Do NS employees not have to wear those stupid yellow vests?
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That's not for a stopped auto on the crossing, it's for testing for conditions of Restricted Speed....looking out for broken rail, switch wrong, train ahead and so forth.
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| Posted by Tugboat on February 24, 2013 | |
Where are their vests? I prefer the little 12x12 reflective red flags. much eaiser to handle.
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| Posted by on February 25, 2013 | |
This is a restricted speed operational test. Your caption is incorrect. You are required to be able to stop within 1/2 the range of vision with this test. You can stop a lot closer than fifty car lengths, of 2,500 feet, roughly and still pass.
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| Posted by on February 25, 2013 | |
Weed weasels!
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Thats a nice shot Petyon; but I too wonder where their vests are? I was under the impression that all NS employees must wear their safety vests at all times?
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I am not sure safety vests are stupid. Are they annoying to put on? Sure...maybe "annoying" or "cumbersome" is the more appropriate descriptor. Having to wear a safety vest in highway traffic has saved countless lives of first responders, myself included. Are they bullet/car/train proof? No. Do they allow a motorist/locomotive operator/heavy equipment operator to see you before you see them? Most certainly. When the situational awareness of an operator is compromised, then anyone in their path needs all the help they can get. Review the statistics...you'll see that the only thing "stupid" is the person struck who wasn't seen.
I think this photo tells an interesting story. I do feel that these two NS employees ought to be adhering to the same standards as others' by wearing proper safety equipment, but regardless, I had no idea they do these tests. Is this a routine operation?
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I don't know how it is out east but here in the west on a certain Class One, officials are required to wear safety vests on the same conditions as TY&E employees are.
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I live at mp 602.2 on the piedmont division (30 miles ne of Atl). I see them in this area a lot doing these tests. They have always had their vests on.
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I was surprised to see these two guys without any high visibility clothing. Certainly in the UK they would face serious disciplinary action. The clothes they are wearing would blend in with the background very easily
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These are very common tests, every FRA controlled railroad does it in some form or another and every railroad has its own way of doing it. The stop banner was NS's common method back when I worked around them in Pennsylvania, UP managers around Houston regularly have the dispatcher talk a crew by a stop signal then put a red flag in the middle of a curve. We all hate the "weed weasels" but they are required to do these tests, the problem is that some of them have their own definition of the rules and it's pointless to fight them so that's one of the things the union is good for.
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| Posted by on February 25, 2013 | |
It appears that even though NS train crews are required to wear reflective vests while on the property that the supervisors enforcing such rules are exempt. Imagine that. A great photograph documenting the double-standards that railroaders have to put up with on a daily basis.
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| Posted by Drifton on February 25, 2013 | |
At this moment, supervisors on NS are not "required" to wear the high visibly vests like the T&E crews are. Personally, I think it's just so they can sneak up on you easier and they can find you easier...
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On the Piedmont I am not sure I have ever seen an official around the tracks without a vest.
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Everyone has noticed that they are not wearing their safety vests. But, has anyone noticed that they are driving a car without a license plate! Maybe the calkboard actually said "We will not walk on the tracks!'...one hundred times.
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License plate was photoshopped out for privacy.
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| Posted by on February 25, 2013 | |
Judging by the shadow lines, it looks as if the license plate was removed by the photographer. A normal practice when a car is photographed. I do the same thing.
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Perhaps the officials performing the test did not want to give the train crew any clue of their presents that would skew the result. The purpose of the safety vest, after all, is to be seen before you would ordinarily be seen. Also note that the approaching units are on the siding, rules dictate you must be able to stop in half the site distance or something to that effect.
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Wow, I'm surprised these guys couldn't find a blind curve to put their sign on. You know...managers...with any luck the engineer stopped the train at approximately the most difficult area for them to board lol
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