Staying awake on the job

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering how engineers on long-haul runs, at night, through the unlighted countryside, avoid the hypnotic effect of the rails and ties whooshing past, particularly if driving through falling snow. I certainly have trouble in my car when conditions are similar.

[BigJim]

Not to give you a short answer, but, I'm out the door to work.

Responsibility!

[Mr_Ash]

Its no diffrent than driving long distances in a car or truck, you stay awake because if you dont your probly going to  die and posably kill other people in the process because you desided to take a nap

When I was still with my ex fiancee when she was going to school in Toronto I would drive up and spend my days off with her every other week. I would work a 12-16 hour shift at work then get off at midnight and drive nonstop overnight to Toronto Canada from Chicago.

Interesting trips, you wouldnt beleave howmany accdents I saw while driving there and back over the years, more than enough to keep me awake and alert while driving

[cnwfan51]

    The main probklem as operating crews we live a constant state of Jet Lag,  With the Union Pacific we have the AVR that we can call into that will gives our status on where we are in the line up and will also give an idea on which train  we will get and an apporoximate time but like all things in life you need to take this with a grain of salt.   Just like driving your car operatiog a locomotive takes a lot of concetration and believe me when you are stopped in the middle of nowhere iowa naps are taken hope this jelps   CNW FORENER   Larry

[baberuth73]

When I was a conductor I kept an eye on the engineer and he kept an eye on me. If he was really struggling, I'd let him take a power nap while I ran the train. If I was struggling, he would handle the radio, call signals, etc. while I took a nap. Nobody I worked with ever took unfair advantage of this arrangement. You can shout about responsibility all you want but in the real world, where I live and work, the human body can withstand only so much abuse and ,trust me, when you work consistently on short rest it will catch up with you. It's not like you can pull a train into a rest area and take a snooze. Conductor and engineer are a team and should look out for each other. That way you live to make the next run.

[coalminer3]

Good Afternoon.

You rely not only on yourself but on folks around you. 

work safe