New equipment technology

That was a mouthful Workextra. But well stated. The LIRR is considering the future of its diesel fleet and one school of thought is go back to basics. The other school is more technology. Whatever the choice, computers and crew monitoring is here to stay and will only be enhanced with future procurements.

The next generation of equipment will download information to the Conductors cellphone and to the Bureau. Conductors will be able to monitor train speed, track codes, throttle positions and limited diagnostic information to be certain their train is being operated within the rules. Dispatchers together with Maintenance will also be able to monitor and diagnose real time, trouble codes and other functions. But they will also be able to make remote repairs.

Will the Conductor be able to take control of the train from the Engineer from his iPhone if he's not in compliance?

Pubilus, nice post. I recall an event years ago (within the last 10) where an engineer you described used a 1500 to bring out train 2716 to Montauk from Speonk. In a cowboy fashion (in today's terms), wyed the engine so it would bring 2711 back from Montauk to Jamaica. Unfortunately for him, the engine gave up around Bethpage if memory serves me right. Heleena was pissed over that. It shouldn't shock anyone that at the time they wanted this person taken OOS because he wasn't given permission to do so, even though 204 authorized the move. Thanks to R.K., it was squashed, but the engineer was reminded this wasn't the LIRR back in the 1990's. He now is hostling his way into retirement.

I created this thread for post moved from another thread concerning equipment tech.

Looooong Island 2716!!!!!!

Conductor take over? Nope. Only a qualified Engineer can operate a train. That's not only a LIRR Rule, its Federal Law. Best a Conductor can do is stop the train, by using the Conductors Valve. (Emergency Brake.) If the need arose. Such as the Amtrak wreck near Philadelphia a few months ago.
I wondered in that situation, why the Conductor was not held equally responsible, approaching a 55 MPH curve, at 110. Why he did not dump that train, having to be qualified on the Characteristics. Turns out he was in the Mens room and was very seriously Injured. Still waiting to see what the cause of that wreck was. Things have gotten very quiet...

Conductor take over? Nope. Only a qualified Engineer can operate a train. That's not only a LIRR Rule, its Federal Law. Best a Conductor can do is stop the train, by using the Conductors Valve. (Emergency Brake.) If the need arose. Such as the Amtrak wreck near Philadelphia a few months ago.
I wondered in that situation, why the Conductor was not held equally responsible, approaching a 55 MPH curve, at 110. Why he did not dump that train, having to be qualified on the Characteristics. Turns out he was in the Mens room and was very seriously Injured. Still waiting to see what the cause of that wreck was. Things have gotten very quiet...

Who mentioned that a conductor will take over the train or operate it? If he saw that the engineer was speeding, he would remind the engineer of the speed limit or stop the train. This is because of the Philly accident. The conductor, if sitting on the bowl was notified on his phone that the engineer was speeding, he could take action.

I had responded to a post that was taken down. Someone mentioned the possibility of the Conductor taking control via cell phone. I had responded to that.
Has nothing to do with the Philly accident, just used that as a recent example. There have been several examples over the last few years. The Problem is situational awareness. The Conductors and other qualified crew members have to get their heads in the game. I can assure you if I was the Conductor on that Philly train, or one of the other recent examples, those trains would have been stopped before they reached the reduced speed curves. An experienced Conductor can tell when a train is speeding. This is not an attack on either craft. Things happen. People Get sick, get distracted, etc. In My experience, we all worked together.

Well eng 277, now I understand why you wrote what you did. Thank you for clarifying that. With that said, I see no reason why a conductor with speed and locomotive trouble codes on his I-phone. He should be able to monitor his locomotive and the speed of his train.

Engine 277 wrote: I wondered in that situation, why the Conductor was not held equally responsible, approaching a 55 MPH curve, at 110. Why he did not dump that train, having to be qualified on the Characteristics. Turns out he was in the Mens room and was very seriously Injured. Still waiting to see what the cause of that wreck was. Things have gotten very quiet...

Its an unfortunate testament to the low quality training provided to conductors today, especially at Amtrak. The title of conductor may now be changed to 'On-board customer service rep'. But even then, thats pushing it. Every conductor is hired as an assitant conductor and after a year of collecting tickets and staring out the window, they automatically become conductors. Its social promotion for the railroad. Some[the majority]of these people have no business punching holes in donuts, let alone working under the title of "Train Conductor". When management pressures the operating rules department to push new conductors out, you get this low grade version of conductor. Unfortunately it seems the best ones stick to the yard to avoid customer issues and wearing a uniform.

Im not sure of the metro north incident, but i do kow that on board train 188 , 2 of 3 conductors were qualified on the physical characteristics.(Stations, switches, signal locations, special instructions, and speeds). Why that train even got to that speed i have no idea. There was no reason for that train to go off the rails. There have been instances where conductors have dumped the train(realizing they were going to fast), and went home without ending up on the news and embarassing the rest of the department let alone the company and industry. At the end of the day i believe Amtrak carries the most blame in the 188 scandal.

On the LIRR we view the conductor position as the most important and responsible on the train especially when PTC arrives. Because of this we are in the future, creating a training program similar to engineers. I can't speak for Amtrak, but it would be advisable for them to reconsider how they qualify train service.

PTC is going to change many things on the train. The engineers will diminish in importance because the human element essential to safety will be taken over by transponders, track circuits and satellites. Its technology. But we need more than ever people on the train to service the customers and troubleshoot problems so our reliance on uniformed personnel will increase.

BlendedBrake and 277, please realize you are responding to a thread where the majority of posts are false and are created for entertainment purposes.

Quite a few Engineers have inquired about promotions to Conductors. The writing is on the wall.

Exactly my point.

I notice quite a few Conductors aiming for the Car repairmen program with one in the last class . I guess that writing is on the wall also.