Out of curiosity, what do your respective railroads require for medical standards for your operating crews? (This is of course outside of the vision/hearing required for conductors and engineers in the common carrier world. )

Dave M.

Your standard "DOT Physical" is the short answer and passing a drug screen.

In my experience at 3 museums, they want to see a driver's license, and of course are watching for signs of trouble during the qualification sequence, which is extensive. All have discussed initial or random drug testing of volunteers, and that idea is considered to be a non-starter.

Yes, I know a few are going to have a problem with that. Honey badger don't care.

I have no problem discussing rules and practices with actual practitioners. I certainly care what Nick Kallas or Jerry Jacobsen have to say. But you know that guy whose lifelong dream is to become a cop, but he craves authority and lords over people scarily every chance he can, and not one police department in the tri-state area will take him, thank God? And you know the foaming railfan who can't get hired by a railroad for love or money? And you know the foamer who sits in his underwear at the computer telling everyone else they're doing it wrong but without actually ever doing anything himself? "Rules geeks" tend to be a combInation of all that, and I am sick of them hijacking these discussions and turning them into Horse manure, which is then archived forever in these august halls. They should be barred from these threads. They have nothing to contribute but controversy and wrong information.

Therefore I request that everyone who has something cross to say, state their specific experience in actual practice operating a tourist railway. If you got nothin, don't post. I discussed mine in the other thread.

The first paragraph of your post was more than sufficient. As for the rest, WOW! I hope you're feeling better. I can understand your frustration and you certainly have the right to say what you want. However, condemning the thread before the "actual practitioners" (of which Dave and myself are) weigh in may be a bit premature. I believe Dave's intent for this thread is to gather information regarding the medical requirements (if any) that other organizations have established.

Also, you failed to state your specific experience and affiliation.

Well, I suppose I'll go put on my pants, grab my badge, and go to work now. HAHA!

Clearly, you have not seen the other thread :) The aforementioned foamers murdered all intelligent discussion in that one, and it's a matter of time in this one.


I discussed mine in the other thread.

I'll give this a go...

My operations experience is 10+ years on the Berkshire Scenic Railway. Of those years, 7 were operating over the Housatonic Railroad, a common carrier operating over the former New Haven Berkshire Line.
Our hours of service crew members (conductors, engineers, and brakemen) had to take a annual DoT physical. In addition they were subject to federally mandated random drug screenings which were conducted on site while on duty.

Steve Piwowarski