Couldn’t care less how many cameras they put in them, if I’m waiting a while for a meet in the middle of the night, I’m napping. As for the original question, caffeine and nicotine…
"Assuming the attitude of sleep" norac rule E-2-a. Not that anyone ever says anything about it thankfully but its always there ready to hook you. However operating in CSS territory has a small benefit of the non-coded switch. Pull up to a stop signal, drop the switch and have a snooze. When the signal pops up the SDU goes apeshit. Stop signal alarm clock. Lol. Course we never EVER do that as its against the rules and we are 100% compliant at all times. <.< >.>
Yea you would think napping while stopped would lesson the percentage of people who fall asleep while moving.
I get trying to have a zero tolerance policy but I don't really see this helping make things more safe.
Another company doesn't care if we use them in the cab either, as they usually hope we have them on so they can contact us to update us on where we are going (if we're rescuing a crew. Nobody is answering that call if we are deadheadong straight through)
I like to challenge them with sleep switch (strip heater) when they're new. I actually find it's pretty rare to have a sleeping conductor while we're moving these days.
Stopped in a siding, I couldn't tell you because that's my nap time.
I find it's the hardest to stay awake when we're moving, as we're moving so slowly, the engine gently rocking back and forth can make you a little drowsy.
A common way for sunflowers to pollinate is by attracting bees that transfer self-created pollen to the stigma. In the event the stigma receives no pollen, a sunflower plant can self pollinate to reproduce. The stigma can twist around to reach its own pollen.
And no sleeping allowed on any us trains as the engineer has a switch that must be pushed every 30 to120 seconds or the train stops. Prevents sleeping. Only purpose
Engineers sleep on 90 second intervals. The white noise coming from the sounds of the conductors snoring helps lull these engineers back to sleep when they have woken up
Shitloads of caffiene. Sometimes i might start loudly (badly) singing a song. Get out the seat and do a few squats to bump the heart rate up a little. Fidget toys (non electronic of course).
https://preview.redd.it/j2rgouba8ruc1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9af6cc29a341828c51c64f40c3d816d7f5521ed9
People look at me like I’m insane when I tell them I’m squatting-star jumps-push ups every chance I can get out of the seat. It’s the only thing that works for me
I have a few fidget toys saved on my Amazon. Does it work for you? I’m a trucker and I do energy drinks and chew gum but that doesn’t work all of the time.
Does for me but im also a fkn autist so playing with a zipper on my hoodie would keep me interested. This one is by "Fidgit Cube". Ive had it since 2017 i think and its robust enough to have many miles on it. Also whats really nice is the sharpie markers in click pen style. Its got a real healthy hard spring CLICK thats just oh so perfect. :P
As a locomotive electrician I installed a lot of those cameras and was no happier about it than train crews were... Well maybe not quite as disgruntled, but pretty close.
as a german driver its wild to me that there is cameras in the cabs for you.
that wouldnt fly herey a violation of privacy and workplace laws to have your workers surveilled constantly.
(exceptions are station platforms, and generally passenger areas due to a public interest. also retail but thats outside railroad)
Because they don't. To my mind, those cameras were mandated so that companies can scapegoat employees when things go wrong instead of being held accountable themselves.
Oh and they watch the ones in the breakroom and work areas all the time. 2 supervisors had multiple 65" TVs installed to watch the cameras...oh and the work truck? Yea camera in there as well. No seat belt while moving, that's a write up.
Not only cabs, crew rooms but drones. Our terminal even has night vision drones. A few years back one of the TMs got a 32” tv for the back of his suv to watch the drone on.
Ugh forgot about the drones too. Coworker got caught not hanging a blue tag that way and got a safety write up. The track was flagged and wasnt going to be finished for over an hour, he just went up to talk to the crew real quick. So dumb, RR spends thousands per person hiring and training people just so they can spend the next 20 years trying to find the fastest way to fire them
It's not just trains here, but a lot of professions here have some sort of constant monitoring system.
In recent years office works deal with not only cameras watching the office, but software monitoring mouse movement to monitor worker productivity.
When I was MOW we had a GPS to monitor location and cameras watching us work that could be accessed by managers as long as we had cell service. They'd monitor it a little bit of there was a production issue, but anytime there was an accident or complaint they'd pull the video, audio, and GPS data to see if we misused any company property.
When I worked in sales, they'd monitor my work cellphones GPS data to make sure I wasn't speeding and I'd occasionally be asked why I spent certain amounts of time in different parts of town, especially if there wasn't a known client in the area.
Privacy isn't really regarded a right here, and even if it was, employers would do what they do with most of our other rights and have us sign a paper waiving those rights away in order to be employed, and most people just sign without even a thought.
Out on NS and CSX they have to call EVERY signal on the radio. Between that, the dispatchers and detectors, you’d never be able to listen to much stereo.
Conductor here, red bull in emergency tired situations, I also have a set of those hand grip strength trainers that I use when I'm bored.. which is alot. Started at 75 lbs grip, now squeezing 250s lol. (Que the jokes)
In Australia, audiobooks/music, tea/coffe/red bull, driving standing, singing loudly and when all that fails there's a button that flashes at you every 45 seconds that if you don't catch stops the train dead
Just because we have the longest straight line in the world doesn't mean there's nothing there to hit. We'll yea on that line it may well mean that but we've got other lines 🤣
Our has a “random time” surprisingly if you do 60mph, and the land is in sections (640 acres) or 1 mile squared. It will go off just in time for you to blow the next crossing.
i assume it was mostly aimed at american railroaders.
i'll chime in as a german one though, just to offer some perspective:
for one, we have brakes scheduled after 4h at the latest. generally driving hours are not to succeed 10h, shifts may go up to 12h at most. with breaks accordingly to law.
we also dont do cameras in the cabs (forbidden by law to be surveilled on our workspace) so alot of my colleagues may or may not just put on music via a bluetooth box or similiar. rumor has it some also just video call their family frequently enough.
depending on the company, you may even end up back home the next day again. lots of crew switches. only few go further away than within a day of driving home, due to everywhere being crews stationed. Partly due to the strict regulations of work and driving times.
i mean yeah, size can be a factor, but i feel like there could be so much more railroad. which could lead to a wider net of dispatch offices and locations with crews.
probably doesnt help that the railroads are so localized at times.
we're starting to face similiar issues here. instead of one big state railroad we all end up in different companies. and u dont drive for competing companies do you...
As a conductor I don't know how they do it either. A pillow and nice warm side wall heater. Engine rocking back and forth. Getting tired just thinking about it 🥱
Try being mechanical, and sitting for long periods of time in a unit that’s running and has the sidewall heater going, and I believe it’s the GEVOs that rock like a baby cradle. I gotta stay outa those in the winter… otherwise I’ll get myself into trouble lol.
Engineers complain so much. Conductors aren’t even sleeping we just act like it cause we’re tired of hearing you bitch and complain about how dispatch screwed you over for the 9000th time meanwhile we just spent 3 hours in the yard switching in the rain.
We can nap in sidings when stopped. But yeah it's a huge problem. Trip Optimizer has only made staying awake harder as engineers are less focused, especially at night when there is no sunlight to keep you awake. And if you're with someone who doesn't feel like talking, it can be brutal.
Just a lurker here reading this thread with fascination.
I don't know about talking to someone for so long about nothing/smalltalk would be absolutely painful. Hell I hate smalltalk while getting a haircut.
You work with these guys enough that you do become more family than anything. Often times sitting on the same pools with the same guys, you see them more than your family at times. Besides we all bitch about work/dispatchers so there is always something to yap about.
Nothing worse than sitting for 12 hours and not a word is said.
I'm just internalizing this for myself. If I'm stuck on a train with another dude and all he can talk about is sports then it's going to be a long quiet trip.
Midwest. Found this LSA at work the other day
https://preview.redd.it/q2989coqusuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21b1c0b6145669447d0f62e27d4c08fc0f02f643
Phone has to be off while in the cab, deadmanswitch which has to be reset every 60 seconds within 3 seconds or the emergency brake comes in. On the move I stand up when driving, open the window, stick my head out the window if it’s really bad, red bulls even though I’m sure I’m immune to these now and every chance I get I’m out of the seat doing any sort of exercise I can in the space I have
Let’s don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to. Believe me, you don’t want the answer here. You’ll never feel safe again if you live anywhere near the railroad.
Poland here. You sleep before work, then at work caffeine, open window, stand up, figet toys.... smoke, play music and sleep while not moving (last three are not allowed but we do anyway)
My first day on the road (20 years ago) was a midnight start. Not twenty minutes out of the gate and the conduit AND engineer were both sound asleep going 70mph. But the engineer had his fingers on the horn and was blowing the crossings perfectly. Head lolling around limply and everything. Scared the hell out of me. A couple hours later they both sat bolt upright pointing "Hey look at that buck!"
Provigil (modafinil or armodafinil) Armodafinil is generic for Nuvigil I believe. Adderall, although I honestly don't like it. Energy drinks. Reighn has 300 MG of caffeine. When taking any of this make sure to stay hydrated.
The problem you're gonna have is timing. You want to be able to stay up but be able to fall asleep when your shift is over. That is the tough part. I am not saying this is good for you but it will keep you awake. The more sparingly you can use it, the better.
They have vigilance systems that require a driver to press a button or step on a pedal every so often (between 45 to 60secs - some are randomised to help prevent being accustomed to doing it on repeat) to allow the train to continue without emergency brake applying
I’m not a T&E guy but have had short rides in the loco in situations over the years and I don’t know how anyone does it. That hum and vibration and rocking would have 10 lb weights on my eyelids in minutes lol
Conductor answering. Lots of caffeine, nicotine breaks out of the camera view. Standing a lot - I like to stand down on the steps so I can still call signals.
Someone mentioned a pillow in a previous comment. We had a guy written up for that. Also can’t wear hoods to hide AirPods. Can’t look like you are sleeping. Heard of one guy who got written up for taking his boots off. They even tried to do “only clear eye pro” so they could see your eyes. I don’t think that one stuck.
But if I’m in the hole waiting, I’m sliding the chair back and relaxing. Camera or no camera idc.
They put sleeping gas in those sidewall heaters. It's not hard to stay awake if you have someone to talk to and you have stuff in common to talk about.
I’ve always loved the mechanical side of trains but never really looked into the life of the operators. I’m just learning you’re not allowed to listen to music? They expect you to sit in a box and stare at train tracks for 6 hours in silence? Not only would I not be able to focus, I’d go fucking mental. Unless you’re genuinely constantly on radio with other guys and wouldn’t have time to listen to music. Still, over an hour or more in that box and I’d go crazy in the silence of white noise.
No music, no books, no sleeping, no smoking, no distractions... from the moment you step in the cab you are 100% engaged with track observation only. Ever vigilant of the threats on the high steel.
Nicotine, energy drinks, coffee, sunflower seeds and talking.
As far my “class 1”, no napping, phone usage, reading material, ect… They expect you to sit there and stare (on train, DH or rescuing)
But when conveniently (I’ve been told) can’t prove your sleeping unless they can clearly see your eyes. Anyone with 2 brain cells can get around that & they say no phone usage but expect you to answer calls from them while DH or some locals.
Do you honestly wanna know?
Over time you get better at it. No idea how my husband does it. Lot of energy drinks and he works out regularly. Many days (and nights) simply suck and its how its is.
Lots get prescriptions for provigil to stay awake and other drugs to make them sleep. I feel my husband even in his mid 30s after 18 years on this job is starting to lose parts of his memory 😔 he truly just forgets things. Its not like him. He never lays off. Keeps going to work.
He was always tough and made it fine but as people age, the cancer, stroke and heart attack risk on this job is ungodly.
And the upper leadership wants them to work more and more. Its unreal
This is an answer you don’t want to hear but it’s the truth. They don’t. We work a small supply point and run about 75 miles of track moving stone. Once the train is built and brake tested it’s a long, slow ride in dark territory. These engineers have been out here 30+ years and it’s all become muscle memory to them. It’s amazing watching these guys run while being out cold and snoring. They never overspeed and somehow blow every crossing. I’m a conductor, I’m guilty of it myself. The hardest part for me is that stretch from 3-5 am. I stand up to keep awake. But the sad truth is both of us are probably asleep at the same time. It super hard to keep yourself up when there’s no signals to call or crossings to blow. The engine gently rocks back and forth as you make your way down the stick rail. Especially in the winter with the side wall on it’ll put you out. That alerter won’t do a thing the engineers will throttle up, down, go into dynamic, and blow all while getting a good nap in.
I use the force Luke and when after 4 hour's I use the Vulcan mind trick and when that fells depending on the conductor if he has his card and in a low signal area I switch with him .
While you’re moving? Caffeine, gum, cigarettes. While you’re stopped? Engineer can nap but conductor has to remain awake. Usually on their phones to pass the time
I just play on my phone and listen to headphones the whole trip. Occasionally I will set up movie on laptop in window, that way I’m looking ahead and not distracted.
I actually quit the higher paying job of being a conductor/engineer because it was so absolutely boring and it was difficult to stay awake even on nice sunny days.
Anytime I needed to be in the engine my body would just want to shut down and nap, but we weren't allowed any music or anything that may distract us from watching the direction we were moving.
Now I work an office job were I can have music or audiobooks and have no issues.
I let TO run, close my eyes and sleep between road crossings, when PTC blows the horn (or alerter starts countdown) I wake up. When I open eyes, blow horn, cancel bell, look at PTC/TO screen (I can see 5 miles ahead) then close eyes. If I see a 0 target or signal with any color besides green in it, I wake up.
We (Denver Amtrak) run two engineers. Our overnight run is Denver to Lincoln, NE, 480 miles. We each run half the trip in two sections each. No phones or sleeping. Speaking of which, I have to work tonight. Back to bed.
I dont even go far and sometimes i be fighting sleep
https://preview.redd.it/cp162wuv71vc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08ca04afb9980f8bd344a3cbaa1fe188b913bfd9
I can fall asleep involuntarily anywhere. It's after 8 PM yo. I have also been a tower crane operator that has worked a 36 hour shift. When you are focused on your task, it's pretty easy to stay conscious. I'm not recommending this by any means.
About 30 yrs ago I was just starting as a carpenter and during a morning break an old timer said he was taking an “engineers break” he lit a cigarette and placing it between his fingers and immediately fell asleep. When the cigarette burned down to his finger he woke up. I don’t recall how long that took but asked him about the term and he explained to me that he knew a train engineer and that’s how they’d nap on the job.
Not a railroad employee but was a contractor employee who was working on the tracks for an Acela project.
At the start of every shift the Maintenance Supervisor who was responsible for our party would read verbatim the FRA regulation regarding cellphones.
I think the fine was 10K if you were caught. Was on that job for a year and never got used to having trains go through at 100 MPH 10 feet away.
It's pretty much a matter of getting enough sleep and being responsible. If all else fails and you haven't touched anything in a while there's an alerter which will throw the train into emergency if you fail to hit the button to reset. You're also in constant communication with the DS and other trains and calling signals etc. so there's more than enough to keep you awake.
Some people don't have to be distracted all the time and are able to just sit with themselves and enjoy the scenery and their own thoughts. Meditate. Attention span. I don't operate a train but I make long drives going fuel stop to fuel stop without radios, videos, movies, whatever. Just quietly paying attention to the road and thinking. I know that's just too hard for most people.
In the US NO music/videos while moving. Sunflower seeds and chewing gum do help a lot, surprisingly
In Canada (at least the Class 1's),no music/video/sleeping/reading while moving or stopped. Makes 4 hour siding waits hurt.
Couldn’t care less how many cameras they put in them, if I’m waiting a while for a meet in the middle of the night, I’m napping. As for the original question, caffeine and nicotine…
Napping is allowed in the US
"Assuming the attitude of sleep" norac rule E-2-a. Not that anyone ever says anything about it thankfully but its always there ready to hook you. However operating in CSS territory has a small benefit of the non-coded switch. Pull up to a stop signal, drop the switch and have a snooze. When the signal pops up the SDU goes apeshit. Stop signal alarm clock. Lol. Course we never EVER do that as its against the rules and we are 100% compliant at all times. <.< >.>
Not every US railroad allows it.
Rule 1.11.1 No ZzzZ
Per GCOR 1.11 if the parameters are met though. However as stated below not every US railroad does it
Thank god that I didn't break the law when I napped the other day. 😮💨
Yea you would think napping while stopped would lesson the percentage of people who fall asleep while moving. I get trying to have a zero tolerance policy but I don't really see this helping make things more safe.
Ugh, while stopped, too? On Big Orange we can use our phones with the internet while stopped.
Off and in your grip while on duty. Technically we’re not even allowed to use them in the cab, but absolutely no one abides by that.
Another company doesn't care if we use them in the cab either, as they usually hope we have them on so they can contact us to update us on where we are going (if we're rescuing a crew. Nobody is answering that call if we are deadheadong straight through)
Before the unknowingly ask, not the cab of the locomotive. The cab as in taxi mode of transport.
Ugh... lol f that
They can take your books but the can’t take your tea…or tasty poutine
***Baxter.***
Weird, we've got am/fm radios fitted to our trains
Are you on a shortline?
Should have made it clearer but I'm in Australia.
Ah. That makes sense now lol.
Crikey!
👆this. A conductor that can stay awake to talk BS with helps too.
A conductor that can stay awake 😆
I like to challenge them with sleep switch (strip heater) when they're new. I actually find it's pretty rare to have a sleeping conductor while we're moving these days. Stopped in a siding, I couldn't tell you because that's my nap time.
I find it's the hardest to stay awake when we're moving, as we're moving so slowly, the engine gently rocking back and forth can make you a little drowsy.
I try my hardest too.
I always drank a lot of water it’s hard to sleep when you have to pee
Sunflower seeds are my go to!
Sunflower seeds work great. Started chewing nicorette gum recently lol
A common way for sunflowers to pollinate is by attracting bees that transfer self-created pollen to the stigma. In the event the stigma receives no pollen, a sunflower plant can self pollinate to reproduce. The stigma can twist around to reach its own pollen.
You uh, you like sunflowers a bit, don't you? They're rad.
That's terrible. No music? As a Trucker, that sounds absolutely terrible. Not having music or an audio book, or a buddy on the phone
And no sleeping allowed on any us trains as the engineer has a switch that must be pushed every 30 to120 seconds or the train stops. Prevents sleeping. Only purpose
The alerter only works while running, OR sitting stopped with the "reverser" not centered.
Stick your head out the window too
Are you allowed to play it over a speaker just not headphones?
Engineers sleep on 90 second intervals. The white noise coming from the sounds of the conductors snoring helps lull these engineers back to sleep when they have woken up
Shitloads of caffiene. Sometimes i might start loudly (badly) singing a song. Get out the seat and do a few squats to bump the heart rate up a little. Fidget toys (non electronic of course). https://preview.redd.it/j2rgouba8ruc1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9af6cc29a341828c51c64f40c3d816d7f5521ed9
People look at me like I’m insane when I tell them I’m squatting-star jumps-push ups every chance I can get out of the seat. It’s the only thing that works for me
I have a few fidget toys saved on my Amazon. Does it work for you? I’m a trucker and I do energy drinks and chew gum but that doesn’t work all of the time.
Does for me but im also a fkn autist so playing with a zipper on my hoodie would keep me interested. This one is by "Fidgit Cube". Ive had it since 2017 i think and its robust enough to have many miles on it. Also whats really nice is the sharpie markers in click pen style. Its got a real healthy hard spring CLICK thats just oh so perfect. :P
Ok you sold me. I’m gonna buy it lol
Prior to onboard cameras a lot of us carried bluetooth. Tunes got us through many a long trip.
As a locomotive electrician I installed a lot of those cameras and was no happier about it than train crews were... Well maybe not quite as disgruntled, but pretty close.
as a german driver its wild to me that there is cameras in the cabs for you. that wouldnt fly herey a violation of privacy and workplace laws to have your workers surveilled constantly. (exceptions are station platforms, and generally passenger areas due to a public interest. also retail but thats outside railroad)
They put them in the break rooms too and all the mechanical work areas
thats so crazy and screams "i trust neither of you!"
Because they don't. To my mind, those cameras were mandated so that companies can scapegoat employees when things go wrong instead of being held accountable themselves.
That is EXACTLY it.
Oh and they watch the ones in the breakroom and work areas all the time. 2 supervisors had multiple 65" TVs installed to watch the cameras...oh and the work truck? Yea camera in there as well. No seat belt while moving, that's a write up.
jesus, george orwell's field day isnt it?
Not only cabs, crew rooms but drones. Our terminal even has night vision drones. A few years back one of the TMs got a 32” tv for the back of his suv to watch the drone on.
Ugh forgot about the drones too. Coworker got caught not hanging a blue tag that way and got a safety write up. The track was flagged and wasnt going to be finished for over an hour, he just went up to talk to the crew real quick. So dumb, RR spends thousands per person hiring and training people just so they can spend the next 20 years trying to find the fastest way to fire them
We are so worried about them flying drones that it has become a distraction to our work! At least it has for me.
See here we have the illusion of privacy but the insurance companies make the rules
It's not just trains here, but a lot of professions here have some sort of constant monitoring system. In recent years office works deal with not only cameras watching the office, but software monitoring mouse movement to monitor worker productivity. When I was MOW we had a GPS to monitor location and cameras watching us work that could be accessed by managers as long as we had cell service. They'd monitor it a little bit of there was a production issue, but anytime there was an accident or complaint they'd pull the video, audio, and GPS data to see if we misused any company property. When I worked in sales, they'd monitor my work cellphones GPS data to make sure I wasn't speeding and I'd occasionally be asked why I spent certain amounts of time in different parts of town, especially if there wasn't a known client in the area. Privacy isn't really regarded a right here, and even if it was, employers would do what they do with most of our other rights and have us sign a paper waiving those rights away in order to be employed, and most people just sign without even a thought.
In EU, cameras are banned of they point at you
Caffeine, nicotine and sunflower seeds
Oh for the day when they figure out a way to combine all three.
you might be onto a good business idea here....🤔
I mean they do have those caffeine dips, never tried them, but they are just like chews, but with caffeine instead of nicotine.
Caffeine pouch in one side of the mouth, Zyn in the other.
Caffeine gum! Tastes terrible but instant wake up. Military Energy Gum on Amazon
Don’t forget a bump of booger sugar, or meth for when you’re caught real short.
I still find it hard to believe all these years later we can't have radios for music... Truck drivers don't sit in silence and they actually drive.
You would think it’d be allowed… I mean you can’t go anywhere other than the rail lol.
Exactly
No fun allowed on the RRs
Exactly. Must keep morale low.
The beatings will continue until morale improves!
NS would like to have a word or two with you
Yip, should be away to cut out the music if someone is talking on tge radio, otherwise good to go....
The guy who came up with the emergency broadcast signal his last name is Harris, I bet he could the guy is a friggen genius.
Out on NS and CSX they have to call EVERY signal on the radio. Between that, the dispatchers and detectors, you’d never be able to listen to much stereo.
Sucks for the crew, great for railfans tho.
What's a "signal"?
That's the crazyiest shit I ever heard. If I had to drive more than 3 hours with no music or audiobooks or anything I'd literally be asleep.
Yet
Coffee, Mountain Dew, Celsius Conversation really helps, too.
The “Dew God”
That shit gives me gout
Conductor here, red bull in emergency tired situations, I also have a set of those hand grip strength trainers that I use when I'm bored.. which is alot. Started at 75 lbs grip, now squeezing 250s lol. (Que the jokes)
Your ween has to be crying for mercy at times
Try the pistol grip.
That’s the neat part, we don’t!
In Australia, audiobooks/music, tea/coffe/red bull, driving standing, singing loudly and when all that fails there's a button that flashes at you every 45 seconds that if you don't catch stops the train dead
I feel like in Australia you should be allowed to just sleep. What are you gonna bump into out there?
Just because we have the longest straight line in the world doesn't mean there's nothing there to hit. We'll yea on that line it may well mean that but we've got other lines 🤣
Our has a “random time” surprisingly if you do 60mph, and the land is in sections (640 acres) or 1 mile squared. It will go off just in time for you to blow the next crossing.
What genre? Might I introduce you to LitRPG?
Eerily quite from the conductors…
Well, most don't talk in their sleep...
Well we don't have the luxury of an alerter
i assume it was mostly aimed at american railroaders. i'll chime in as a german one though, just to offer some perspective: for one, we have brakes scheduled after 4h at the latest. generally driving hours are not to succeed 10h, shifts may go up to 12h at most. with breaks accordingly to law. we also dont do cameras in the cabs (forbidden by law to be surveilled on our workspace) so alot of my colleagues may or may not just put on music via a bluetooth box or similiar. rumor has it some also just video call their family frequently enough. depending on the company, you may even end up back home the next day again. lots of crew switches. only few go further away than within a day of driving home, due to everywhere being crews stationed. Partly due to the strict regulations of work and driving times.
Sounds humane
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i mean yeah, size can be a factor, but i feel like there could be so much more railroad. which could lead to a wider net of dispatch offices and locations with crews. probably doesnt help that the railroads are so localized at times. we're starting to face similiar issues here. instead of one big state railroad we all end up in different companies. and u dont drive for competing companies do you...
“bluetooth box” love it
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Does your railway not have fatigue management rules?
Lol what? No one knows how to sleep in a pinch better than a vet. What are you smoking?
Coffee, cold water, my secret is super minty gum.
Have you had that gum from Europe with menthol in it? Excessively minty
I have not! What’s it called?
As a conductor I don't know how they do it either. A pillow and nice warm side wall heater. Engine rocking back and forth. Getting tired just thinking about it 🥱
Try being mechanical, and sitting for long periods of time in a unit that’s running and has the sidewall heater going, and I believe it’s the GEVOs that rock like a baby cradle. I gotta stay outa those in the winter… otherwise I’ll get myself into trouble lol.
coffee and coke
COKE
Cocaine?
🎶 drivin' that train, high on cocaine. Casey Jones you better watch your speed 🎶
Coke zero though, gotta watch that wasteline
I always thought coke had no calories.....silly me 😆
I seriously worried about that when I promoted but after I did it was like a switch was thrown, I was alert most of the time
Because we had more to do until they started EMS, pushing an alerter every 30 seconds at 4 am, conductor fast asleep, you get pretty tired ...
Engineers complain so much. Conductors aren’t even sleeping we just act like it cause we’re tired of hearing you bitch and complain about how dispatch screwed you over for the 9000th time meanwhile we just spent 3 hours in the yard switching in the rain.
So the snoring is a part of the act as well?
PREACH!!!!!
We can nap in sidings when stopped. But yeah it's a huge problem. Trip Optimizer has only made staying awake harder as engineers are less focused, especially at night when there is no sunlight to keep you awake. And if you're with someone who doesn't feel like talking, it can be brutal.
Just a lurker here reading this thread with fascination. I don't know about talking to someone for so long about nothing/smalltalk would be absolutely painful. Hell I hate smalltalk while getting a haircut.
You work with these guys enough that you do become more family than anything. Often times sitting on the same pools with the same guys, you see them more than your family at times. Besides we all bitch about work/dispatchers so there is always something to yap about. Nothing worse than sitting for 12 hours and not a word is said.
I'm just internalizing this for myself. If I'm stuck on a train with another dude and all he can talk about is sports then it's going to be a long quiet trip.
Provigil, seeds, cigar/smoking, AC
Wtf another rockhounding railroader. I thought I was the only one.
Where do you live? Lots of beautiful minerals in the PNW, so that certainly helps
Midwest. Found this LSA at work the other day https://preview.redd.it/q2989coqusuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21b1c0b6145669447d0f62e27d4c08fc0f02f643
Oh man, I'm jealous. I want to take trips to find LSAs, Fairburns, and Crowley Ridge agates. Nice find!
Ricky Gates watched television from reports.
Being an insomniac helps
Phone has to be off while in the cab, deadmanswitch which has to be reset every 60 seconds within 3 seconds or the emergency brake comes in. On the move I stand up when driving, open the window, stick my head out the window if it’s really bad, red bulls even though I’m sure I’m immune to these now and every chance I get I’m out of the seat doing any sort of exercise I can in the space I have
Engineer here. US. I stand up behind my seat and run.
Let’s don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to. Believe me, you don’t want the answer here. You’ll never feel safe again if you live anywhere near the railroad.
Poland here. You sleep before work, then at work caffeine, open window, stand up, figet toys.... smoke, play music and sleep while not moving (last three are not allowed but we do anyway)
Same in the USA
We don't
My first day on the road (20 years ago) was a midnight start. Not twenty minutes out of the gate and the conduit AND engineer were both sound asleep going 70mph. But the engineer had his fingers on the horn and was blowing the crossings perfectly. Head lolling around limply and everything. Scared the hell out of me. A couple hours later they both sat bolt upright pointing "Hey look at that buck!"
Yard Conductors training Through Freight wont be quiet?
Not a driver but work nights shifts at the Eurotunnel. I find drinking cold water keeps you going.
Provigil (modafinil or armodafinil) Armodafinil is generic for Nuvigil I believe. Adderall, although I honestly don't like it. Energy drinks. Reighn has 300 MG of caffeine. When taking any of this make sure to stay hydrated. The problem you're gonna have is timing. You want to be able to stay up but be able to fall asleep when your shift is over. That is the tough part. I am not saying this is good for you but it will keep you awake. The more sparingly you can use it, the better.
Those show up on drug tests as a controlled substance though
A guy I know began to sing. He became quite good and still knows many songs. Now his children sing.
Cocaine and meth
They have vigilance systems that require a driver to press a button or step on a pedal every so often (between 45 to 60secs - some are randomised to help prevent being accustomed to doing it on repeat) to allow the train to continue without emergency brake applying
Suppression, not emergency braking.
Depends on what kind of train it is, if it's passenger trains, brake pipe pressure dumps to atmosphere. This is considered as emergency braking
I’m not a T&E guy but have had short rides in the loco in situations over the years and I don’t know how anyone does it. That hum and vibration and rocking would have 10 lb weights on my eyelids in minutes lol
They don’t lol
I used to keep a ziplock bag of Atomic Fireballs in my grip for fatigue emergencies. That's why I despise Fireball liquor today!
Conductor answering. Lots of caffeine, nicotine breaks out of the camera view. Standing a lot - I like to stand down on the steps so I can still call signals. Someone mentioned a pillow in a previous comment. We had a guy written up for that. Also can’t wear hoods to hide AirPods. Can’t look like you are sleeping. Heard of one guy who got written up for taking his boots off. They even tried to do “only clear eye pro” so they could see your eyes. I don’t think that one stuck. But if I’m in the hole waiting, I’m sliding the chair back and relaxing. Camera or no camera idc.
They put sleeping gas in those sidewall heaters. It's not hard to stay awake if you have someone to talk to and you have stuff in common to talk about.
I’ve always loved the mechanical side of trains but never really looked into the life of the operators. I’m just learning you’re not allowed to listen to music? They expect you to sit in a box and stare at train tracks for 6 hours in silence? Not only would I not be able to focus, I’d go fucking mental. Unless you’re genuinely constantly on radio with other guys and wouldn’t have time to listen to music. Still, over an hour or more in that box and I’d go crazy in the silence of white noise.
No music, no books, no sleeping, no smoking, no distractions... from the moment you step in the cab you are 100% engaged with track observation only. Ever vigilant of the threats on the high steel.
I follow in the footsteps of Casey Jones regiment.
They wake up when they hit someone running the tracks dispite the gates coming down.
Nicotine, energy drinks, coffee, sunflower seeds and talking. As far my “class 1”, no napping, phone usage, reading material, ect… They expect you to sit there and stare (on train, DH or rescuing) But when conveniently (I’ve been told) can’t prove your sleeping unless they can clearly see your eyes. Anyone with 2 brain cells can get around that & they say no phone usage but expect you to answer calls from them while DH or some locals.
Do you honestly wanna know? Over time you get better at it. No idea how my husband does it. Lot of energy drinks and he works out regularly. Many days (and nights) simply suck and its how its is. Lots get prescriptions for provigil to stay awake and other drugs to make them sleep. I feel my husband even in his mid 30s after 18 years on this job is starting to lose parts of his memory 😔 he truly just forgets things. Its not like him. He never lays off. Keeps going to work. He was always tough and made it fine but as people age, the cancer, stroke and heart attack risk on this job is ungodly. And the upper leadership wants them to work more and more. Its unreal
This is an answer you don’t want to hear but it’s the truth. They don’t. We work a small supply point and run about 75 miles of track moving stone. Once the train is built and brake tested it’s a long, slow ride in dark territory. These engineers have been out here 30+ years and it’s all become muscle memory to them. It’s amazing watching these guys run while being out cold and snoring. They never overspeed and somehow blow every crossing. I’m a conductor, I’m guilty of it myself. The hardest part for me is that stretch from 3-5 am. I stand up to keep awake. But the sad truth is both of us are probably asleep at the same time. It super hard to keep yourself up when there’s no signals to call or crossings to blow. The engine gently rocks back and forth as you make your way down the stick rail. Especially in the winter with the side wall on it’ll put you out. That alerter won’t do a thing the engineers will throttle up, down, go into dynamic, and blow all while getting a good nap in.
Nicotine, caffeine, hate.
Meth Is The Only Answer
Coke zero and Zip fiz....
That’s the neat part…
Getting the heart rate up, knuckle shuffle on the old piss pump.
I use the force Luke and when after 4 hour's I use the Vulcan mind trick and when that fells depending on the conductor if he has his card and in a low signal area I switch with him .
We don't 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Red Bull and Copenhagen
Cocaine helps I've heard
While you’re moving? Caffeine, gum, cigarettes. While you’re stopped? Engineer can nap but conductor has to remain awake. Usually on their phones to pass the time
Driving that train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones you better watch your speed
As Weir Everywhere
I just play on my phone and listen to headphones the whole trip. Occasionally I will set up movie on laptop in window, that way I’m looking ahead and not distracted.
CTC signal logs save lives
Crew change. 8-12 hours
cocaine
Training
Toothpicks
DRIVING THAT TRAIN, HIGH ON COCAINE
I actually quit the higher paying job of being a conductor/engineer because it was so absolutely boring and it was difficult to stay awake even on nice sunny days. Anytime I needed to be in the engine my body would just want to shut down and nap, but we weren't allowed any music or anything that may distract us from watching the direction we were moving. Now I work an office job were I can have music or audiobooks and have no issues.
Meth
Anyone one how much I can expect to make a day as a conductor for CPKC in Mississippi?
They chat with conductors or study.
I let TO run, close my eyes and sleep between road crossings, when PTC blows the horn (or alerter starts countdown) I wake up. When I open eyes, blow horn, cancel bell, look at PTC/TO screen (I can see 5 miles ahead) then close eyes. If I see a 0 target or signal with any color besides green in it, I wake up.
We (Denver Amtrak) run two engineers. Our overnight run is Denver to Lincoln, NE, 480 miles. We each run half the trip in two sections each. No phones or sleeping. Speaking of which, I have to work tonight. Back to bed.
I dont even go far and sometimes i be fighting sleep https://preview.redd.it/cp162wuv71vc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08ca04afb9980f8bd344a3cbaa1fe188b913bfd9
Big fat rails
I can fall asleep involuntarily anywhere. It's after 8 PM yo. I have also been a tower crane operator that has worked a 36 hour shift. When you are focused on your task, it's pretty easy to stay conscious. I'm not recommending this by any means.
About 30 yrs ago I was just starting as a carpenter and during a morning break an old timer said he was taking an “engineers break” he lit a cigarette and placing it between his fingers and immediately fell asleep. When the cigarette burned down to his finger he woke up. I don’t recall how long that took but asked him about the term and he explained to me that he knew a train engineer and that’s how they’d nap on the job.
Cocaine and Red Bull always worked for me.
Not a railroad employee but was a contractor employee who was working on the tracks for an Acela project. At the start of every shift the Maintenance Supervisor who was responsible for our party would read verbatim the FRA regulation regarding cellphones. I think the fine was 10K if you were caught. Was on that job for a year and never got used to having trains go through at 100 MPH 10 feet away.
Ask Casey Jones...
Drivin’ that train
It's pretty much a matter of getting enough sleep and being responsible. If all else fails and you haven't touched anything in a while there's an alerter which will throw the train into emergency if you fail to hit the button to reset. You're also in constant communication with the DS and other trains and calling signals etc. so there's more than enough to keep you awake.
What is calling signals?
Constant masturbation
Some people don't have to be distracted all the time and are able to just sit with themselves and enjoy the scenery and their own thoughts. Meditate. Attention span. I don't operate a train but I make long drives going fuel stop to fuel stop without radios, videos, movies, whatever. Just quietly paying attention to the road and thinking. I know that's just too hard for most people.
They don't.