Working as an engineer for BNSF, I thank God for our conversion over to an I pad. Not only does it have GCORE, but also our Regional railroad map and rules book, Ask LR, employee website, Chrome, calculator, hazmat, Google maps, HOS manuals, Job aids (maps, photos, and instructions for industrial switch jobs, setout locations, etc.), crossing locator ( street name, m.p., DOT # on satellite map), wheel (trainlist), training modules, paystub, notes, people finder, PTC&T.O instructions, weather, a few other things. Soon we will be tieing upwith it as well and receivedon running bulletins. Its eliminated 6 lbs. and freed up a lot of room in my grip. Are you guys going to use I pads eventually?
A buddy of mine just got on with CSX in Atlanta. He was with U.P started as a conductor then he was promoted to engineer then he went to Amtrak as a engineer till they Furlough him. Never thought RR would be having a rough time
As a retired aircraft dispatcher, the job of a railroad dispatcher continues to amaze me, for it also involves traffic separation like that of an air traffic controller.
thanks! i’m a teenager looking to be a locomotive engineer in the future (yes i’ll wait til i’m 23 haha) i’ve been watching all of your videos and they’re really helpful!
I wanted my son's to go railroading they said no way sometimes I work 7 days a week I would work almost 12 hours even when I got a lot of seniority it took a good part of my life away ask me if I would do it again hell yes pension is great too bad it takes so long to get it
As a conductor 43 years cnw taking over by the Union Pacific when I first started we had a small rulebook written probably buy real Railroad Man now we have college men writing it I can't remember if it was every year or every two years we used to have to take an examination it was so stressful because this was your job and if you fail the three times you are out
YEA! T dose sound like a lot to know and remember, I use to drive a city bus for 25 years and there is definently a lot to remember. But looks like I may have had it a little easier....thanks for sharing....Jack
There are mile markers, plus you learn landmarks. There's also a counter you can start if you know you need accuracy. Every signal and crossing also has a plate on it with the milepost number plus a decimal point. When I trained, I also had a map with me that showed all the mileages, in case I had to report something we'd just passed or some siding I wasn't familiar with.
You are absolutely fantastic at explaining your job.... you are like pilots of aircraft in the amount of information you need to know... great stuff again DJ!!!
HI DJ, very interesting and I must say unique to RU-vid (thus a must needed informational piece that only you seem to provide). Much appreciated and thank you. I must say you're a handsome dude. Two questions: What do the initials on your shirt mean? And a more serious note, when giving your location to the nearest tenth mile, what do you say if it's double-tracked main or triple track main? Thanks, I look forward to seeing you again in May at Strasbourg, PA. - Dean from Minnesota
He didnt devulge any company secret info just showing empty forms and covers of stuff that are useless to anyone outside of the industry Still cool insight what it takes to keep one of those massive machines operated safely
but it IS cruise control. It knows the route, and the permanent and temporary speeds and grades and runs accordingly to save fuel. HOWEVER, it runs so far below speed to save fuel, that I HATE IT!! Doing 27 in a 50 mph area because it thinks less power saves fuel, No freight until its late.
djstrains Thanks DJ, very interesting. That sounds exactly like the situation playing out at my job; UPS has a system called ORION, which uses artificial intelligence to decide how we run each route. The computer tries to schedule your day in the order it feels will save the most fuel. Depending on the district you’re in, UPS might want you to follow it to trace 100%; which means Not deviating at all from the plan the computer has for you. This usually means passing the same blocks three or four times throughout the day, missing all of your pick ups and commit packages, but it looks good on paper, because it’s the shortest distance between all points. I’m sure CSX has old heads like the guys at UPS “I don’t need a computer to tell me how to do a job I’ve done for 35 years.”
djstrains It took me 3 days to let it sink in... temporary speeds?!? Like EC-1s? Now I don’t even trust the adaptive cruise control in my parents’ shiny new Volvo, let alone the art of train handling 🌈 optimistic to think a machine could replace a crew member cost-effectively 😂
Great video DJ, really enjoyed it! Two questions: 1) It would be interesting to hear how this compares to 50, 100, and 150 years ago. For example, was there ever a time when one could be an engineer if they could not read and write? 2) I'm a little surprised you can't simply carry all these documents on an e-book reader like a Kindle. When dealing with all this paper, how do you know if you have all the latest bulletins? Does it ever happen that a bulletin is issued but an engineer fails to get a copy? How about a revision being made but for some reason, you start your trip with an old version?
Every year, more rules. We at one point were allowed to have it on our phones, but then they changed their minds because of the FRA electronics ban. We print our orders for the day and it is up to us to be responsible for our own bulletins, but we look out for each other.
I have a question. In the old days, railway operatingvoersonnel were required to carry watches that were certified by the railroad company. Does such a requirement still exist? Given the fact that cheapest electronic watch is far more accurate that expensive mechanical movement watch, does such a requirement still exist.
Last year was interesting. Suddenly train masters were checking us to see if we had watches on. If we didn't, that meant we used our cell phones to check the time, but since there is a cell phone ban, we'd be in trouble. We are required to were a watch, and it should be accurate so that our times match the dispatcher times. Good question.
I bet it would be really easy to automate almost all of this... speed changes, location, etc... and probably not at great expense. a lot of already developed consumer technology
Nice video DJ thanks for posting! I’m going to start as a conductor soon. I’ve been reading through GCOR and CFR 49, and I’m a bit daunted by the amount of rules and stuff to remember. Just curious, what’s your method for retaining everything? Do you have any study tips (note cards, make your own quizzes, group studying, etc.)? Also any tips for doing well in training? Thanks!
"you know nothing". Lol. Everything you are taught should be acted as first time you heard it. Listen, take notes, and don't say you got it if you don't got it. Its actually easier than you think. Relax. No one wants to see you fail.
Cool DJ will you ever make a video on oil trains and how engineers run them and as for csx is it a diverse company and here’s an important question I want to know are there any conductors or engineers do you know who are African American Latino or mixed race because I am black.
oil trains have a restriction called "High Urban Threat", which reduces our max speed to 40 mph in populated areas as noted in our timetable. CSX is diverse in urban cities, but not as much in suburban and rural areas. In my 22 years I have worked with about a dozen people of color. I can honestly say the hiring is not racist or prejudice, but thats the only positive thing I can say about this company in recent years. Horribly managed since we went to "Precision Railroading" a few years back.
djstrains thanks for info I was just curious because if I ever apply to railroads after college I want to work in an environment where workers aren’t racist but honestly people of color should work for the railroad
Timetables now are used to give a logical description of each individual subdivision in a given service unit or territory. They list all the speed zones, passing sidings, and stations along the route.
Daniel what you describe sounds like a "fog chart". Crews have made their own and copied them for new hires. They would note every bridge, signal, crossing, town, landmark and milepost for each subdivision they were qualified on.
This is great info DJ. This is stuff I have not heard on any other Modelrailroader RU-vid Channel. I really like your laid back narration style too. Thanks, Russ
I am an Italian train engineer with 8 years of experience in the field, and I am sure I wouldn't be able to qualify as an engineer in the U.S. (and probably Canada too). This just looks way too much complicated, at least considering our rules and regulations. Kudos to you, fellow coworkers...
I'm learning much I did not know about your job, its importance, and the respect we all need to have for those who do it. Thank you. These videos are on the right track.
Your EC1 process (especially the radio clearances) is similar in many ways to ATC in commercial aviation. "Word for word - no room for error." ;-) Airline pilots also have a close relationship with a company dispatcher who coordinates with Captains regarding flight plan details, fuel loads, weather updates, etc... Very informative video - thanks!
Best resource for model railroading on the net! DJ is a modeler's National Treasure - Answers to questions we didn't even know that we should ask. CSX should put him on their PR board. Sorry to sound like a gushing teen fan (I'm 60), but this is the best info I've found in many years in the hobby.
I am simply a number to them. They don't give a rat's ass about me unless I make a mistake. There is no longer an employee newsletter or any type of reward anymore.
@@djstrains That's sad news. At least there are around 26K of us who find you to be an important resource! My oldest brother worked as a yardmaster for the Atlantic Coast Line on the Everett sub back in the early 60's and that environment was like family. Sad to see that business is getting in the way of career satisfaction (yet again).
Just an FYI here on BNSF, while I’m working my dispatcher desk I have to have knowledge of GCOR, Hazmat, MOW Rules, Safety, ABTH, TDCOM, PTC, System Special Instructions, and all Division General Orders and Notices. That’s 7 large books,
Good job. If you retire from being an engineer maybe CSX has jobs teaching railroad operations or something? Your good at teaching others .. maybe as you get more gray hairs consider teaching jobs?
Thank you so much for the information it is good I live were BNSF is but the books you carry I have the last 3 southern Pacific time tables be safe out there when you are working
CSX uses an adapted version of NORAC, which is freely available on the internet. Just search railroad norac and you should get a link to the he PDF version.
I am sure you don't find this interesting, because it is part of your daily job, but I find this all very interesting for sure. Thanks for sharing this kind of stuff.
Great video - highly informative. I have electronic copies of 1942 SP Division Employee Time Tables (ETTs) including the Special Instructions (SIs) and also have original SP/PE Rule Books for trainmen, yardmen, MOW employees and others as well as the extended Rule Book for Dispatchers and Train Order Operators - all based upon the Standard Code for TT&TO operations chiefly under ABS and dark territory rules (CTC was first added to certain traffic-congested SP sub-divisions, starting in 1943). The ETTs along with the SIs, are in Tabloid format (then often referred to as “horse blankets”) which are approx 1/4” total thickness when printed out for any given Division. The ETTs/ SIs were conveniently sized and were intended to be folded up and carried in the pockets of the E/Cs overalls/coats and to be immediately available at all times. The Rule Books are soft leather-bound and measure approx 4-1/2” x 7” x up to 1/2” thick. The rule books were intended to be carried by all operating employees at all times. Comparing the pocket-sized set of rules and procedures from the early 1940s to the “set of encyclopedias” which you carry, is interesting. Under 1940s TT&TO rules for both ABS and dark territory conditions, a HUGE amount of personnel responsibility was placed upon the E/Cs, Dispatcher (DS), and Train Order Operators (TOs) to employ personal expertise and wise discretion in order to safely and efficiently move their trains over the RR. There were multiple classes of train superiority - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Extras and Work Extras - which in concert with “directional superiority” - East-West, North-South - - all needed to be closely observed/followed. On top of all that, the DS would issue TOs which would supersede/adjust the ETT as well as any prior-issued TOs. In addition, train operations of that pre-trucking era required lots of inferior-class locals/turns performing work at dozens of customer spurs in additions to stations along the way, which required protecting against and clearing the main for all superior traffic. The lowly Work Extras had to perform their MOW work out on main track/sidings all while constantly protecting against and clearing for all other traffic. Combined together, train operations of that pre-CTC era, were not “mother may I?”, in any sense. Under today’s voluminous operating rules/regulations and PTC (where installed), E/Cs appear to be much more constrained in terms of what operating decisions they are allowed to make all the while being held just as (if not more) personally accountable (but less protected by the union brotherhoods) than we’re their 1940s era predecessors. Add in the hernia-inducing library that you carry around, railroading today is not an easy job.
I don't want to learn all that stuff! I just want to turn on the train and go!!! 😁 Seriously, great information. You make it almost understandable. :) You guys on the rail have a tough job!!
Hello DJ ! About being an engineer after I saw the movie run-away, and found out the facts of the matter and all the little “details” that it takes in running that locomotive ? (“Like for example ‘stepping on that button on the floor’ to let the Engine know that you are awake and doing your job !!! It’s something that a lot of people Don’t know about it ! I’ve recognize CSX for a very long time now ! I do have a question, a couple actually, Q-1 I believe I may have seen CSX in the northern part of the state of Florida am I correct ? Q-2 is it true that CSX merged Seaboard Air Line, Atlantic Coast Line, Conrail, Louisville & Nashville, and probably some others I’m not remembering at the moment ? 🌊🐺
djstrains if I’m correct, there is a CXS line that follows the I-10 route and it runs through to Pensacola and may even run through to Jacksonville ? I’m not sure ? I’ve lived between the states of Florida and Texas most of my life and done a lot of driving back-and-forth ! The book is called (“The Railroad that Died at Sea”) ! It’s a very small part of the beginning of the Florida East Coast and Henry M. Flagler‘s start ! Strangely enough it starts in New York ! But as Mr. Flagler‘s health got worse doctors up north telling him to move south ! By this time he was one of three owners of standard oil ! And so began the Florida East Coast him buying land to build hotels along the line ! Then one day he said gentlemen the strain will go further south meaning the beginning of the key west extension ! There is also a shield that represented the Key West Extension- (“passenger cars & locomotive riding on the concrete bridges”)- ! However the shield they use now is of a sunset and palm tree ! Anyway as far as the book goes they stopped issuing it years ago ! However the book has become so popular in the past 30 years that they’ve re-issued it again and again ! I’m not saying the book is going to be easy to fine ! But reading it was so rewarding and it was filled so richly with the history that was the state of Florida before it was civilized and taking it to the point were a wealthy man took a train to sea ! By which I believe another company called the Florida Fruit and Steamship Company which may have also belong to Flagler ! They Had cars on the line that were sent to Havana Cuba ! Finding the book is the challenge of being able to sit down and read it and learning what happened back then it’s truly amazing the history that went down and what people are willing to do to keep going ! 🌊🐺
@@jorgel.fernandeziii8278: Florida is civilized? :D Jorge: Re; The "button on the floor." That is old-timey stuff. It was called the "dead-man's pedal" and had to be depressed or the locomotive would go into emergency. Some engineers would put a rock or lunch box on it to circumvent the feature, sometimes with disastrous results. Modern locomotives have an "alerter." It's a system which begins a timer if no control is moved for, I believe 2 minutes. A circle of LEDs begins to slowly flash above and in front of the engineer. If no control is moved, the flashing gets faster. At some point a buzzer also sounds in time with the flashing. If he doesn't want to change the throttle, brake, etc, there's also an "alerter silence" button the engineer can press or in some cases flip (those are spring-loaded) which stops the flashing and buzzing and starts the timer over again. As with the dead-man feature, if the engineer still does nothing, the train goes into emergency. That's rare, as the conductor by then would've taken some action to awaken the engineer or slow the train himself. One thing similar to your "button" is, one of the controls that resets the alerter's timer is the horn. On some, maybe by now all, engines, there's not only a horn handle, but also a button on the floor which sounds the horn for a crossing and flashes the ditch lights (two low "headlights" on the front). So, that could indirectly be considered a "button" that keeps the engine going. Only thing, you wouldn't keep your foot on it the whole time. I believe the alerter is disabled on engines in yard service. That has to be done via a switch behind a service panel, at least on the engines we ran back in the late 90s.
the rule book should be called the protect my money book for the rail road. Because they dont really come into play unless you get hurt and try to sue them
Seems quite complicated,but I’m sure you figured it out. I guess every company has their rules,and in my experience the bigger the company,the bigger the rule book. I’d like to ride along just to see exactly what a train crew’s day is like,but I imagine that’s not possible. You’ll have to keep explaining it.
I enjoyed this very much! Thanks for the amazing info. I know that somewhere on RU-vid there is some operational video from the CSX fuel conservation efforts in 1990. It's a 2 part video that fully teaches the operation of a (Dash 9?) loco. I have been hoping to get a railroad job myself but it seems the railroads are on a decline and it might be harder. IDk. oh well. thanks DJ. God bless
Pittsburgh to Baltimore- about 250 miles Pittsburgh to Indianapolis- about 360 miles Pittsburgh to Jacksonville- about 950 miles you're controlled by people that far away, who've probably never even been to rural Pennsylvania? No sort of local control at all? I guess it's a good thing I never really railroaded. I believe you but that's ridiculous. They have no real idea what's going on yet they are ordering you around. At the very least each division should have its own dispatchers who have been experienced engineers in that division.
When I started out as a brakeman on the SP in the 60's, I thought our rule book was huge, but compared to yours, mine could be carried in my back pocket with ease.
Always great to see some info on current rules and dispatching. As I recall, rule books used to be a lot more compact and used very small print. I also remember "flimsies" for train orders. I guess that is all gone!
The verbiage that the Dispatcher communicates via the EC-1 Form to both Train and Engine crews as well as MofW Authorities is populated on the Dispatchers CADS (Computer Aided Dispatching System) screen. As field personnel repeat the authorities they have been given, the Dispatcher 'clicks' word for word to indicate correct repeating of that word - the Dispatchers screen will change each correctly repeated word from normal to reverse video when the Dispatcher makes the confirmation click.
Questions does CSX have signals in industrial tracks or running tracks and do you use a EC1 to make deliveries on those type of lines also whats that thing on the radio that sounds like a phone but has a loud tone to acknowledge ( saw it on video about derailment) was being used to talk to dispatcher and road foreman
signals are controlled by dispatcher to protect his mainline. EC1 is for where there are no signals. The RR operates in EITHER signal OR permission. The "Tone back" is an automated response to us toning in the dispatcher. Its an acknowledgment.
I thought it stood for "Engine Crew - 1." it took the place of several other forms, like forms "A" & "D." Here's a copy of one: www.thedepotserver.com/reference/forms/Run8%20EC1%20Form.pdf
Very interesting video. Those manuals sure have gotten bigger over the years! Now it's like the size of a novel. Why does it seem like PTC often malfunctions so much on CSX engines? Apparently you are in the territory I take videos of since that ends in Connellsville.
Are you allowed to keep copies of the rule books on a tablet to cut down on your carrying weight? Or is a hard copy required as they don’t require batteries?
Another fantastic video. Each video is better than the previous, whether it be lighting, audio, etc. Are you working with a green screen? Also, please make sure you’re not going to get into any trouble with these videos. I would really hate to see anything bad happen, DJ!
I appreciate that because I honestly do strive to make the best videos I can. Thats why I bought the drone and new camera last year, and try to do what no one else is doing. I truly cover my butt because there are a lot of guys at work who would love me to get fired because of my seniority and times are tight.
djstrains I am a truck driver, I know how that seniority thing goes. People will go after your head to move up a spot! Definitely cover your butt, always looking forward to the next video brother!
Hey Mon. The money you earn is great, but you guys earn every penny. Stress has got to be enormous. Thank you for the tremendous insight. I personally think that you’re doing CSX a valuable service. I understand proprietary information, but a little transparency can be very beneficial.
By the way, if you need an example of an EC-1, Distant Signal has uploaded an example of one, he also has a video about dispatcher dialogue. Reply if this was helpful or not. Also, great video.
On the Union Pacific they gave us classes so it wasn't too bad the funny thing I miss the railroad but it seemed like they hired us just so they could fire us I love the comradery not only did I work Freight but I worked as passenger conductor with Metra we had nice uniforms theywe're green we look like airline pilots Metro came along and put us back in the old time uniforms I hated them
Hi DJ, DId CSX ever implement the electronic conductors' work stations? They looked like a fat tablet. We were supposedly going to use them to enter all our work info. I think we were to get things like switch lists on them, too. It seemed like a pipe dream at the time, given the antiquated mainframe programs we had to use for all that at the terminal, the reams of paper, too for the consist, orders, etc.
Saw a Amtrak video in your area Pittsburg New Castle, Connellsville to Cumberland question is it difficult running a train over those mountains especially the 'Sand Patch'
I'm a BNSF engineer. We are now using tablets provided by the company to eliminate all paper. All the rules and relevant train and territory info is on the tablet. No more copying verbal speed restrictions or crossing warnings either, it automatically updates the PTC, so we can essentially run off PTC without ever referring to our tablet (or paper) version of the territory. The no electronics rule does not apply to the tablet of course. Yes, it makes a one man crew reality seem all the more imminent, but in the meantime it makes working a lot easier.
You guys on the BNSF get all the nice things! No PSR, clean motors, iPads, and an updated version of PTC. You guys even get GCOR Rule 1.11.1 (Napping). I understand that all Class Is are bad right now, but in comparison to all other Class Is, BNSF is the best right now. Warren Buffet isn’t going to fall for the fallacy of PSR and he believes in long term growth. They also seem to have the lowest amount of layoffs compared to other Class Is.
TrainBrain107 - I am extremely grateful I hired out with BNSF and not UP here in Northern California. The way the UP treats their employees seems way worse. And they seem to get paid less with a draconian attendance policy. Not sure why BNSF is such a good class I to work for but the Warren Buffett influence seems likely. Also since there is no BNSF stock, but rather Berkshire Hathaway, the railroad’s performance seems to be somewhat sheltered from the scrutiny of stockholders. As far as PSR, it seems BNSF is slowly starting to adopt some of the practices. Just browsing the trains across the system as I do occasionally, I notice much longer and oddly built mixed trains more frequently now. And I’ve heard the maximum train length will be increased from 16,000 ft to 20,000 ft soon.
Ian Rozzano I see. Warren has stated that BNSF will only adopt segments of PSR that will benefit the company such as longer trains. However, Warren will not adopt other sections if he believes it will hurt the company in the long run. Most railroads are laying off thousands of employees, closing yards and getting rid of motors. They will all be able to make a lot of money now, but in a few years it will really hurt them. BNSF, however, is not doing this because Warren understands that it is not good for long term growth. The employees that were laid off recently were due to the declining coal industry.
