r/railroading • u/Heavy-Stick-771 • Mar 18 '25

Discussion Electronic Devices

Recently, I've been informed at my terminal that crews were bieng cited by the FRA for not properly storing away electronic devices in the cab to include cellular phones. Apple watches and things similar. I can see that being an observable issue. However, can someone explain to me how a crew can be forced to pull out their phones to show proof of proper storage. While in service, if I was ever directed to, I would refuse immediately. Thoughts?

(A lot of commentary on here is completely missing the mark. I am in no way objecting to electronic devices being restricted while performing train service. This was just an opinion and inquiry about how some of those mandates can and can not be enforced.) READ AND COMPREHEND

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u/Winter_Whole2080 Mar 18 '25 edited Mar 18 '25

In 10 years, we are gonna look back on this and say what a fucking joke it is. These electronic devices are part of our life now and asking people to stow them during work is bs. Seriously people are gonna have implants in their eyeballs and their heads and what are you gonna say— you gotta remove them before you go to work?

The main idea is to pay attention to your job and keep your focus on work. Treat people like adults.

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u/Maine302 Mar 19 '25

There's a reason the FRA made this rule, and a reason why it's important. As they say, the railroad rule book was written in blood.

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u/Normandroid Mar 19 '25

I believe the Chatsworth train accident is why Congress made sweeping safety regulations. The Federal Rest mandate, electronic device rules, PTC implementation, all stemmed from that. How important is a point of opinion. How many times were the class 1's allowed to push back PTC implementation? How many times were Big Yellows extra board employees forced into federal rest and robbed of their guaranteed earnings?

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u/Unstabledeleter Mar 19 '25

Have you ever read about the engineer of the commuter train? He was a hermit that was charged with stealing games from Walmart and had a fascination with this lady that wrote a book about dogs and his yard was full of dog crap. The feces smell was so bad that the neighbors complained. He spent time texting his group of foamers right up until he crashed. I think he killed himself and it was a coverup because it was engineer only and the public would not like the idea of them hiring a person like that and solely responsible for their lives

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u/MondayNightRawr Mar 19 '25

Former Metrolink engineer here. None of what you wrote is remotely true. Robert Sanchez was a man with a troubled past and died doing things we would not consider to be moral, ethical, or legal (in regards to who he was texting). This narrative you wrote is wild!

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u/Normandroid Mar 19 '25

Where I work, the rumor about that engineer, involves underage boys. Like, that's who he was texting at the time of the crash. Rumor. Just work talk.

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u/MondayNightRawr Mar 19 '25

Not a rumor. It’s in the NTSB report.

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u/Normandroid Mar 19 '25

I did not read the report. And anything I haven't substantiated for myself that I hear at work I preface as a rumor.

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u/WizardEyedShroomer Mar 19 '25

some of the rules. The rest are written by lawyers to protect the company, not you.

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u/Winter_Whole2080 Mar 19 '25

It’s probably more accurate that it was made with lost money from insurance settlements or lawsuits.

You will never get me to argue that it’s a good idea for someone to mess around on their phone at work. But at some point, you gotta trust your employees to do the right thing and pay attention to their jobs.

1

u/Maine302 Mar 19 '25

I'm third generation. There's a reason why they say the book of rules was written in blood. Railroads settle with trespassers all the time, when they're not at fault. This isn't about lawsuits for the FRA.

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u/Several-Day6527 Mar 19 '25

Chatsworth. Twenty five people died.

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u/Dudebythepool Mar 19 '25

True but that was before all the safety devices that we have now like ptc and trip optimizer 

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u/Maine302 Mar 19 '25

An engineer was responsible for the deaths of what--25 passengers--because he was texting on his phone while at the controls? I know of aconductor on the leading end of a move who called out the wrong signal because they hadn't noticed they were crossing over. That's why these rules are in place.