The Dangers of Hopping Freight Trains

Question:  What do the workers and crew think of [people who hitch rides on freight trains]?  I’ve run into a lot who like us, a lot who are indifferent as long as we aren't messing around on their trains and a lot who really don't like us.

Answer:  While I suspect there are many people in the rail industry who admire—perhaps even envy—your free-spirited sense of adventure, the only thing that truly matters is how the railroad views the situation and how they expect their employees to respond.

All freight train equipment, infrastructure such as signals and bridges, and railroad tracks, including the property within at least 30 feet of tracks, is private railroad property.  Anyone who is not a railroad employee on that property is trespassing and subject to detention, arrest, and prosecution for criminal trespass.  If your trespassing results in financial losses to the railroad, you could also be subject to a civil claim for loss and damages.  You could pay hefty fines, do jail time, and end up with a criminal record. 

I’m not naïve enough to believe the aforementioned consequences will necessarily dissuade you from your adventures.  Just make sure you understand and acknowledge the possible ramifications of your actions and make your decisions accordingly.

If you do still plan to pursue riding the rails, I offer a few additional thoughts to keep in mind.

You’re not the only one out there.  You found that open boxcar door.  So may someone else.  Sure, you may run across your share of friendly “Boxcar Willies” who will entertain you with their guitars and regale you with tales of their journeys.  But you may also cross paths with someone who wouldn’t think twice about assaulting you, robbing you, raping you, beating you, stabbing or shooting you, and throwing your dead body off the train.  Not everyone who looks scary is.  Not everyone who doesn’t isn’t.  Some of the worst people humanity has to offer are lurking along the nation’s railroads and in the nation’s railcars.  If you choose to play the game, you must accept that you may eventually draw a “game over” card from the deck.

Your body is to a train what a ripe cherry tomato is to a bulldozer.  Every year, a dozen well-trained railroaders who know what they are doing get killed by trains.  You need to be eyes wide open about the myriad ways rail equipment can maim or kill you in an instant.  The railroad is extremely unforgiving of stupidity, ignorance, inattention, or complacence. 

If you are walking on the ground near railroad tracks, never ever walk between the rails or on the cross ties.  Don’t walk between two sets of parallel tracks.  Don’t ever walk across a train bridge.  Don’t ever walk through a train tunnel.  Stay a good 10-15 feet away from the tracks.  Never wear headphones and make sure you can hear what is going on around you.  Never make assumptions about which directions trains may be travelling on tracks.  A train can come from any direction, on any track, at any time.  Trains go both ways on both tracks on twin-track mainlines.  Stay off the tracks.

Never, ever, get on or off a moving train—no matter how slowly it may be moving.  If you stumble and fall under a wheel, you’re done.  Never, ever, cross over a stationary train by going under it.  That’s just stupidly dangerous.  You should never cross over a train, period, because you don’t know when it is going to move.  If it moves when you are at a precarious point, you can fall onto the rails and die.  If you insist on crossing over (or through) a standing train, do so at a railcar that offers good hand holds and footholds.  Hopper cars are probably best, and most boxcars offer good grab irons and foot surfaces.  Never cross through between autorack cars.  If you insist on crossing through, and you’ve found a good car, maintain three points of contact at all times, moving only one arm or one leg at a time.  Never ever touch or step on the coupler or draft gear.  Don’t grab the hand brake wheel.  Again, I encourage you to never cross through a standing train.  Walk around it (leaving 25 feet of clearance between you and standing equipment on the rails).

If you are going to ride a railcar, be smart about which car you select and where it is located with respect to objective hazards.  Don’t pick a boxcar next to a tank car hauling hazardous chemicals (you should acquaint yourself with the diamond-shaped HAZMAT placards posted on railcars).  Don’t get in a railcar anywhere near lading that may shift in transit.  If you’ve ridden, you know how violently the train can jerk when the slack runs in or pulls out.

Don’t ever hang on or ride on the exterior of a railcar.  And for God’s sake, don’t ever be between cars on a moving train.

In summary, I truly hope you will reconsider the risks and rewards of riding on freight trains.  You need to expect that rail employees will not welcome your presence.  If they are doing their jobs, they will report you to railroad police or other law enforcement officers.  You are breaking the law and you may face serious legal repercussions.  You need to expect that you will eventually find yourself in very grave danger from another individual or group of individuals you encounter along the rails.   You can be beaten, raped, robbed, and murdered.  You need to understand that thousands of tons of moving steel have no conscience and no mercy.  You can die a horrible death in an instant because you took a stupid risk, took a shortcut, let your mind wander for a few seconds.

I appreciate your question.  Please stay safe out there.       

Timeline for Positive Train Control?

Question:  Positive Train Control has to be implemented by 2014?

Answer:   No.  The current mandate is for PTC to be in place by the end of 2015; however, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently recommended that Congress push that date back because full implementation by that date is not feasible.

For the uninitiated, Positive Train Control (PTC) is an integrated network of sensors and communications (mounted trackside and in locomotives and perhaps also rolling stock) that will all but eliminate train vs. train collisions.  If implemented properly, PTC will result in significantly improved safety as well as increased capacity (through more precise and accurate train spacing and control).

No doubt, the rail industry and the federal government are spending a lot (billions of dollars) of money to develop, test and implement PTC technology.  Developing and maturing the most effective technology, then deploying it across the nation’s rail network is going to cost tens of billions of dollars and take over a decade.  This is not an elephant the railroads can eat all at once or in a hurry. 

Several smaller scale pilot systems are currently in place and being tested.  I believe we’ll see PTC implemented in an incremental fashion between 2015 and 2025.  It may be 2030 by the time PTC is completely implemented.  Between now and then, new technology will emerge.  PTC in 2030 may be quite different than what we envision right now. 

As long as the railroads are showing a good faith effort, continuing to move forward with PTC, pushing technology and implementing it where it can be effective, Congress will likely demonstrate a lot of patience.

Thanks for asking.  Stay safe out there.  Here we go!

Train Weight vs. Tractive Effort?

Question:  Could you answer a question on how power is assigned to a train?  Example: I have seen mention of a locomotive set producing 240,000lbs of tractive effort, but that's only 120 tons, and I usually see mention of trains weighing 6,000 tons. So I don't understand how the math works here.

Answer:  A locomotive only needs to pull hard enough to overcome the rolling resistance of the train.  As long as the force applied exceeds the resistive force, the train will accelerate.  Modern roller bearing trucks on freight cars offer very little rolling resistance.  You can also think of the analogy of you pushing your car on a level street.  You don’t have to exert anywhere near the car’s 2000 lb weight to get it moving.  In fact, once you get it moving, you only need to match the rolling resistance to keep it moving at constant speed.  This is analogous to the starting and continuous tractive effort supplied by a locomotive. 

As an aside, coupler knuckles are designed to be the mechanical fuse in the train (it’s way easier and cheaper to replace a broken knuckle than a broken draw bar or ripped apart draft gear).  Most modern North American coupler knuckles are good for somewhere between 350,000 lbs and 650,000 lbs of tensile force.  This is why, on steep grades, you need to push a train from the rear instead of simply adding more pulling power to the front.      

How Does Extreme Cold Affect Rail Operations?

Question:  How do locomotives exposed to extreme cold conditions affect daily switching operations?

Answer:  Extreme cold conditions slow down rail operations, including switching, for a variety of reasons. 

Most railroads have policies in place to ensure switching locomotives stay running (or their engines stay warm with various new fuel-efficient engine warming systems).  A very cold locomotive can be very hard to start.  Any delay in starting switching operations at the start of a shift will have a negative effect on the ability to switch cars and build trains in a timely fashion.  Lose an hour or more trying to start a locomotive, or getting a replacement (if there even is one) from the ready track, and you’re in an uphill battle.  Delays cascade and pile up—you can jack a yard up so bad it will take over a week to recover in just one bad shift.

Extreme cold is miserable for switching crews, too, and slows down their productivity.  There are not too many less fun places to be than out on the switching lead, kicking cars at night with a minus ten degree wind chill blowing on you.  I used to bring my guys and gals hot chocolate on nights like this (as the junior guy, I worked nights).  A heightened awareness of safety is an absolute must in conditions like this, because the cold is a distraction.

Extreme cold affects equipment other than locomotives, too.  Ice and cold will jam cut levers, draw bars, coupler knuckles, brake wheels, switches, and drain radio and lantern batteries a lot faster.  Train air brake lines (e.g., brake valve seals and the glad hand connections between cars) don’t hold air as well in cold weather.  Rails are more slippery, so engine wheels slip and sand piles build up on the yard tracks.  Rails will break and rail joints will pull apart. 

Railroading in winter is truly an adventure.  Thanks for asking and stay safe out there.

Here we go! 

Old Engines in Passenger Service?

Question: Do you think the SD40-2F Red Barn would make a good passenger locomotive for any of the passenger railroads today?

Answer:  Since this forum is primarily aimed at answering questions or addressing issues from a trainmaster’s perspective, I’m obliged to say that, as a trainmaster, this issue wouldn't have any bearing on my responsibility to safely and efficiently execute my railroad’s operating plan.

Nonetheless, since you ask, I doubt any of the major passenger rail services would be much interested in SD40-2F locomotives.  While there is no mechanical reason these venerable old workhorses couldn’t be converted to passenger use, we must take into account the life accumulated on their frames coupled with the cost of adding all of the equipment (e.g., auxiliary generators, etc.) necessary to run passenger trains, plus the cost to install a fuel efficient diesel generator and associated equipment that will meet the increasingly rigorous emissions standards.  

Considering all of these factors, rail passenger services such as VIA, GO, Amtrak, etc., are probably going to opt for much newer, more efficient, cleaner, more reliable locomotives.  I don’t see any of these services investing in refurbishing programs (other than as stopgap measures as they recapitalize their fleets).  Perhaps a few of these beautiful old SD40-2Fs will find extended life on excursion railroads someplace.

Thanks for asking.  Stay safe!

Here we go! 

What is the Most Powerful Locomotive?

Question: Could you tell me what is the most powerful locomotive that is still service on the rails today?

Answer:  Since this forum is primarily aimed at answering questions or addressing issues from a trainmaster’s perspective, I’m obliged to say that, as a trainmaster, I would really only be concerned with whether or not I had the assigned power ready to go so I can depart my train on time.  I’m not going to be concerned about the performance characteristics of the engines on my ready track.   Locomotive assignment managers will, of course, need to know that the engines they assign to the train are up to the task (e.g., can the power consist reliably handle the load on the ruling grade?).

“Most powerful” can be interpreted many ways.  There are some very high horsepower electric locomotives in service today, in the US and in Europe.  I would judge a freight locomotive on its starting and continuous tractive effort capability.  What can it pull?  Tractive effort is largely a function of the horsepower from the primary diesel generator (aka prime mover), the locomotive’s weight, and the adhesion at the wheel-rail interface.

There may be others out there with more precise information, but I suspect the locomotive in routine usage with the highest starting and continuous tractive effort is the heavy-weight GE ES44AH used by CSX Transportation.  This is basically a ballasted version of the 4400HP GE ES44AC.  From what I've read, the ES44AH has a starting tractive effort in the 200,000 lb range.

(There are still some 6000HP EMD SD90 and GE AC6000 locomotives out there; however, I have not read anything that suggests the starting or continuous tractive effort provided by either significantly exceeds that of the latest 4400HP offerings from EMD and GE.)

The latest AC products from both EMD and GE, the SD70ACe and ES44AC, respectively, have similar starting and continuous tractive effort capabilities (which may be further enhanced with special adhesion control systems):  both in the range of 180,000 – 190,000 lbs starting and 160,000 lbs continuous.  Most modern North American trains can be easily handled by a pair of either on other than mountainous terrain.  

Thanks for asking.  I look forward to reading the thoughts of others on this matter.  Stay safe out there.

Here we go! 

Would Embracing Nostalgia Revive Passenger Rail?

Question:  Everyone these days has a soft spot for nostalgia.  Do you think if the industry designed passenger trains to resemble their steam powered predecessors (but with modern mechanicals), people could fall in love with the rails again thus increasing passenger business?

Answer:  Since this forum is primarily aimed at answering questions or addressing issues from a trainmaster’s perspective, I’m obliged to say that, as a trainmaster, I wouldn't really spend any time thinking about this issue as it doesn't have any bearing on the freight rail operations I’m responsible for.

Having said that, I believe such a concept, while certainly creative and intriguing, would have such limited and diminishing appeal that it would not be cost effective.  The huge majority of people who travel by train do so for purely practical purposes of transportation.  Only a small fraction of passenger rail travelers choose the mode for nostalgic or purely enjoyment related factors.  Even at that, the number of folks (Baby Boomers and older) who harbor romantic notions of passenger rail’s halcyon days is dwindling.  Passenger rail is a business that must attract enough ridership to sustain at least meager profitability.  Four decades of Amtrak experience (and two decades of dramatically declining ridership before that) have shown that, with a few exceptions (such as the Northeast Corridor and several routes in California), passenger rail in the US cannot operate profitably as a whole.  The US may choose to continue federal subsidies to keep long-distance passenger operations in place (I don’t see long-distance passenger operations ever being profitable), but most of the near-term investment in passenger rail is going to go to traffic corridors where trains can truly compete on a cost, convenience, and reliability standpoint with other modes (planes, cars, buses, etc.).

Thanks for posing the question.  I hope to see some other thoughts on the matter in the comments below.

Say safe out there.  Here we go!

Flashing vs. Continuous Ditchlights

Question:  How come flashing locomotive ditch lights are not an FRA requirement yet? Of all the North American Class 1 roads, Norfolk Southern, CSX, & Amtrak all use flashing ditch lights when the horn is sounded, while Union Pacific, BNSF, Kansas City Southern, Canadian National, & Canadian Pacific do not (NS actually takes it one step further, and also has flashing ditch lights mounted on the rear of their locomotives, while UP & BNSF actually disabled the flashers on former SP & BN locomotives that were so-equipped).  I think the flashers do a better job at getting motorist's attention when warning them of approaching trains at grade crossings, as opposed to the constant-lit ditch lights.  Do you see the FRA moving to require flashing ditch lights for ALL Class 1s in the next few years or so?  I think it would reduce the number of grade-crossing fatalities.

Answer:  Since this forum is primarily aimed at answering questions or addressing issues from a trainmaster’s perspective, I’m obliged to say that, as a trainmaster, my primary concern with this issue would be to ensure the locomotives on my ready track all had auxiliary lights (aka ditch lights) in good working order.  As you say, the FRA doesn't mandate flashing over continuous auxiliary lights, leaving that decision to the railroads.

Personally, I cannot and would not argue against your logic.  I agree that flashing ditch lights would seem to create a more visible approaching train.  Interesting that only the Eastern Class I lines have opted for the flashing ditch lights.  I don’t know the western roads’ rationales for choosing continuous ditch lights.  I am not (nor would I necessarily be) aware of any initiative to make flashing auxiliary lights a requirement.  I’m not sure who would champion such a cause (probably not the railroads).  I suspect such a move would only arise from clear statistical evidence that flashing ditch lights do, in fact, improve railroad crossing safety.

Thanks for bringing the issue to this forum.  Any other thoughts out there on this issue? 

What Are Those Little Blue Lights and Flags?

Question:  What are the little blue lights for that are placed on the rails in a yard? 

Answer:  Blue lights (for night) and other blue markers such as flags (for day), are an extremely important feature of modern rail safety.  The “Blue Flag” or “Blue Signal” system allows mechanical employees to work safely on, between, or under engines and cars.  No movement of engines or cars is permitted on any track under blue flag protection. 

Tracks that are blue flag protected have switches lined away from the track being protected and these switches have blue padlocks placed on them so they cannot be lined to the protected track.  If access to the protected track cannot be restricted by aligning switches, blue portable locking derail devices must be installed to prevent an engine or railcar from entering the protected track.  

Engines sitting on blue flag protected track have blue flags or lights placed directly onto their control stands or consoles.  Only mechanical department employees may place and remove blue flag protection (including the locks, flags and little lights).  Only mechanical department employees have keys for the blue locks.

You’ll typically see blue flag protection placed on arrival tracks after a train has arrived and the power is cut off and sent to the engine shop for servicing.  So, switches on either end lined away from the protected track and locked, and blue markers placed on the track at each end of the protected area.  This protects car inspectors as they perform car-by-car visual inspection of the newly arrived train (when they will mark bad order cars to be sent to the car shop for repair). 

You’ll see blue flag protection used in car repair and engine servicing areas as well.

Finally, you’ll see blue flag protection in place on departure tracks to protect mechanical employees as they inspect outbound trains and perform the required air brake system tests.  Once the mechanical department has done their thing, they will remove the blue signals, then let the yardmaster know the train is released and ready to prepare for departure.

Thanks for asking.  Stay safe out there.  Here we go!

Canadian Hours of Service Law

Question:  Does the 12 hour (hours of service) rule apply in Canada as well?

 

Answer:  The short answer is yes.  12 hours is the maximum time a train crew may perform train service.  As with any regulation, there are numerous provisos and caveats and exceptions for specific circumstances.  But, yes, the Canadian railway hours of service regulations are very similar to those in the US.    

Which Locomotive is Better?

Question:   What is so special about an ES44AC? Is it better than an SD80MAC?

 

Answer:   From a trainmaster’s (or locomotive assignment manager’s) perspective, one is no better than the other as long as it is fueled, serviced (sand, oil, inspected, toilet cleaned, etc.), pointed in the right direction, and ready to go.  One six-axle engine is as good as the next.  The locomotive assignment manager is only concerned with matching the correct amount of horsepower (really tractive force at the wheel-rail interface, taking into account better or worse adhesion characteristics) with the train assignment.  (A 420,000-pound 4400HP locomotive with advanced adhesion control will slip less and can therefore pull more than a 420,000-pound 4400HP locomotive with a lower coefficient of adhesion.)

Train crews certainly may have personal preferences about the way some locomotive types are set up or handle on the road.

From the railroad’s perspective, the newer generation locomotives (such as the GE Evolution Series ES44AC and ES44DC and the EMD SD70Ace and SD70M2) are better from fuel efficiency (therefore operating cost) standpoint as well as from an emissions (air pollution) standpoint.

So, while railfans may argue about which locomotives are better looking, there is not really a significant difference between the latest GE and EMD locomotives from an operational perspective.  This is confirmed by the fact that all of the North American Class I railroads have both new EMD and GE units in their fleets and/or on order. 

Why do Trains Sit Running in the Middle of Nowhere?

Question:  Why do trains stop in the middle of nowhere for 20+ hours running sometimes?  Does the crew stay on the whole time?

Answer:  There are numerous good reasons why a railroad will let a train sit stationary for quite a while with the diesel engine(s) running.  Usually, if a train is sitting idle on a mainline (or a mainline siding), there is either some sort of obstruction or other reason the train cannot proceed.  There could be a derailment or other track problem, or the yard the train is going to has an issue and it cannot accept the train.  Another reason a train may sit for quite some time is that its crew has run out of hours (they cannot perform train service for more than 12 hours) and there is no qualified replacement crew immediately available.  Sometimes, the railroad will leave the crew on the train to keep an eye on it.  The crew can be on the train past their 12 hours of train service as long as they are just sitting on the train.  (I have seen one case where a crew was left on a train for over 24 hours, but that was not the right thing to do.)  

More often, if the railroad wants to keep someone on the train and they don’t have a crew, they might send out a junior trainmaster to babysit the train.  The train can be tied down (all the locomotive hand brakes set as well as the hand brakes on the proper number of cars, which is determined by several factors) and left unattended.  In this case, often the railroad police will check on the train periodically.  A train may be left unattended with its diesel engines running in order to run the air compressor to maintain air pressure in the train’s brake line.  In cold weather, railroads typically opt to keep the engines running because it can be hard to restart in very cold conditions.  Diesel engines are fairly fuel efficient and don’t burn a whole lot of fuel in idle, whereas they can consume a lot of fuel during start-up.  The latest locomotives (like the EMD SD70ACe and the GE ES44AC) have the capability to maintain brake line air pressure and keep the engine warm while burning very little fuel.

Great question.  Thanks for stopping by.  Stay safe and have a great holiday season.

Here we go!     

What is "Dark Territory?"

Question:  What is “dark territory”?

Answer:  “Dark territory,” though not an official term, typically refers to any dispatcher-controlled track (outside of yard limits) that is not governed by track (block and interlocking) signals.  Train authorization and movement in dark territory is controlled by track warrants, which are issued to the train crew by the dispatcher.  Such warrants permit a train to occupy and operate in one or more designated blocks.  Usually, dark territory comprises lower-traffic secondary lines, where it just doesn't make sense to install expensive signaling systems. 

Great question.  Thanks for stopping by and have a safe and happy holiday season!

Here we go!

Trainmastering 101: The Basics

A railroad is a business.  The primary reason a business exists is to make money.  A business makes money by selling a product or service for more money than it takes to produce that product or service.  Railroads are service businesses.  The service railroads offer is transportation.

Railroads transport goods over a fixed network of rails in accordance with an operating plan.  The operating plan is a system-wide scheme for moving trains between terminals (where goods are sorted and rerouted) and to and from customers. 

A trainmaster is a field-level operations officer whose primary responsibility is the safe execution of the railroad’s operating plan.  The operating plan is asymptotic.  It is aspired to but never fully achieved.  Myriad things go wrong each day, all across a railroad’s network, that cause actual operations to diverge from the operating plan.  A trainmaster’s job is to apply knowledge, leadership, and relationships to swiftly recognize and respond to the infinite variety of problems that conspire to flummox the operating plan.  The core challenge to the trainmaster is to identify, contain and reverse divergences before they ripple too far out into the system—constantly striving to recover and resume operations in accordance with the operating plan.         

There are two basic types of trainmaster:  the terminal trainmaster and the line-of-road trainmaster.  Most new trainmasters start out as terminal trainmasters, where they learn to apply the basics of railroad operations within a fairly limited geographical area under the tutelage of a terminal superintendent.  Line-of-road trainmasters, who are typically more experienced, cover large geographic areas of the railroad between major terminals.    

The primary resources a trainmaster manages to execute the operating plan include people, locomotives, end-of-train devices, track, and time.  Railroads operate on relatively thin profit margins.  The best run railroads spend about 75 cents for every dollar they earn.  It doesn’t take much to go wrong in terms of efficiency to get into negative margin territory.  So, by business necessity, the railroads must run very lean operations.  For the trainmaster, this means there are no resources to spare, so they must be managed very carefully.   

People who directly report to the trainmaster include conductors, switchmen, yardmasters, operators, and clerks.  Trainmaster typically provide direction to both conductors and engineers, even though (for most railroads) engineers report to a road foreman of engines.

Trainmasters also interface constantly with many people, both internal and external to their territory.  Internally, trainmasters must establish excellent rapport with the managers in the local mechanical and engineering departments.  The mechanical department is responsible for the inspection, servicing, and repair of locomotives, rolling stock, and end-of-train devices.  The engineering department is responsible for maintaining the railroad’s infrastructure, such as track and signals.  A terminal cannot operate without close constant coordination between operations, mechanical, and engineering.

Externally, trainmasters must interface with dispatchers, division-level operating managers, locomotive managers at headquarters, crew schedulers, managers at other railroads with whom the trainmaster has interchange operations, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) inspectors, union representatives, and customers.

Railroading is not inherently dangerous, but it is inherently unforgiving.  If performed properly, with properly serviced and maintained equipment and infrastructure, rail operations are very safe.  If people make mistakes, or take shortcuts, they can die, or they can kill other people.  Above all else, a trainmaster must ensure that all railroad operations are carried out in a safe manner.  Railroads have very precise operating rules and procedures to cover pretty much every type of operating scenario and situation one can imagine.  These operating rules are, as they say in the industry, “written in blood.”  Most railroad operating rules are based directly upon federal laws that govern rail operations.  Trainmasters will get to know their local FRA inspectors quite well, as these inspectors will constantly be auditing railroad operations, making sure the railroads are fully compliant with federal law. 

By far, the most unpleasant aspect of being a trainmaster is enforcing, through disciplinary action, the railroad’s safety rules.  Trainmasters must get comfortable with confronting and effectively dealing with railroad employees who are violating operating rules.  It is not fun to have to take another person off a job and send him or her home for a three-day suspension.  It is not fun to fire someone who simply cannot or will not comply with safe operating procedures.  It is much less fun to have to tell that employee’s spouse and children that the employee was killed on the job. 

Ideally, a trainmaster will be able to establish and maintain in his or her territory a culture that embraces safety—one in which peer pressure to be safe is the primary force driving compliance.                           

The basic flow at a railroad terminal is much like that of a production factory.  Resources arrive in the plant.  They are inspected.  Value is added.  The finished product is inspected, tested, and shipped.  In the case of a railroad terminal, the incoming resources are rail cars.  When they arrive, the mechanical department inspects them to be sure they are in good working order.  Yard switching crews then add value by sorting cars and building the final product:  outbound trains.  When a train is built, it is inspected and tested.  When a train is ready to go, a train crew (conductor and engineer) take the train away.

The operating plan typically repeats on a daily basis.  Railroad operations run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  They never stop.  Never.  Operations diverge from the plan, converge, then diverge again.  Operational problems ripple and migrate throughout the system.  Problems, delays, and crises emerge.  Trainmasters, using all the resources at their disposal, deal with these issues, always striving to resume operations in accordance with the operating plan. 

In a nutshell, this is the role of the trainmaster.  In future posts, we will explore in much more detail all of the topics introduced above. 

Where Can I Go to School to Learn About Railroading?

Question:   I live in Pittsburgh and so far, I have not found a school that teaches any of this.  Do you know of one?  Maybe I am not searching correctly.  I think I would love a career involved with trains.

Answer:  The easiest way to learn all of this is to get hired as a conductor for a major freight railroad.  They will send you to their school to learn everything you need to know.  For example, conductor trainees hired by CSX go to their state-of-the-art REDI (Railroad Education and Development Institute) Center in Atlanta.  Each of the major railroads has an equivalent program. 

To get hired, you need to go to the railroad’s career web site and follow the instructions for applying.  Major railroads usually hire for specific terminals and crew bases.  You’ll need to be very patient because the hiring process and getting the call to report can take many months, maybe longer than a year.  The railroad’s pool of conductors grows and shrinks as the economy demands more or less train service (which means you need to be prepared to be furloughed periodically until you establish enough seniority to weather most draw downs).  You’ll have a better shot of getting hired quickly if you’re flexible enough to move where the jobs are. 

An alternate approach would be to go to a private school that will charge you to get certified as a railroad engineer.  One such school is the Modoc Railroad Academy in California.  They seem to have a pretty good placement rate and this would be a good way to get hired on with a regional or short line railroad.

There are other rail related jobs you can also train for, such as dispatcher or trainmaster.  There are several community colleges that offer dispatcher training programs.  The major railroads also have management trainee programs, which can be one avenue to becoming a trainmaster.  Michigan State University offers a railway management program.  Doing some research on Google should turn up numerous programs you can look into in more detail.

I encourage you to read my previous post (from the day prior) on the physical demands of being a train crew member.   It can be a lot of fun; but, make no mistake:  railroading is tough, unglamorous, often tedious work.  Folks really need to know what they’re getting themselves into, because it’s not what a lot of people think it is.

I wish you the very best in your quest.  Please let me know if you have any follow-on questions.

Here we go!     

How Can I Get a Ride in a Diesel Engine?

Question:   If one of the top items on my bucket list is to sit in a diesel engine on some type of run, where would I start? I'm still in my 50's, so this isn't anything pressing or imminent.

Answer:  That’s a great bucket list item!  It’ll be very difficult to get a ride with the crew of a Class I (major railroad) as they have pretty strict policies about guests in the cab (unless you’re a journalist and can get special permission from the railroad).  I’m sure many folks have snuck a ride on a short run if they happen to know an “insider” but it’s a long shot.  You will likely have much more luck by approaching the trainmaster, yardmaster, or terminal superintendent for a short line or small regional railroad.  They may ask you to sign a waiver and, of course, they’ll give you a detailed safety briefing.  There has to be three seats in the cab, as each crew member must be sitting while the locomotive is underway. 

If the short line route doesn't work, other options include signing up for a photo freight special that will employ a diesel locomotive.  A lot of tourist and scenic railways offer special photo runs once or twice a year and many of these offer the opportunity to ride in the cab.  Many excursion, museum, and scenic railroads have “hand on the throttle” programs that you can take advantage of.  You may even be able to become a train crew member by volunteering with such a railroad.

When you do ride, wear steel-toed high-top boots.  Also, bring safety glasses and ear protection if you have them (if not, the railroad will provide them).

With a little research and polite perseverance, you stand a great chance of scratching this item off your bucket list.  Good luck to you and stay safe out there! 

Can a Disabled Person Work for a Railroad?

Question:   (edited for brevity—you can see the entire question in the “posts by others” block)  It has always been my dream to work for the railroad as an engineer; however, I am on disability and have been for most my life and I feel it is keeping my one dream from coming true.  I just thought since you worked for the railroad you could tell me how or what I would have to do to make my dream come true.

Answer:  Without knowing the exact nature of your physical challenge and the extent to which you can compensate for it or work around it, it’s hard to provide really precise guidance.  Here is some information for you to consider:  for most major railroads, engineers start out “on the ground” as conductors.  Even when they become engineers, they must be fully capable of performing the same types of duties as conductors.  Being a member of a train crew is a very physically demanding job.  You have to be able to climb onto locomotives, climb onto, cross over, and hang onto (for long periods of time) rail cars, line switches, connect air hoses, operate cut levers, change 70lb coupler knuckles and 40lb end of train devices.  You have to be able to walk the entire length (and back) of your mile and a half long train on shifting, sloping ballast.  You have to be able to operate hand brakes.  You have to be able to shovel snow and sand.  You have to be able to render hand signals.  You have to do all of this at night, in the rain, when it’s 100 degrees out, when it’s 10 below zero and blowing snow.  You have to be able to do these things for up to 12 hours at a time.  If you believe you are capable of doing all of this, and can demonstrate it, then I encourage you to challenge the railroad.

If you believe you may not be able to meet the physical demands of being a train crew member for a major railroad, you should still take a look at local excursion or museum railroads.  While there is no guarantee, and each outfit may have a different policy, these smaller operations may offer an opportunity for you to get your hand on the throttle.  Many of these organizations are looking for hard-working, competent, and dedicated volunteers.  Just like any other volunteer, you will likely have to work your way into any position that allows you to participate in train operations.

I wish you luck in your quest.  Stay safe out there.

Outlaw Pay?

Question: Is it true if one works over 12 hours, the "on the law" past requires them to be paid by the minute?

Answer: While I am not familiar with this specific case, it certainly could be true. I'm not quite sure what "paid by the minute" means; does it mean the worker gets paid 1/60th of the hourly overtime rate per minute (as opposed to being paid by the 10 or 15 minute time block), or does it mean the worker gets a full hour's OT pay even if he/she only works one minute into the hour? It depends entirely on the contract in place between the railroad and the affected union at the affected location. While there are a few national contracts in place, at many terminals, on many subdivisions, or within many crew bases/pools, there is a unique local contract in place with unique work, job bidding, and payment rules. 

A trainmaster is very aware of the specific overtime rules in his/her territory because he/she will be held accountable for managing the overtime budget.

Finally, as an aside: while a crew member may be on duty and getting paid beyond the 12-hour point, no crew member may perform any train service after 12 hours on duty. Trainmasters and dispatchers have to pay close attention to and carefully manage any crews who are getting close to going "outlaw."

Here we go!

What is a Class I Railroad?

Question:  What is considered to be a Class I railroad?

Answer:   A Class I railroad is a freight railroad that earns at least $250 million in annual operating revenue (this figure is adjusted periodically to account for inflation).  The designation is made by the Surface Transportation Board (STB), which regulates many commerce and economic aspects of the Class I railroads, and requires the Class I lines to report statistics and financial data.  There are currently seven Class I railroads operating in the United States:   BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Grand Trunk Corporation (owned by Canadian National), Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Soo Line (owned by Canadian Pacific), and Union Pacific.  

While certainly important at the railroad executive level, from a trainmaster’s perspective, or from the perspective of any train and engine crewmember, the Class I designation is largely meaningless.  Operators are much more concerned with complying with rail operation and safety regulations as enforced by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which makes no distinction in railroad size or operating revenue in its enforcement.  

Leaking Tank Car

Question:  Ok, so today on NS, NS 16N had a tank car venting Carbon Dioxide and they stopped the train and couldn't stop the leak.   But the Chief dispatcher in Greentree, PA, ran the train anyways was this the proper thing to do?

Answer:  Yes.  I’ll assume the tank car was transporting carbon dioxide, CO2, in either gas (UN1013) or liquid (UN2187) form.  Both are hazard class 2.2, non-flammable, non toxic gases.  While CO2 is an asphyxiant gas, and can be harmful in high density, it is generally a minor, manageable hazard in small quantities diluted in the atmosphere (plants and trees exhale CO2).  Once the train crew verified the leak was indeed CO2 and in relatively small volumes, federal rail and HAZMAT transportation regulations (from which railroad HAZMAT rules are derived) permit the continued movement of HAZMAT shipments in order to further reduce or eliminate the threat to public safety (in this case, either get it to its final destination where it can be unloaded, or taken to a point where the CO2 can be safely transferred to another tank car).  The leaking car would have to have buffer cars between it and the engines.  NS likely has a procedure in place whereby the chief dispatcher is empowered with the authority to authorize such a movement (I’m sure only after consulting with specific written railroad policy and/or consulting with folks at HQ).  Had the leak involved a significantly more hazardous material, or had it been a high volume leak, the railroad’s response would have been completely different.