when travelling on Amtrak I notice when engineers are boarding
their engines, whether psgr or freight, They usually have a voluminous
briefcase. I’m sure you have your GCOR, Amtrak rule book, NORAC
and/or other rule books, timetables, special instructions for the
route, etc.
Do you carry a consist of the cars & what you are carrying, What about
a list of dangerous commodities, etc. Do you have flares
& torpedoes or are these stocked in the cab Do you have your
own phone, or is one already in the cab when you board???
The common “brief case” you see is the rule book and related materials. It has been quite a while since the rule book and timetable would fit into the back pocket of your bib overalls. Yes, the brief case is just packed full with the GCOR, Timetables, Hazmat Response book and copies of some recent General Orders and Special Instructions. No room for a portable radio in there.
i dont carrrie a breifecase…but a laptop computer bag (but no laptop)…and that is full of rule books…time tables…maps… and a crap load of other paperwork that we have to carrie… as well as few trouble shooting books for locomotives… a book of locomotive work reports (incase the locomotive is out of them)… and i also carrie a back pack when on the road that has rain gear…clean change of clothing… and basic tolityrs like toothbrush and shampoo deoderent…stuff like that…
csx engineer
Do you pack a meal with you? What do you do when you layover at the destination terminal? Do you go to a restaurant or deli and pickup something to take with you on the return trip?
I often hear dispatchers tell crews that are going to be at certain sidings for awhile to go get something to eat, as it will be awhile. Does one crew member go and the other stay?
ed
I would think if the dispatcher says “Go eat” we are “GONE” at least it was that way in trucking.
I am thinking instead of that monster paperwork… why not a small pocket viewer with a OS Palm style or similar that can interface with the railroad network?
I would imagine the might be other things in those grips such as a reading book to pass the slows and small things like coffee for when the away ternimal’s pot was empty.
Yea one crew member might go pick something up for the both of us, because we are both to lazy to tie the train down. But if we are going to be somewhere for a very long time we will both go get something to eat.
thanks for all the info. I was wondering if only RR material was
to be carried in the case & not personal items which might have
to be carried in your personal bags.
Anything you might need for an overnight stay! Over the road crews are out one day, return the next. Then the rule books, many in some cases, need to be carries, and some of them are quite large. Any forms needed for the job, like time slips, blank track warrents and ticket forms (for passenger trains). Lunch and coffee need to be carries also. Anything you might have at your desk, the train crew carries in a “Grip” usally a suit case.