Just curious, are there any restrictions as far as personal cell phones are involved when being an engineer or brakeman?
I have a good friend who engineers for UP. I believe he cannot use his cellphone while in motion. Maybe someone else can confirm or clarify this. My guess would be each railroad has its own policy, all with the goal of prohibiting distractions that could cause an accident or injury.
As a yard employee, I’m not supposed to have a cell phone on my person while on duty (it’s in my backpack, though).
The rules may be different for road employees. There was one time when the radios and signals went out, and engineers kept the railroad running with cell phones, maintaining contact with the dispatcher.
On the PTRA, by General Order.
The use of cell phones while on duty is prohibited when the locomotive is in motion.
Use of cell phones to communicate with other railroad employees, and to discuss company business, is prohibited following the above noted condition, except in an emergency.
The use of cell phones for personal communication is prohibited, except in an emergency.
The use of cell phones, excluding “hands free” phones, by company officers while operating any company vehicle in motion, is prohibited.
Bluntly, they don’t want us on the phone for any reason, when the locomotive is moving, unless it is an emergency.
Several safety rule failures have been issued…and I don’t mind in the least.
Nothing bugs me more that to be riding a few cars to a joint and giving radio signals, then looking back to see my engineer yacking on the phone, and “eyeballing” the joint, with the radio turned down so he can hear his girlfriend.
I have no problem stepping off and letting him make a nice, hard joint.
If he doesn’t care enough about my safety out on the point, then he deserves a test failure, along with a good smack into the windshield.
He expects me to be out there paying attention, looking out for him
On CSX, any electronic device that may distract us, like an iPod or whatever, is prohibited from being used on a moving train. They have determined that cell phone use has contributed to derailments, so cell phones are definitely prohibited while on duty. No one uses them on our railroad. No sir, no way. Honestly. Never Happens. Offically, I don’t even own one… oh wait, crew caller calls me on mine. I meant to say, I turn it off, remove the battery, and place it my locked case for the duration of my shift. Truly. Cross my heart and hope to d…
Hee Hee. Good one, Ed. I bet they don’t do that a second time.
Gets him off the phone pretty quick…
Ed
So…let me get this straight. Train personnel can’t use a cell phone while they are moving at say, 2-3 miles per hour, on a track they can’t get off, while watching signals or just riding along. But it is ok at 45 mph in a flimsie while watching signals and other flimsies also on cell phones and not on dedicated tracks (what could be called a free-for-all situation).
Hmmm - boggles the mind!
Moo
IIRC, NORAC rules (my book’s out in the truck) prohibit the engineer from copying orders (Form D’s) while in motion. And that’s on the company radio. The conductor can copy while in motion, though, and I’m sure they frequently do.
On the ADIK, the conductor always goes to the phone in the station to get/cancel Form D’s.
Funny! Not that many years ago, that is how we used to make phone calls, too!
Mook
Last time I rode the trolley down here the engineer (Motorman?) was on the phone the whole trip. Really makes ya feel safe eh’.
I saw a engineer in Utah order his lunch via C/phone then stop the train & pick it up. When I ask the question I was told that union rules permit it when the ngineer qualifies
Well, this is something that I don’t understand. Septa (Southeastern PA Transportation Authority), operates on the NORAC rules; and they state that there is to be no use of cell phones of any kind while on duty period. Well, I do have a question as to why Septa has a deal with SprintNextel. The deal basicly states that anyone who purchases a contract with Nextel Sprint, gets 15 percent off on the montly bill for company useage. Um…I’m a little confused here.
I don’t think many Septa employees adhear to the no cell phone rule, I still see many employees on their cell phones while on duty.
Sarah,
Neither NORAC nor the GCOR addresses cell phone per say, but both have a rule about eletronic devices.
The cell phone rules are a railroad by railroad decision, often the “rule”, as the one my railroad works under, is issued as a General Order, by the office of the superintendent, for my railroads employees only, as part of our railroads safety rules.
Many railroads work deals for their officers to get cell phones, as Septa did, and extend the deal to their employees.
Not necessarly as something to be used while at work…
Ed
My fav is the Trainmaster calling your cell while on duty. I love the ignore button,but your going to get yelled at either way. If you answer its an ops test if you dont your a bad person. I have thick skin though and most leave me alone.
We have engineers that are calling everyone while on duty. I dont care as we have conductors that sleep while said engineer is doing this ( or are playing game boys reading a book or whatever)so tit for tat I guess.
On BNSF you have Voice train reporting and God forbid you dont do it as soon as the work is done!So your going along trying to do that and talk ot the DS call signals and update your wheel. Never a dull moment out here I swear.
It’s a benefit of employment, like health and dental coverage, or group insurance rates. Don’t forget, the crew callers need to get a hold of us while off duty, and on-call employees live and die by cellphones. Many guys used to carry both a cell phone and a pager at all times.
Another funny thing - used to be, each local job had an assigned cell phone. After a few people abused this, the phones were pulled.
It is truly odd - I can use my radio to call the dispatcher, but I can’t use my cellphone (which is basically a radio) to call the dispatcher.
Twice, I’ve seen pizzas being delivered to locomotives and/or crews waiting with their trains on sidings – once on the UP west of Geneva, Ill. and once on the EJE at Normantown. Both times, I heard on my scanner that the main was backed up and the dispatcher told the conductor it would be over an hour before they could resume.
I’m sure a cell phone was used to call in the order.
Unfortunately, both times it was too dark for a photo. And even if I was able to take one, I’d wipe out the identifying marks on the loco before showing it to anyone to protect the innocent. [swg]
Just like everything else on the rr, nobody does what the rulebook says to begin with. Most of the time when i’m on thre ground switching, i lv it on the eng. Have been a few times had it w/me and received a call when on ground but i will only answer it if it can be done safely. That is what voicemail is for. Headimng off Thursday morn to Sanat Fe Historical Society conventiomn @ Amarillo this wknd so will not be back on line till next wk. Where every you all may be, stay cool and out of the heat.
I just printed out a General Order concerning cell phones where I work. Any cell phones must be turned off, unless being used for railroad communication when using the radio isn’t practical while the train is moving. When stopped, you may use it when stopped has long has it doesn’t interfere with other duties.
In the past I’ve used mine to talk to the dispatcher when it concerned things that I thought shouldn’t be discussed over the radio because of you don’t know who might be listening. I’m not talking about company officers or railfans either.
I once was stopped east of Fremont on an intermodal train. I happened to see in my mirror a vehicle had pulled along side of us on the access road and someone was going back and forth between the vehicle and my train. I called Fremont on the phone because if this was someone who had broken into a container, I didn’t want to alert him if he had a scanner. It turned out to be a RR Special Agent checking seals on containers.
Jeff
Obviously, you don’t work for the same outfit I work for or you wouldn’t last too long