I am hoping to become an engineer someday, and right now I have to wear glasses to drive. I’ve seen a lot of crews on trains but I haven’t seen any wearing glasses. Would any RR’s allow me to become an engineer or an employee with glasses? Thanks.
Dave
Yes, they will, you will need to get a pair of safety glasses (i.e. regular perscription glasses with side shields). Most companies should offer some form of reimbursement for your trouble, ask for details. I do suggest having the shields attached permanently, cuts down on losing the little buggers.
Randy
If you are employed or work as a contractor for the railroad out here in the west, those prescription glasses had better have permanently fixed side shields ( a la Randy), or you don’t go to work. I believe Mookie thinks they are permanently welded to my iron feathers! I still snicker when somebody sees mine and thinks they are some kind of new fashion statement and tries to find out where they can get theirs.[%-)]
The first Division Engineer I worked under in 1980 wore safetyglasses everywhere, not because he had to, but because he was trying to make a point. (got my attention)
…and some of the different crafts within the railroad still wonder why operating people are exempt from some of the PPE rules that apply to everyone else. Getting a trainman to wear a hardhat and safety glasses (much less steel toed boots) while in worktrain service could be a frustrating experience until very recently.
I wanna know where I can get safety frames for my glasses. I got 400/20 and am basicly screwed without my “cokebottle” lenses. I hate wearing those giant things that go over the glasses I have now, and would rather have some safety frames to pop on when I need to.
Adrianspeeder
Find a local vendor that sells Titmus or AO (American Optical) Safety Glasses & frames. Most national outfits like Pearle Vision do. (My glasses are now all of a week old!)…Titmus also sells various types of sideshields to fit frames of various construction through Vallen Safety and others (just does not have the additional frame lock piece…
Next time I get up close and personal with the chicken, I am going to find out what IS behind those Foster Grants he wears!
Somewhere, I remember a “you might be a railroader if…” column, where one of the giveaways is “…your daughter thinks Uvex is a designer label.”
Safety glasses are required for all train and engine jobs around here. I’m protected by a tower, so don’t need them. But the GTW would not hire me in 1969 or 1970 because I wore prescription glasses back then (I no longer do). CNW didn’t seem to care in 1971, but I had to have regular vision checks for many years.
Get contact lenses…
When I hired out at the PTRA, all that was required of those who wore glasses was that we get a set with polycarbon lenses, scratch and shatter resistant…no requirement for side shields.
They add the side shield safety rule two years after, but those hired before were exempt.
The carrier paid 100% of the cost of the lenses and 75% of the frames, as long as the frames were under $100.00.
They still pay the same percent, and you can excersise it every five years.
My current pair look like they have been dragged around on the ballast…cant count the number of times something has smacked into them…
I can say that with out them, I would be in a world of hurt!
Ed
Hi group I am a locomotive engineer that weres glasses no line bifocal to be exact they are of the safety type above. As long as your vision is at least 20/30 you can work and the big thing that will disqualify is color blindness.
Rodney
Locomotive Engineer BNSF
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My current pair look like they have been dragged around on the ballast…cant count the number of times something has smacked into them…
I can say that with out them, I would be in a world of hurt!
Ed
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Same here !
Randy
Thanks everyone, I am not color blind so that’s good. Well my vision was 20/40 until I got glasses and now 20/20. So it sounds like I’ll be ok.
Dave
Thanks MC, I’ll check em out.
Oh come on Dave, 20/40, is that it? With out my glasses, I can’t tell a hot chick from a stop sign.
Adrianspeeder
AdrianSpeeder & David3–
Hopefully more useful info for you.
I’m not a RR employee but I have a pair of safety glasses for field work. No-line Transitions III bifocals. And they were able to use small enough frames that lense thickness wasn’t an issue. Bought them through Sam’s Club. Side shields would have to be permanently attached on mine to meet RR requirements, but getting that done on a reasonable set of frames is no big deal–tell the folks you need them permanently attached and they should direct you to a set of frames. I’ve never been to a single optician that cannot dispense safety glasses.
Sometimes they are one and the same. [;)]
You would all be better off with contacts
Contacts are usually a poor idea for railroading. If something gets into your eye – doesn’t have to be a grain of dirt, or dust, it can be vapor – you’ll have to take the thing out immediately. I can’t imagine doing this quickly with required hand protection, dirt on the fingers under the hand protection, etc.
Then you have to worry about where to put the lens you took out (unless disposable and you have spares)
Then you have to worry about putting a replacement in, probably without being able to wash your face around the lids.
There are very, very good reasons why the armed forces don’t let you hold command with poor vision, even if corrected by contacts.
Strange that no one has mentioned RK, LASIK, etc. and official RR policy on having the procedures done. RK, the older technology, has some induced glare problems from the radial incision scars, and there’s an increased risk of major eye problems if something hits the outside of the globe (eyeball). The ablative reshaping procedure to my knowledge doesn’t pose a hazard, and the cost is rapidly approaching levels that are competitive with eyeglasses for people with, for example, relatively severe myopia (nearsightedness).
Be interesting to see if and when railroads recognize the productivity gains achievable from one-time vision correction, and establish subsidies or before-tax payment programs to allow employees to have it…
Have you looked into the wiley-x saftey glasses, you can get prescription lenses for them plus they meet all the ANSI specs. Thats what my entire battery wore in iraq last year. they are comfortable, and they don’t look goofey like traditional saftey glasses, and most importantley they saved my eyes on more than 1 occasion
One of our dispatchers had RK/Lasik done a while back, but I guess she had problems afterward (she didn’t specify what exactly)
I prefer glasses myself, guess I’ve worn them so long, I wouldn’t go any other way.
Randy
So used to getting up in the morning and putting my eyes on…no fuss, no muss!
Time to sack out, just take them off and lay them on the night stand.
And contacts can’t protect my eyes as well as my glasses…
Ed