "at the controls of a moving train". Let's face it, he is in more control up there than me. In instances like that, we stop or if there is nobody in the weeds with binoculars, we just do what we have to do.

Mandatory rest after 12 hours is 10 hours not 12.
if reporting 11:59 as on duty time you only need 8 hours rest.

Your rest starts when you arrive at your terminal, not when you arrive at your bed.

10. Yeah, that's what I meant to say...

Agreed - In the interest of wanting to get the work done so I can go home I'm perfectly happy with lining myself into another track, or cutting myself off light.

TxBritt

Firemen still exist, but our job now is mainly servicing the locomotives when they are in the shop (i.e. sand, fuel, cab cleaning) and moving them around the mechanical shop to the electricians' and machinists' stations and putting together the consists for the trains. We have no interaction with actual transportation employees (Engineers, Conductors). At least that is how it is for me.