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I've never seen or heard of anyone dying from the horn not being sounded while stopped by a Flagman or as you go they a work location where we are all cleared up amass you sound it on top of us. As fast as event recorders I guess thats on newer trains and as I've stated before I know very little about the train cars themselves.

The protection board offers no protection for the 3rd rail. It is for the protection of the employees and other personal who may have to enter the track bed such as Police, Fire or EMS as we'll as passengers who may fall to the Track. The boards are actually a nuisance within your department (RTO). Many a time a current collector (Train shoe) will get on top of a board and cause the train to stall or if the 3rd rail is out of gauge with the running rails the the tip of the shoe will hit the bracket knocking it down for a great length c causing a pile up of board on the underside of the train. If you never step onto a board in your time with Transit then good for you! What i'm saying is these are the realities that you won't learn in the class room. Not everyone is nice and long legged. Every department can learn from another. It's about going home the same way you came in. Now, maybe one of you Train Operators can explain to me why you find it necessary to sound your horn right on top of us as you pass us? The horns are extremely loud and hurt our ears. Also, even though the rule book states when stopped by a flagman to sound your horn every 2 minutes as a reminder why do you? We see you. We know your there. The flagman will let you go when it's safe to do so. Again, all it does is damage our hearing.

With all the rain we've had lately it came to mind that although I don't know how training goes in RTO, wether you spend much time in the yards or on the road, we can all learn from each other. In time you'll all be stepping on the 3 rd rail protection boards while climbing on or off your trains. Some boards are fiber glass some are wood. The fiber glass ones are like ice when wet from rain our any source of water. The woods ones in the summer secrete creosote which is also very slippery. Make sure your footing is secure when stepping onto one. Also, try not to step to close to the metal bracket holding the boards up. In the yards and in all wet areas those brackets are grounded out meaning you could get a good shock off one if your physically touching one for some reason and brush the contact (3rd) rail. Eg: you drop something before climbing up onto your train and place your hand on one while picking something up.

As for the lone dangling bank- if there is work about to be performed the supervisor may go out and set it up so the workers know where the job site is in order to request a drop off. It could also be for the Flagman so he knows the location where the supervisor wants him. Also, we may set one up as a back feed indicator for the 3rd rail, power on indicator after a G.O. or waiting to see it go off as an indication of power being removed. Sometimes, they are just left out there, lol.

Hello to all, Though this a School car / Train Operator (RTO) thread I wanted to touch on something relevant from a M.O.W. ( Maintenance of Way) point of view. I do not know what you learn regarding Flagging on the road other then what the colors of the flags (lights in the hole) may mean and what the arrangement such as 2 Yellows compared to 3 yellows mean. In school and on paper it's pretty much simple and easy to understand eg: If you see 2 yellows expect to see 2 more yellows 300' feet away then a Flagman with a red Flag and portable train stop (Tripper) no less then 150' away from a work gang along with a Green flag 700' away from the work area when leaving. On the tracks, especially straight track, it is pretty simple and by the book along with adjacent flagging (3 Yellows and a green) on the next track. Even in special work like switches or yards or hard curves you can see fairly well if anyone is on the track during the day. This is more about working nights and Flagging in the hole (tunnels). Many a time it is impossible to set the lights up the way the rule book prescribes due to the contour of the track, green point tube "G" for example, the amount of lights available and the amount of men available to flag in the event spotters or auxiliary flagmen are needed. Make no mistake- the way RTO wants those trains moving at all times M.O.W. wants work done regardless of the situation. Do not go counting on the union to help you in all situations. "Near miss" is the new favorite term of the T.A. and they like to apply it to anything that there is no rule or policy for or when employees allow them too. What it really means is that you and the other person or parties involved, regardless of who calls it in, now gets write a G2nas well as have one written against you, go down to give a urine sample and open themselves up to scrutiny and possible charges of rule violations. There are a set rules that regardless of what you have done you violated. Supt's are issued a card with them listed in M.O.W. They have to do with general knowledge and familiarity of the rules and operating policies. Nothing specific. I'm sure other dept's get them. If you come across flagging that does not seem proper to you or you feel is not correct stop near the work site after obeying the flagman's signal and speak to the Supervisor. They do not want any problems with a TSS and will take care of your concerns. It works both ways. Should you stop to close to the flagman, even run his red which has happened, the supervisor along with the track gang is not looking to bang you in, call command, then have his flagging evaluated, have the work gang write G2's and everyone go for a urine sample if it was a honest mistake. Unless you came full speed without blowing your horn thru them. Speak to them first! Especially if this is your normal route. You will see the same work gangs and they will see you nightly. Should you encounter persons on the track without any flagging performing work then by all means call it in! That's bad for everyone! However, a crew (supposed to be 2 usually 1 in reality) walking along the track, feel free to stop and ask for ID and what they are up too if your unsure. They may get offended but hey "If you see something say something." I say this because I am not required to have flagging, even a flasher, if I'm walking to a Circuit Breaker House in the hole to remove or restore a G.O. (general Order) I have been a Trackman, a Shop Steward, now a Power Distribution Maintainer (3rd rail) and Power Supervisor until I gave it back in my 22 years here. The T.A. likes to keep the different departments fighting against each other. Even in M.O.W. all it does it keep everyone paranoid which is unsafe. Feel free to ask me anything you may like.

In my going on 22 years with the TA, some of it as a shop steward, there are very few rules that can be used to your advantage. Theres always a second rule somewhere closing the loop hole any other rule may have. It was determined at arbitration that the TA can bypass thier own rules if they feel circumstances allow. I can elaborate more if anyone likes another time.

Hey, At least they care enough about you (LOL) to give you one. That I know of RTO and Police are ther only ones issued them.

I see some things are the same regardless of department. Those in charge make thier own rules as they go along. When I took a refresher course back in Febuary of this year TSS Pond (who is ready to retire soon) was the one who suggested it stating if you get it from the Transit Authority then it's valid. You only need to know the rule and rule number, some say you need to memorize what applies to your dr specific job title, etc. I agree it is best to keep what youv'e been issued in class but be for sure they will pull thier phone out on you to quote what rule you may have violated.

Snowblock your absolutely right. Especially for those on probation. RTO is a much stricter department then MOW (Maintenance of Way) and the hard copies issued are always better to have. The PDF's are good for when a thought pops in your head and you want to look it up and may not have the hard copies or lose/forget them. Always good to have a weightless back up. The sick form is a must on the phone. In case you forget one or can't get a blank copy- while at your Dr's office ask for the Dr's email address, send theme an email with the form attached and ask them to print it out for you. Most do it without problem knowing how the Transit Authority is a stickler for thier own forms.

Also, someone mentioned a Butcher book. Keep a daily record of what line your on, your conductor, maybe the dispatcher and your hours. Dont trust anyone to do your Time keeping for you. Also note anything unusual like long delays, police activity, the station, employee drop offs, etc. They may come to you a month or two or three later asking about a specific day or incident. I've been asked to produce sick line with the Dr's portion filled out by the Dr (called Dr's lines) for time I took 2 years past or be docked. Keep your copies!

Ask about the Rule book and other publications in PDF format. My department ( 3rd Rail / Power Distribution) has just begun doing it. I now have the Rule Book, Flagging Rules as well as other literature and forms on my Android. Hopefully you TSS's Ponds and Williams. You'll learn what you need to know regarding your job title from them as well as how things go "in the real world." with regards to the Transit Authority.