Smoking policies

Anyone know when Conrail implemented a smoking ban? I'm particularly interested in locating the year a full ban went into effect (if a full ban did go into effect). Thanks!

There was a full ban on smoking in engine cabs on Conrail and I think it
was put in to effect sometime in 1996 but I am not certain of the year.
I might have a copy of the initial notice somewhere but it is not possible
for me to find it right now.
Noel Weaver

Thank you so much!! If you could find a copy of the policy it would be so helpful! Would you by any chance happen to know the years any other major railroads went smokefree?

Thanks again!

I had no idea any railroad banned cab smoking - I'm not a huge fan of smoking myself (unless I've had a few bevvys) but it strikes me as hard to enforce when a train is 200 miles out in the country waiting on a siding. Of course, if one person in the cab objects to smoking, it's a different story, but if nobody objects and the windows open, who is the wiser?

I'm not trying to make a for/against statement here, just curious about a hard-to-enforce rule.

Tadman wrote:I had no idea any railroad banned cab smoking - I'm not a huge fan of smoking myself (unless I've had a few bevvys) but it strikes me as hard to enforce when a train is 200 miles out in the country waiting on a siding. Of course, if one person in the cab objects to smoking, it's a different story, but if nobody objects and the windows open, who is the wiser?

I'm not trying to make a for/against statement here, just curious about a hard-to-enforce rule.

In through freight service the engines often went from one end of the
railroad to the other and tobacco smoke can be messy and dirty and stink
up the cab. It is a good rule and was long overdue in coming.
Noel Weaver

The ashes on the floor, and the butts too, can quickly add up. Throw a few mouthfulls of sunflower seeds into the mix, along with half empty water bottles, full of Skoal spit, and the cab quickly becomes a very unpleasant place, to spend the night. After moving your grips onto the seats, securing ALL of the in cab paperwork and putting your safety glasses back on, the cab doors being opened, at speed, quickly voids the cab of unwanted filth, garbage and those personal items you forgot to secure.......

Our cabooses have ashtrays built in to the cupola seats. I suppose other roads were the same.

Actually, banning smoking in the workplace is a growing trend, and is not confined to railroads. There are many counties, and now some states which have made such a ban a matter of law. I suspect that, if they haven't already done so, most railroads will ultimately feel that they have to have such a ban, since they will be running through jurisdictions where smoking in a work area ( which the cab of a locomotive is) has been banned by some level of government. I agree---- it will be very difficult to enforce such a ban as a train runs through a lcoation which is 200 miles from everywhere, but, this is the trend.

walt wrote:Actually, banning smoking in the workplace is a growing trend, and is not confined to railroads.

you mean there are still workplaces where smoking IS allowed??
wow..im seriously amazed..
I thought that was outlawed nationwide in the 1970's or something..
I have been working for 20 years now, and have never heard of any workplace where smoking is allowed..(although all my work experience has been in NY state)

in NY, smoking is allowed in NO public indoor place..
not restaurants.
not bars.
not any workplace.
not buses.
not trains.
absolutely nowhere that is a public indoor space.

you can only smoke in your own home, in your car, or outdoors..thats it!
and speaking as a former smoker, I think thats great!

Scot

scottychaos wrote:

walt wrote:Actually, banning smoking in the workplace is a growing trend, and is not confined to railroads.

you mean there are still workplaces where smoking IS allowed??
wow..im seriously amazed..
I thought that was outlawed nationwide in the 1970's or something..

Scot

There aren't many----Actually, it wasn't until the mid-late 1980's that we began to see smoking banned in virtually all workplaces ( I still am a smoker, and was able to smoke at my desk until sometime around 1985 or 86)-- at first there were "designated smoking areas" indoors, then later, smoking was banned anywhere indoors in workplaces, and now, at least in Howard County, MD, you can't smoke within 15 feet of a public entrance even outside.------ There will never be a "national or nationwide" ban on smoking, though, because regulation by law of smoking, among other things, is one of the powers which are reserved to the states. If there is ever a truly nationwide ban, it will have been the result of the actions of 50 separate state legislatures, and not the U.S. Congress.

My engine still smokes going around the track on my layout, do i have to ban that as well. Just joking. I am a smoker. Some of the laws I do not agree with. I believe there is no smoking at the New York State Fair this year as well. They have this Stupid Clean Outdoor Act which is BS. The air is not pure, and by stopping smoking cigars or cigerettes is not going to make a difference. Example, going to the NYS Fair, look at the factories around the area, Crucible, trash place out back, CSX Main line etc etc. This is only my opinion, but i tihink NY is going to far with banning smoking policy. But besdes I am getting off the subject here as well, so I will quit while I am ahead

izzy1975 wrote:My engine still smokes going around the track on my layout, do i have to ban that as well. Just joking. I am a smoker. Some of the laws I do not agree with. I believe there is no smoking at the New York State Fair this year as well. They have this Stupid Clean Outdoor Act which is BS. The air is not pure, and by stopping smoking cigars or cigerettes is not going to make a difference. Example, going to the NYS Fair, look at the factories around the area, Crucible, trash place out back, CSX Main line etc etc. This is only my opinion, but i tihink NY is going to far with banning smoking policy. But besdes I am getting off the subject here as well, so I will quit while I am ahead

The issue here is SECOND HAND SMOKE. I was a stickler for that, once
the railroad left it up to the crew member who did not smoke I made it
known to all the train personnel that I did not smoke and there would be
no smoking on the engine. Conrail did us all a big favor when they
changed the rule to allow no more smoking in offices, buildings, vehicles
and engine cabs.
You haven't lived until you have spent a long cold winter night on a freight
train across New York State with a conductor on the other side who chain
smokes one after another, you stink, your clothes stink and the cab floor
becomes a real mess.
Noel Weaver

Noel - I understand where you are coming rom and it wasnt or isnt fair to anyone who has to deal with it. My point that I was trying to make is that NYS or any other state is saying that second hand smoke is the number one killer and I dont belive it is. DOES IT KILL? YES! But its not the only thing that does and I dont believe its the number one thing that does either. I have never been in the cab of a locomotive, but from what I see it is small and confined. People should have respect for others. I do. If someone is in my vehicle that doesnt smoke, I wont smoke. But if I am traveling down the road, I dont think NYS or anyone else has the right to say I cant smoke. Its my car. But yes indeed you or someone else shouldnt have to deal with second hand smoke, but like I said before that isnt the only thing out there that kills. Have a great day!

scottychaos wrote:

walt wrote:Actually, banning smoking in the workplace is a growing trend, and is not confined to railroads.

you mean there are still workplaces where smoking IS allowed??
wow..im seriously amazed..
I thought that was outlawed nationwide in the 1970's or something..
I have been working for 20 years now, and have never heard of any workplace where smoking is allowed..(although all my work experience has been in NY state)

in NY, smoking is allowed in NO public indoor place..
not restaurants.
not bars.
not any workplace.
not buses.
not trains.
absolutely nowhere that is a public indoor space.

you can only smoke in your own home, in your car, or outdoors..thats it!
and speaking as a former smoker, I think thats great!

Scot

I'm not sure of this but I think smokers were also told that they had to stand 10 feet or more away from an open window in New York as well? if standing out side of the listed locations above.

I have also been to a few citys around the world where it is 100% Illegal to smoke out doors in public with out being fined, arrested, or both.

You can only smoke a minimum distance of about 200 feet away from a hospital entrance and no place where there is a roof. This leads to kids making a hole in the bus stop roof.