Comments on: Having collected a good number of tank cars at Clover Bar GP38-2 CN 7526, followed by YBU-4m 526 and two more GP38′s heads off towards Edmonton. Still being driven from the footplate with the remote pack although it is a chilly winters day.

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 17:34:47 +0000

Well thankfully HH is gone but some of his ridiculous edicts live on. Everyone does get what the company calls “efficiency tests” which can be anything from having your vests done up to safety goggles, radio communication on and they even go as far as to turn off hotbox detectors to see if crews are paying attention to the readouts after they pass over them.

By: BradKetchen

BradKetchen — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 16:51:38 +0000

I hear those HH inspections can be pretty brutal. A friend of mine just got dinged a 10 day suspension, possibly points, at Vaughan for wearing his shades on top of his head and his vest open.

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 16:49:08 +0000

Thanks for giving the explanation Hunter, I was just about to reply. Sadly at Mac Yard, they make the employee stay outside when pulling or pushing,and of course they have to have 3 point contact at all times. Luckily I have 35 yrs on and have been an engineer since the mid 80′s, but everytime I see guys out there in all kinds of weather it just makes me angry and there is no need for them to be outside like that the whole shift.

By: HunterBHolmes

HunterBHolmes — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 16:37:57 +0000

Brad, pulling back is referring to switching. When you’re running Beltpack and pulling out a cut of cars for example and you’ll be coming close to the end of the pullback protection zone (PPZ) it’s CN rule that you must have a crew member on the point to protect the movement. Same goes for if you will need to extend passed the end of your PPZ.

Also when running Beltpack CN’s rule is that we cannot operate the equipment from inside the cab, we must be on the outside of the train when it is moving. Now, does everyone follow this rule? No, definitely not. But I know personally I don’t want to be caught, it’s a foolish thing to accumulate demerits for.

By: BradKetchen

BradKetchen — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 14:34:11 +0000

Pulling back? Sounds contradictory… If moving forward why does the employee have to be outside the cab?

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 13:26:23 +0000

Sadly, its one of CN’s rules that an employee must remain outside and standing on the front of the locomotive when it is pulling back. No matter what the weather! We used to be allowed to stay in the warm cabs on bitterly cold days, but under HH that came to an end.