Weather and railroad operations

If an engineer can't mentally "see" his route or know his territory, then he probably doesn't need to be running on that territory.

And he's probably not really an "engineer" either.

uhaul wrote:I might have misunderstood your post 10more years.

Unless I am mistaken there will be times in an engineer's career when they are operating on track they have never been on before. Just have to be cautious as usual, but it does not mean they are not a good engineer.

NO engineer should be operating on a line that he/she has never been
over. Under these conditions the engineer would be entitled to another
engineer who is fully qualified over the line in question as a pilot. This is
required by rules, agreements and laws as well.
Noel Weaver

"...no locomotive engineer shall operate a locomotive over a territory unless he or she is qualified on the physical characteristics of the territory....." That's right from 49 CFR 240.231, the federal regulations for certification of locomotive engineers. I'm not trying to say it's never happened, I know it has, but that's what the rules say.

An engineer qualifying on new territory had to make 3 round trips, terminal to terminal without pay, at least on the BN and BNSF up to the time I retired (2000).

TB Diamond wrote:An engineer qualifying on new territory had to make 3 round trips, terminal to terminal without pay, at least on the BN and BNSF up to the time I retired (2000).

No pay, yipes. Everywhere I have worked they pay a basic day each way. Takes 4 round trips to Bend and 6 to Keddie with the final trip with a road foreman because of the 2.2 grade.

Aji-tater wrote:"...no locomotive engineer shall operate a locomotive over a territory unless he or she is qualified on the physical characteristics of the territory....." That's right from 49 CFR 240.231, the federal regulations for certification of locomotive engineers. I'm not trying to say it's never happened, I know it has, but that's what the rules say.

Unless of course you work for the UP in Vegas and CMS calls you and says you are a "fully qualified engineer." You are being called to work the Henderson/Arden/Valley local/yard jobs. Then you call your MTO/MRO and tell him you have never worked these jobs as a engineer and he says the same thing CMS says. Go figure.

slchub:

Sounds familiar. About two weeks after I was promoted to locomotive engineer (near Christmas) a call came to work the Highline Local Sterling-Holyoke, CO. Protested that I was not qualified on that segment (had never even seen it). The crew caller said to "Call the RFE". I did so only to be instructed: "The line is 25 mph and follow your timetable". End of conversation. Luckily, the head brakeman was an old head that got me over the line and through the night (yes, it was a night job). But one of many learning experiences that I had at the hands of BN.

Like I said, I know it happens, I've been there myself. Just another example of how you are to follow all the rules 100% of the time except when THEY want you to break them. And of course if something goes wrong, those who gave you the orders will disavow ever saying it.