DutchRailnut wrote:
An engineer can only work for 12 hours max or if a 4 hour rest is included a total of 16 hours.
To expand on Dutch's Hours Of Service answer...
Actually, T&E's (Train & Engine crews)
combined total time on duty must not exceed 12 hours if you do not have 8 hours or more off before starting a new shift.
Examples:
6 hours ON duty, 8 hours OFF duty, and you can work a full legal 12 hours your next shift.
11'45" ON, 9'05" OFF, and you can work a full 12 hours your next shift.
6 ON, 4 OFF, 6 ON = 12 hours ON duty, over an elapsed time of 16 hours.
4 ON, 5'30" OFF, 8 ON = 12 hours ON duty, over an elapsed time of 17 hours 30 minutes.
3'15" ON, 7'59" OFF, 8'45" ON = 12 hours ON duty, over an elapsed time of 19 hours 59 minutes.
Deadheading (being driven somewhere AFTER working on a train) and LImbo (waiting somewhere for a ride and not responsible for a train) times DO NOT COUNT towards the 12 hour ON duty limit.
Examples:
11'45" ON, 3'10" LIMBO, 4'20" DEADHEAD = only 11'45" ON, the 7'30" additional time doesn't count toward the 12 hour limit; elapsed time of 19'15".
3'30" ON, 6'30" OFF, 8'30" ON, 2'15" LIMBO, 4'30" DEADHEAD = 12 hours ON, elapsed time of 25'15".
There are many additional Hours Of Service scenarios that are possible as well as additional off duty requirements, and will get very tedious and boring if I attempted to explain them all here. The above examples are meant to give readers a general idea how the Hours Of Service applies to T&E crews. In addition, other railroad employees are subject to the Hours Of Service Act, and they have their own set of rules regarding time on duty that I am not completely familiar with.
P.S. The examples I used above are ACTUAL situations I've experienced; not a work of fiction.