I was talking to SCRM's President last night and the topic of rulebooks & timetables came up. Exactly what are the FRA regs (or other pertinent regs) regarding having them? I think you're required to have them on your person when you're operating, but Howard said he thought they just had to be within easy reach. Clarification, anyone?

The South Carolina Railroad Museum
mconrad@compuzone.net

While rulebooks and timetables used to be each about the size of a checkbook, most RRs now give you enough garbage to literally fill a suitcase. If one has to carry Canadian stuff also, you bring two suitcases.

Where I work, we have to have at least one complete set of books in the cab on road jobs. On yard jobs, the material has to be available for consultation, meaning it can be in your locker or nearby car. Most of the engineers carry it with them anyway, however.

ryarger@rypn.org

I can't find anything in 49 CFR that specifies where rulebooks and timetables must be kept, other than a requirement that a master copy be on deposit and avaialable for inspection at HQ. The requirement seems to come from the Operating Rules themselves, not the FRA.

GCOR says:

"1.3.1 Rules, Regulations, and Instructions
Safety Rules.

Employees must have a copy of, be familiar with, and comply with all safety rules issued in a separate book or in another form.

General Code of Operating Rules. Employees governed I by these rules must have a current copy they can refer to while on duty.

Hazardous Materials. Employees who in any way handle hazardous materials must have a copy of the instructions or regulations for handling these materials . Employees must be familiar with and comply with these instructions or regulations

Air Brakes. Employees whose duties are affected by air brake operation must have a copy of the rules and instructions for operating air brakes and train handling. Employees must know and obey these rules and instructions.

Timetable/Special Instructions. Employees whose duties are affected by the timetable/special instructions must have a current copy they can refer to while on duty.

Train Dispatchers and Control Operators. The train dispatchers and control operators must have a copy of rules and instructions for train dispatchers and control operators. They must be familiar with and obey those rules and instructions."

NORAC says:
"A. Required Books

Employees must maintain and have with them while on duty a copy of the following:

The Operating Rules and Timetable, if their duties are affected by them.
The Safety Rules for their department.
The Hazardous Materials instructions, if they are involved in the shipment of hazardous materials.
The Air Brake instructions, if their duties are affected by them. "

To sum up: GCOR says "must have a current copy they can refer to while on duty" and NORAC says "have with them while on duty." I would interpret either of these statements as requiring the docs to be in one's grip in the cab or caboose or on the train, but not literally in one's pocket at all times.


eledbetter@rypn.org

> I can't find anything in 49 CFR that
> specifies where rulebooks and timetables
> must be kept...
TYBR hasn't found a Federal law or regulation
specifying exactly where and how.

104577.651@COMPUSERVE.COM

The LSRA rulebook is a takeoff of TRAINS and our rule B (thats right, the second one in the book) says:

"Employees whose duties are prescribed by these rules must have a copy immediately available for reference while on duty.
Employees whose duties are affected by timetable and special instructions must have a current copy available for reference while on duty."

Quite a job was done to print the Safety rules in a pocket size format and we sign for each copy. The timetable is 8.5 x 11 and folds in half long ways to fit in your pocket. No problem to throw a binder clip on them, keep them in your grip and transfer them to your pocket while on duty. Of course our rule books are much slimmer then the Class 1s.


lamontdc@adelphia.net

> Quite a job was done to print the Safety
> rules in a pocket size format and we sign
> for each copy. The timetable is 8.5 x 11 and
> folds in half long ways to fit in your
> pocket. No problem to throw a binder clip on
> them, keep them in your grip and transfer
> them to your pocket while on duty. Of course
> our rule books are much slimmer then the
> Class 1s.

All crew members on our railroad are issued a rulebook and a timetable to pack in their grip. Conductors are sent on a train with a clipboard that should have a current timetable, at least one blank accident report form, and blank conductor reports for the trains they are operating that day. The clipboard is also handy for keeping train orders, track warrants, and switch lists that might be issued. There is a conductor's closet on the train where the conductor can keep his/her personal effects and clipboard if so desired.

The locomotive crew is required to take a small 3-ring binder that contains much of the same paperwork as the conductor's clipboard, as well as a engineer's report, the fireman's report (on steam engines) and the current hostling report for the locomotive.

That's one way of doing it, anyways.

- Mike

Heber Valley Railroad
dakota97@xmission.com

TVRM rules require that each train or engine service employee (volunteers included in this defination) be issued a current copy of the rule book and timetable, to be kept with that employee while on duty. As long as they have their rule book with them on the train, it doesn't matter whether it's in their pocket or grip. The company does issue "Crash Kits" furnished with grade crossing accident reports, a disposable camera, tape recorder, and batteries for use in the occasional grade crossing incident. Some of our employees are also NS qualified and carry a current NS rulebook and timetable as well. I use an old tin conductor's box to carry my forms, rulebooks, timetables, punches and other tools of the trade. By the time that my conductor's box is fully packed, it weighs between twenty and twenty five pounds. not counting what's in the Crash Kit.

awalker2002@comcast.net