Safety is the most important element in performing duties. Obeying the rules is essential to job safety and continued employment.
In case of doubt or uncertainty, take the safe course.
Employees must be careful to prevent injuring themselves or others. They must be alert and attentive when performing their duties and plan their work to avoid injury.
Report by the first means of communication any accidents; personal injuries; defects in tracks, bridges, or signals; or any unusual condition that may affect the safe and efficient operation of the railroad. Where required, furnish a written report promptly after reporting the incident.
Employees must check the condition of equipment and tools they use to perform their duties. Employees must not use defective equipment or tools until they are safe to use. Employees must report any defects to the proper authority.
When passengers or employees are injured, do everything possible to care for them.
If equipment is involved in personal injury, loss of life, or damage to property, the employee in charge must immediately secure the names, addresses, and occupations of all persons involved, including all persons at the scene when the accident occurred and those that arrived soon after. The employee in charge must secure the names regardless of whether these persons admit knowing anything about the accident.
The employee in charge must also obtain the license numbers of nearby automobiles. When necessary, other employees can assist in obtaining this information, which must be included in reports covering the incident.
Where signaling devices are provided or a flagman is on duty, the employee in charge and assisting employees must try to determine who, among the witnesses, can testify whether the signaling devices were functioning properly or if the flagman was performing his duties properly.
When possible, obtain the names of witnesses who can testify about bell and whistle signals.
If an accident results in personal injury or death, all tools, machinery, and other equipment involved, including the accident site, must be inspected promptly by the foreman, another person in charge of the work, or other competent inspectors. The inspector must promptly forward to his manager a report of the inspection. The report must include the condition of the equipment and the names of those making the inspection.
If requested by the claims department, the equipment inspected must be marked for identification and placed in custody of the responsible manager or employee.
When engines, cars, or other equipment are involved in an accident that results in personal injury or death, the equipment must be inspected before it leaves the accident site.
A mechanical department employee must further inspect the equipment at the first terminal. This employee must promptly report inspection results to the proper manager.
All cases of personal injury, while on duty or on company property, must be immediately reported to the proper manager and the prescribed form completed.
A personal injury that occurs while off duty that will in any way affect employee performance of duties must be reported to the proper manager as soon as possible. The injured employee must also complete the prescribed written form before returning to service.
Except when authorized by the proper manager:
Employees must not withhold information, or fail to give all the facts to those authorized to receive information regarding unusual events, accidents, personal injuries, or rule violations.
Safety Rules.
Employees must have a copy of, be familiar with, and comply with all safety rules issued in a separate book or in another form.General Code of Operating Rules. Employees governed I by these rules must have a current copy they can refer to while on duty.
Hazardous Materials. Employees who in any way handle hazardous materials must have a copy of the instructions or regulations for handling these materials . Employees must be familiar with and comply with these instructions or regulations
Air Brakes. Employees whose duties are affected by air brake operation must have a copy of the rules and instructions for operating air brakes and train handling. Employees must know and obey these rules and instructions.
Timetable/Special Instructions. Employees whose duties are affected by the timetable/special instructions must have a current copy they can refer to while on duty.
Train Dispatchers and Control Operators. The train dispatchers and control operators must have a copy of rules and instructions for train dispatchers and control operators. They must be familiar with and obey those rules and instructions.
Classes. Employees must be familiar with and obey all rules, regulations, and instructions and must attend required classes. They must pass the required examinations.
Explanation. Employees must ask their supervisor for an explanation of any rule, regulation, or instruction they are unsure of.
Issued, Canceled, or Modified. Rules may be issued, canceled, or modified by track bulletin, general order, or special instructions.
General orders:
Before beginning each day's work or trip, trainmen, enginemen, and any others whose duties require, must review general orders that apply to the territory they will work on.
Circulars, instructions, notices, and other information are issued and canceled by the designated manager. Before beginning each day's work or trip, trainmen, enginemen, and any others whose duties require, must review those that apply to the territory they will work on.
Employees must cooperate and assist in carrying out the rules and instructions. They must promptly report any violations to the proper supervisor. They must also report any condition or practice that may threaten the safety of trains, passengers, or employees, and any misconduct or negligence that may affect the interest of the railroad.
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 in their 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 medication that may adversely affect safe performance is prohibited while on duty or on company property, except medication that is permitted by a medical practitioner and used as prescribed. Employees must not have any prohibited substances in their bodily fluids when reporting for duty, while on duty, or while on company property.
Employees must not be:
Employees must not enter into altercations with each other, play practical jokes, or wrestle while on duty or on railroad property.
Employees reporting for duty must be clean and neat.
They must wear the prescribed uniform when required.
Employees must behave in such a way that the railroad will not be criticized for their actions.
Unless permitted by the railroad, employees on duty must not:
Employees must not sleep while on duty. Employees reclined with their eyes closed will be in violation of this rule.
While on duty or on railroad property, employees must not have firearms or other deadly weapons, including knives with a blade longer than 3 inches. Employees may possess these weapons only if they are authorized to use them to perform their duties, or if they are given special permission by the designated manager.
Employees will report to and comply with instructions from supervisors who have the proper jurisdiction. Employees will comply with instructions issued by managers of various departments when the instructions apply to their duties.
Employees are under the jurisdiction of the supervisors of the railroad they are operating on.
When operating on another railroad, unless otherwise instructed, employees will be governed by:
Safety rules and the air brake and train handling rules of the railroad they are employed by
The operating rules and timetable/special instructions of the railroad they are operating on
Employees must report for duty at the designated time and place with the necessary equipment to perform their duties. They must spend their time on duty working only for the railroad . Employees must not leave their assignment, exchange duties, or allow others to fill their assignment without proper authority.
Employees subject to call must indicate where they can be reached and must not be absent from their calling place without notifying those required to call them.
Employees must be familiar and comply with the requirements of the federal hours of service law. Employees are expected to use off-duty time so they are prepared for work.
If an employee is called to report for duty before legal off-duty time has expired, before accepting the call to work, the employee must notify the individual making the call that off-duty time has not expired.
A. Notification
When communication is available employees must notify the train dispatcher
or another
authority of the time the law requires them to be off duty. Employees must
provide
notification early enough that they may be relieved, or transportation
provided, before
they exceed the hours of service.
B. Exceeding the Law
Employees must not exceed the federal hours of service law without proper
authority.
However, they must not leave trains, engines, or cars on the main track
without proper
protection. Employees must secure trains properly and, if possible, before
they exceed the
hours of service.
Employees must not engage in another business or occupation that would create a conflict of interest with their employment on the railroad or would interfere with their availability for service or the proper performance of their duties.
Employees are responsible for properly using and caring for railroad property. Employees must return the property when the proper authority requests them to do so. Employees must not use railroad property for their personal use.
Employees must expect the movement of trains, engines, cars, or other movable equipment at any time, on any track, and in either direction.
Employees must not stand on the track in front of an approaching engine, car, or other moving equipment.
Employees must be aware of the location of structures or obstructions where clearances are close.
Employees whose duties require them to occupy the roof of a car or engine must do so only with proper authority and when the equipment is standing.
Unauthorized persons must not be permitted on equipment.
Without proper authority, employees must not alter, nullify, change the design of, or in any manner restrict or interfere with the normal function of any device or equipment on engines, cars, or other railroad property, except in the case of an emergency. Employees must report to the proper supervisor changes made in an emergency.
Railroad property must be kept in a clean, orderly, and safe condition. Railroad buildings, facilities, or equipment must not be damaged or defaced. Only information authorized by the proper manager or required by law may be posted on railroad property.
Unless specifically authorized, employees must not use the railroad's credit and must not receive or pay out money on the railroad account. Employees must not sell or in any way get rid of railroad property without proper authority. Employees must care for all articles of value found on railroad property and promptly report the articles to the proper authority.
Employees must not discriminate among railroad customers. Employees must not accept gifts or rewards from customers, suppliers, or contractors of the railroad.
Employees who make up, handle, or care for any of the following must not allow an unauthorized person to access them or disclose any information contained in them:
Employees must take every precaution to prevent loss and damage by fire.
Employees must report promptly to the train dispatcher any fires seen on or near the right of way, unless the fires are being controlled. If there is danger of the fire spreading to a bridge or other structure, crew members must stop their train and help extinguish the fire.
Cause of fire, if known, must be promptly reported.
Crew members must operate trains and engines safely and efficiently. All employees must avoid unnecessary delays.
When possible, train or engine crews wanting to stop the train to eat must ask the train dispatcher at least one hour and thirty minutes before the desired stop.
When possible, crew members on the head end of freight trains must ride in the control compartment of the engine.
When riding on the head end, the conductor will ride in the control compartment.
Crew members who repair foreign cars must report the repairs on the prescribed form.
When overheated wheels are found on a train, the train must be stopped and held a minimum of 10 minutes to allow the heat to equalize through the wheel.
When personnel are not on duty primarily to inspect freight cars, each car placed in the train may be moved after it receives a safety inspection as follows:
Cars must be checked for:
If a wheel on a piece of equipment has a flat spot more than 2-1/2 inches long, or if the wheel has adjoining flat spots that are each at least 2 inches long, the equipment must not be moved faster than 10 MPH. Such equipment in a train must be set out at the first available point.
Be sure dump doors on cars are closed after a load is dumped. If cars must be moved short distances with the dump doors open, make sure the doors and chains will clear tracks and crossings.
Place excessive dimension loads on or near the head end of trains.
Instructions will be issued to trains handling excessive dimension loads. If no instructions have been issued regarding handling the car, the conductor will immediately notify the train dispatcher.
Crew members handling excessive dimension equipment must ensure that the equipment will clear nearby objects, including equipment on adjacent tracks. If the train cannot reach a point with enough clearance, crew members must make sure protection is provided against movements on adjacent tracks.
Flat cars, open top cars, and open top TOFCs/COFCs with loads that are likely to shift must not be placed in trains next to the following if train length and makeup permit:
This restriction does not apply to cars with permanent tie-downs.
Shipments with painted or finished surfaces susceptible to damage, such as automobiles, trucks, tractors, combines, and other similar equipment or machinery, must not be placed closer than the fifth car behind open top cars loaded with commodities such as coal, sand, gravel, lime, soda ash, etc. subject to wind, vapor, or fume action on adjacent cars. Exceptions include shipments susceptible to damage that are:
An open top car loaded with sand, gravel, lime, soda ash, etc. subject to wind, vapor, or fume action in other than a solid unit train must not be placed immediately ahead of an occupied caboose.
The engineer must verify speed indicator accuracy as soon as possible after taking charge of the engine. If the speed indicator is not accurate to within 3 MPH plus or minus at speeds of 10 to 30 MPH and to within 5 MPH plus or minus at speeds above 30 MPH, the engineer must immediately report the variance to the train dispatcher.
The engineer will report any engine defect on the proper form and notify the relieving engineer, when needed.
Engines coupled to equipment that includes occupied passenger cars must not be left without an authorized employee in charge.
When trains are detoured over another railroad, the engineer of the detoured train will operate the engine unless otherwise approved by a manager of the railroad the train is being detoured over.
The pilot will inform the engineer of speed restrictions, signals, sidings, etc. to make sure the train detours over the railroad safely.
A. Engine or Train Stopped in Tunnel
When an engine is stopped in a tunnel and cannot move promptly, crew members must:
B. Passenger Train Stopped in Tunnel or Deep Snow
Crew members of a passenger train stopped in a tunnel or deep snow must:
C. Notification if Stopped in Tunnel or Deep Snow
The train dispatcher should be notified immediately so that proper arrangements can be made to protect persons and equipment.
D. When These Requirements Will Not Apply
These requirements will not apply if air currents carry the exhaust gases away from the train. Safety of passengers and crew members must be the first consideration.
Train dispatchers supervise train movement and any employees connected with that movement.
Control operators and operators are under the direction of the train dispatcher when their duties concern handling track warrants, track bulletins, lineups, the movement of trains, and any other instructions issued by the train dispatcher.
The yardmaster is responsible for and shall directly supervise yard crews, clerks, and all other employees working in the yard. The yardmaster must see that they work in a safe, efficient, and economical manner, according to the rules, regulations, and instructions of the railroad. Yardmasters must ensure the prompt and regular movement of cars, especially the proper makeup of trains and their movement into and out of the yard.
At locations where yardmasters are on duty, employees in train, engine, and yard service must comply with the yardmaster's instructions. At locations where no yardmaster is on duty, these employees will work according to the instructions of designated employees.
The conductor and the engineer are responsible for the safety and protection of their train and observance of the rules. If any conditions are not covered by the rules, they must take every precaution for protection.
A. Conductor Responsibilities
B. Engineer Responsibilities
C. Conductor and Engineer Responsibilities
D. Other Crew Members Responsibilities
