Maybe not exactly preservation, but this relates to rules in operating a train, "vintage" or modern.

TRAINS NEWSWIRE for Oct. 25 reported on an incident in Bettendorf, IA, where two DM&E crewmen were killed when a BNSF crew left a switch open, and the DM&E train rear-ended cars that were set out on a yard track. The article, based on an NTSB report, goes on to describe that this was in dark territory, and that the BNSF crew was required to fill out SPAF forms. The article seems to put all the blame on the BNSF crew.

But, in my understanding of the General Code of Operating Rules, weren't the DM&E crewmen also responsible. Since this occurred in a yard, wouldn't yard limits rules apply? And, if so, shouldn't the DM&E train have been operating at restricted speed? And under restricted speed they should have been able to stop short of "....switch improperly aligned...."

Am I missing something in the rules here?

Yes you are missing the timetable for this portion of railroad which would have spelled out if the main track was indeed within yard limits and what operating rules applied. If the switch that was left open was the switch to the yard lead then I would see no reason why the main would have to be included in the yard limits designation.

Thanks. I hadn't thought of the main not being included in the Yard Limits. Mainly because on the short line I operate on, the yard limits include the main, and extend about a half mile east and west of the east and west yard switches.

I'm not qualified on GCOR, but I've never heard of SPAFs being used in yard territory. In yard territory you are supposed to be running restricted, so you would be able to stop before improperly lined switches. SPAFs were for dark territory (and in our case, signaled in one direction only tracks, which I never understood) where trains were authorized by paper (track warrant, authority, form-D, etc) to run track speed, where they couldn't get stopped for a improperly lined switch.

I guess it is/was supposed to make you more aware of your switch handling. But if you forget to re-line a mainline switch, what are the odds you are going to remember to fill out a SPAF? Or you would fill out the spaf much later as an afterthought, instead of right when you were in the process of handling the switch...

Depending on timetable and special instructions they could have been in yard limits or they might not have been. Out on the main IF railroad still had cabooses this kind of incident would most likely not have occurred,since lining up behind is what you do on the rear end,among other things.