Do You support Rule G?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
221

Now, an innocent question

does rule G exist?

I mean under that moniker, in anything published or quotable. This is an age of “section 01.005, subsection 01.005.32, paragraph 01.005.32.b” etc. Is the very term “Rule G” an anachronism or a catchall name for everything that deals with substance abuse on the rails. Could it be found as such in an employee timetable or rulebook, AAR guideline or…what? Lawyers have been active (like ferrets in heat) around these issues for eons and it’s hard to believe they could present a document with such a simple title as evidence.
In short, can anyone here quote verbatim Rule G from a current or past document?
Or cite one of it’s present mutations, with Title please!!!
How’s that everybody? Did I do good?

Ahem…now for the Dogster. My dad grew up in Detroit (not Deetroit, you hicks) and through the magic of DNA made me a lifelong Tigers fan. A lifetime of mostly frustrating summers was my inheritance. The brightest moment was when my heroes, down 3 games to 1 in the '68 series, turned the Card’s and baseball’s kitchen upside down. 30-game winner McLain was mostly absent, big-in-the-butt Lolich threw baffling curves while the Card’s Gibson threw blinding fastballs, an d then Freehan threw out Lou Brock. Series turned on a dime and the Tiges won. Then came '84, the practically Immaculate Season. First place all the way through, 35-5 at one point, and breezing to the world title.

Whenever I could see a fat pitch coming into Willie Horton’s wheelhouse in a certain way and situation, and his muscles twitch before swinging, I’d jump up and yell HOME RUN. I was only wrong twice in about ten chances and felt like I was right behind his bulging anticipative eyeballs…
Anyway we let your Cubs beat us 4-0 in 1907 and 4-1 in '08, but were improving. Then, Cobb-less we got you guys 4-2 in '35 and 4-3 in '45. I’ve resisted gloating over the Cub fan’s disappointments in those and HOW many other years? Why? Be

222

Okey dokey, Bad Bard, here you go…

From the GCOR, General Code of Operating Rules, Fourth Edition, Effective April 2, 2000.

Keep in mind there is at least two other rule books in use, the one for the eastern American railroads, and the Canadian rule book.
The GCOR is used by most of the railroads west of the Mississippi.

Rule 1.5, otherwise know as Rule G before it was modified.
Found on page 1-3 in the General responsibilities section, GCOR.

Rule 1.5 Drugs and Alcohol

The use or possession of alcoholic beverages while on duty or on company property is prohibited.
Employees must not have any measurable alcohol in their breath or bodily fluids when reporting for duty, while on duty, or while on company property.

The use or possession of intoxicants, over the counter or prescription drugs, narcotics, controlled substances, or medications that may affect safe performance is prohibited while on duty or on company property, except medication that is premitted by a medical practitioner and used as prescribed.
Employees must not have any prohibited substance in their bodily fluids when reporting for duty, while on duty, or while on company property.

Thats it, the entire rule.
No subsection, paragraph numbers, nothing else but those two simple paragraphs.

And the next rule , 1.6, reads as

Rule 1.6 Conduct

Employees must not be:

  1. Careless of the safety of themselves or others.
  2. Negligent
  3. Insubordinate
  4. Dishonest
  5. Immoral
  6. Quarrelsome.
    or
  7. Discourteous.

You can seen, both rule 1.5 and 1.6 are so ambiguous as to be useless as true safety rules.
Almost every railroader could, at some point, be fired under rule 1.6

As for rule 1.5, in essence, if you bought a over the counter sinus medication, and a trainmaster decided to have y

223

Halle- a- f…ing-lujah Ed, but that was bracing, informative and just plain cut through the kind of stuff that’s been featured here. And you knew it all the time!!! Guess you enjoyed the nattering of nabobs on this thread, but just needed the right question. You could have righted our reeling ship early on but chose to have a little fun!!!
The kind of person I’d like to grow old with.
Young fellers, if you want to go railroadin’ bring an attorney and think about what you say. A zillion postings won’t make you a smarter person but a few seconds of thought and a good dictionary ( I trust my old Funk & Wagnalls and needed it for Hallelujah) just might help.
Ed, thanks again. Your revelation may have kicked the corpse into a jitterbug groove.
JoeKoh come on back heahh!!!
Takin it hard pards,
The Bard

224

Yes the Cubs and the Red Sox would of been good But THANKS TO STEVE BARTMAN IT DIDN’T HAPPEN AND I HATE THE YANKEES and Doggy likes the Tigers also
DOGGY
GO CUBS

225

pssst hey doggy if I paid X amount of dollars for that seat guess what?Id go for the ball too.They just made him their goat![:0] and rixflix I was just trying to mend fences but somedays you just gotta move on.[:)]
stay safe
Joe

226

Dogs, bad things happened to the Sox fans too and they’ve had some terrible winters up there in Beantown, dwelling over "what if’s?*. New Englanders are being smote in their hard-bitten and stalwart souls as I type these words, but good cheer to all of us suffering faithful.
We are not seats-money people nor evil Steves, but just people who love certain parts of this Life and sometimes go overboard in our enthusiasm for it.
Cut way down on your postings, listen a bit to wiser, even 57- year old’s raps, and learn to live!!!
Rick

227

The heck with Baseball, how can sports teams go on strike?? Bad working conditons? Long hours? Please.

228

The 8th Edition of NORAC operating rules (NORAC=-Norheast Operating Rules Advisory Committee) which were effective the first of last year 2003, and govern operations on Amtrak, Bay Colony, Canadian Pacific’s former D+H, Conrail Shared Assets in NJ + Detroit areas; CSX’s former CR lines (tho CSXT is about to implement their own rulebook on those routes very soon, I hear), Genesee & Wyoming, NJTransit, Susquehanna, NS’ former CR lines, Providence & Worcester, Reading Blue Mountain & Northern, and SEPTA, plus some associated members (list of 39 roads, including Connecticut Southern, Springfield Terminal, Morristown & Erie).

Rule G reads as follows:

<<G. Drugs and Alcohol
Employees are prohibited from engaging in the following activities while on duty or reporting for duty:

  1. Using alcoholic beverages or intoxicants, having them in their possession, or being under their influence.
  2. Using or being under the influence of any drug, medication, or other controlled substance - including prescribed medication - that will in any way adversely affect their alertness, coordination, reaction, response or safety. Employees having questions about possible adverse effects of prescribed medication must consult a Company medical officer before reporting for duty.
  3. Illegally possessing or selling a drug, narcotic or other controlled substance.

An employee may be required to take a breath test and/or provide a urine sample if the Company reasonably suspects violation of this rule. Refusal to comply with this requirement will be considered a violation of this rule and the employee will be promptly removed from service.

================================================
[Smoking is covered in Rule H.]

For someone like myself, and I consider myself a responsible drinker (I know pretty much when to shut myself off, and I never drink when subject to duty), I consider that the programs of random D+A testing impinge on my pe

229

Yeah, yeah I know, but return with me now to those days of yesteryear. I was a quick doubles-hitter who idolized Musial, Clemente, Kaline, and even the slower Berra. If a double was needed late in the game we would just caress the ball out to the end of our bats and dump it between or amidst the confused outfielders. Third base was my favorite position but I was at home anywhere in the infield. Wish I still had that arm and those beautiful first basemen who knew where to stretch and pick my throws. From side-arm or from under the other guys’ cleats my tosses would always curlicue sharply at their end. And speaking of that, I must retire now for tomorrow’s Easter.
Felices Pascuas.
Ricardito

230

Now Joe I was at the Bulls Game when It happened and HE COST THE CUBS AND I WILL STAY MAD UNTIL THEY WIN.

231

Rick,
I know you were just trying to mend fences and I’m Sorry are you a Tigers Fan? IF you are good becuase I like the Tigers Now for Gerorge Stienbrenner I’m sure you can Tell I’m a Red Sox fan. If I could I’d slug the Guts Him
DOGGY

232

Doggy, get lost for a while.
The adults have seized control here and you can’t seem to understand that we’re finally answering your Rule G question. Park your mouth and hear!!!
Live, from Bardland… but wait… here’s Mr.Charles Parker from…where?..Kansas City?..folks, it’s a little hard to hea… zzzzzphraaakpopzzzz…our musicians tonight are really cooking…and Mr. Parker just told me to call him Bird…That’s B-I-R-D…zzzzzyowoooowowowawowapop…and he’s about to blow right now…Dig it!!!

Yes ma’am we have both edible crow and humble pie here at the Grammar Grocery. Crow’s over there with Poultry and humble pie’s in Baked Goods, but honestly you could make a better pie from scratch…we have alll the ingredients.

233

Rixflix - After reading through your many incoherent ramblings, are you under the influence of a substance prohibited under Rule G? The alternative is even more disconcerting.

234

Well At least i’m not the only one who sees that.

Railfix- Your Grand you know that? MAn… … you made me chuckle all day yesturday! “I’m not 38! i’m 57!” I would have taken 38, because at 38 your still slighly allowed to be a bit immature, but at 57? your old enough to be my grandfather! and look at your behavior!

LOL!

Thats one for the ages!

LOL Rick, your still after doggy aren’t you! Some people just never grow up, and you’ve become prime evidence of that.

If you recall, doggy is leading in points when it comes to maturity.

Rick one last thing, I couldn’t help but notice you made a subliminal shot at my spelling a few posts back, No i’m not going to spend 40 minutes or 35 secondes correcting my spelling, If you can’t read- I fail to see how thats my problem.

don’t make your problems mine, I’m not taking the rap because your illiterate.

If you can’t read, Either your school or parents or even Society has failed you, But i sure havn’t!

Actually scrathc society, dont want you blaming society for your problems either.

sorry bub.

235

Guys,
I was reading it over and thanks for all the answer and Thank You Mr. Perry for an explanation

DOGGY

236

Rick Gates, your last post truly dismays me. It’s Rule AA that has set my demons loose and forced me to confont them. It’s been hard work over the last twenty years. I’ve got a few years on you I know, but I’ve come to admit… that I’m crazy!!! That’s right folks, you heard it from the horse’s *** right here!!! I mean when owning and driving a car conflicted with Jim Beam back in 1979, I moved on to 6-year-old Inver House Scotch without hesitation. Didn’t want anyone hurt and have BMW’d ( Bus, Metro, Walk) ever since. My alcoholic mind still wonders why AAA never sent me a plaque for staying away from the steering wheel. Guessing now, but I think my sometimes elusive God and my irritating conscience were at work even then. I realize you had to be driving a train that terrible sad day and can only wish you a brotherly hug.

Now, Kevin you are old enough to scuttle your “floats” all by yourelf… I see the galley oars flailing right now in my twisted mindscape. “He’p me, He’p me”, you are saying while drowning in your private sea of rhetoric. Well when you get to be a grandfather don’t bother me no mo’ . I’ll have been long gone, like a cool breeze or a warm Old Fart. Let’s see, John Coltrane on tenor sax, Wynton Kelly on the 88’s, Paul Chambers on the stand-up bass, Elvin Jones on the american drums, and me rixflix on… what…what…the upright pud!!!.

Thanks edblysard and ddperrydispatch for your careful and thoughtful posts. We all got here by various means and your work ( I know it was) is applauded right now by me, rixflix.

237

whoop whoop wshops

Rick, did you know i’ve been cailling you “railfix” instead of “rixflix” the whole time? I can’t figure out why I would be doing such a thing…

don’t know where i got that from, anyways, sorry my bad,

Have a happy Easter!
Kev.

238

Kevin,
Of course I did you ninny. Just overlooked it for charitable reasons.
I screwed up myself on klatu verada nikto.
I replayed *The Day the Earth Stood Still" several times just to make sure it was “Platu merada mikto” I was hearing, and guess what…I need a new left earIII Before i post I try to make sure what I say is what I mean and my hienie was out in the sunlight. Didn’t take vsmith long to spank it. Owww Vic that hurt, especially because it was in public view. Ow Ow Ow!!!
Vic, you never said a thing about the Little Rascals piece I tacked on to the flick I sent you.
Ya gotta live a little, love a little…doo da da da…well anyway Kevin, if you haven’t planted a cherry bomb under my o’wise happy Easter, here’s my best wishes for your own.

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THIS TOPIC CLOSED

DOGGY
HAPPY EASTER

240

Hey Rick, I like that Quote, Live a little and LOVE A LITTLE

emphesis on LOVE A LITTLE

You see Rick, in the scheme of live, we are all human.

I didn’t plant a cherry bomb under you, don’t worry, it’s a banana bomb… brum bum che.

No, bombs are strictly against my “code de vie”

We are all human and we do often err from our ways like lost sheep. the path of being polite, and respective of others is lest followed, and we often tend to err on the path of disrespect.

Rick lets make a deal, I really can’t take this bickering much more, it gives me a sore stomach, if we can’t at least be nice to each other (which we can), then we ought to ignore each other, let me know what you think, in words that I can understand because being from quebec means slowm or slower.