"Inflexible federal rules"

[jclass]

Here's comment from Rep. Petri reported on Sept. 21st:.... Petri seeks to prevent trains from blocking intersections.... For Gannett Wisconsin Media.... U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R Fond du Lac, has introduced a bill that would help prevent trains from blocking crossings. The legislation was spurred by a recent Gannett Wisconsin Media story that noted a Canadian National train blocked State 175 south of Fond du Lac for five hours earlier in the month. The crew stopped the train when it ran out of allowable work hours. A new crew was not available to move the train. Petri, a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced legislation, H.R. 5638, that would allow for a limited exception to federal hours of service regulations. The bill would allow train operators to move a train off a road intersection even if they have reached their federal hours-of-service limits. It is cosponsored by Wisconsin Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner and Sean Duffy. “Since first learning about this incident, I realize there are many issues that can cause a train to block an intersection,” Petri said. “Trains can back up, replacement crews are still being hired, but the bottom line is that a train blocked an intersection for five hours and one of the reasons was because of these inflexible federal rules. It’s simply unbelievable. My bill would ensure that these rules are not the reason a train would be unable to move out of an intersection and hopefully prevent incidents like this from occurring in the future.”

[samfp1943]

Jclass wrote: [snipped] "...The bill would allow train operators to move a train off a road intersection even if they have reached their federal hours-of-service limits. It is cosponsored by Wisconsin Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner and Sean Duffy. “Since first learning about this incident, I realize there are many issues that can cause a train to block an intersection,” Petri said. “Trains can back up, replacement crews are still being hired, but the bottom line is that a train blocked an intersection for five hours and one of the reasons was because of these inflexible federal rules. It’s simply unbelievable. My bill would ensure that these rules are not the reason a train would be unable to move out of an intersection and hopefully prevent incidents like this from occurring in the future...”[snip]

It this problem's resolution, were just a matter of writing appropriate legislation?

   Wonder what the Railroad Personnel who Post her have got to say about this?

    Should be an interesting conversation.

[mudchicken]

Say what? There's a rules interpretation here that's faulty plus some poor operating decisions. I would assume some of the operating guys on here are scratching their head as well.

[rvos1979]

Talked with an acquaintance within the last two weeks who works for CN out of North Fond Du Lac, he mentioned something about CN being short of everything to move trains.  Not sure this is a good move or not, I can see something bad happening and then it's a big legal issue.......

[jeffhergert]

Why didn't they stop off crossings if they were close to dying on the HOS?  If they had been stopped where they thought they could move again but then couldn't (I was stopped once with 5 hours left to work and never moved again.), why didn't they cut the crossing before dying?

I'm sure the railroads would love a loop hole about crews working until they were clear of crossings.  In some places you might be able to get another 15 or 20 (or more) miles out of a crew on some trains.  (Of course it would depend on how the legislation is written and interpreted/implemented. I could see language used to allow a train to move until clear, but not allow a crew to split a train in two or more parts.)

The CN could've just bit the bullet and ordered the crew to violate and move clear or cut the crossing.  Sure the CN would get fined, but it still might have been cheaper in the long run.

It would be interesting to know the complete circumstances of this incident.

Jeff 

[BaltACD]

My carriers interpretation of the HOS - crews that have gone HOS must protect public safety.  If no crew is immediately available, they must secure their train in the interest of public safety before they can leave the train.  If they are stopped where a public road crossing is blocked, they must cut that crossing.  They can no longer move the train point to point, but they must protect public safety.

[edblysard]

My carrier has the same interpretation…I can block a secondary road, but not a major thoroughfare, one normally used by emergency services,  and those are identified for us by the carrier and the county.