I'd like to get ahold of a copy of the current NORAC rule book. My understanding is that the latest edition came out in 2018.
Can a member of the general public buy one? If so, what would it cost?
I tried to find a NORAC website, but was unsuccessful. Is it part of the AAR?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
BTW, I found this "rule book" on eBay, but it looks to me like a labor agreement, not operating rules. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Union-Pacific-Railroad-Rules-Book-July-2000-/383686816912
Still in training.
The current NORAC is the 11th edition. I searched for that and got this in the results:
http://www.cottonvalley.org/safety/NORAC-11-02-01-18.pdf
I didn't do any comparisons to what I have in my grip, but that file will probably get you where you want to be. There have been a few pen and ink changes.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Thanks, Larry.
Is there no actual, physical book available? What do railroaders carry with them? And aren't you required to carry one on the job? Are folks only using iPads, etc.?
Larry and I get the rules from the railroad on 3-hole punched 8 1/2 x 11 paper and keep them in a three ring binder. I have a spiral bound printed copy of NORAC 10th edition that was given to me by our road foreman, so someone has produced printed copies in the past, but I was unable to locate anyone selling the 11th edition. Earlier spiral bound versions can be had on eBay.
Lithonia Operator Thanks, Larry. Is there no actual, physical book available? What do railroaders carry with them? And aren't you required to carry one on the job? Are folks only using iPads, etc.?
We are required to carry NORAC, air brake rules and appropriate employee timetables, at the very least. I carry inspection forms, time sheets, ear plugs, and a few other similar items as well.
And that's why we have a "grip."
One reason for having the rules in loose leaf form is because of changes. It may be easier to simply print out the affected pages and replace them in the binder than to do an extensive pen-and-ink, or even a literal cut and paste of changed sections. This is often true of the ETT as well.
A railroad may decide to do the printing of the affected pages and distribute them to the employees with instructions to replace pages as required.
You can probably take the PDF I linked to an office supply store and have them print it on both sides of the paper.
tree68 Lithonia Operator Thanks, Larry. Is there no actual, physical book available? What do railroaders carry with them? And aren't you required to carry one on the job? Are folks only using iPads, etc.? We are required to carry NORAC, air brake rules and appropriate employee timetables, at the very least. I carry inspection forms, time sheets, ear plugs, and a few other similar items as well. And that's why we have a "grip." One reason for having the rules in loose leaf form is because of changes. It may be easier to simply print out the affected pages and replace them in the binder than to do an extensive pen-and-ink, or even a literal cut and paste of changed sections. This is often true of the ETT as well. A railroad may decide to do the printing of the affected pages and distribute them to the employees with instructions to replace pages as required. You can probably take the PDF I linked to an office supply store and have them print it on both sides of the paper.
In the 21st Century I am surprised the carriers haven't gone to a 'designated electronic device' that employees must have accessable to them while they are on duty that has had all the applicable rule books (operating, train handling, safety and anything else) and ETT loaded on them and being maintained as current.
Of course that would fly in the face to the FRA's edict on electronic devices.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Thanks for the info, guys. I just found a 2003 Eight Edition on eBay. For someone who just wants to get an idea about modern rules, would that be current enough? (I'm thinking "probably.") Did much of significance change in the fifteen years until the 11th Edition?
Lithonia OperatorThanks for the info, guys. I just found a 2003 Eight Edition on eBay. For someone who just wants to get an idea about modern rules, would that be current enough? (I'm thinking "probably.") Did much of significance change in the fifteen years until the 11th Edition?
Rules have been updated to account for the various Emergency Orders that have been issued by the FRA over the past 17 years.
The core rules have not changed much in 17 years. As Balt said, the most significant changes were the result of emergency orders issued by the FRA after high profile accidents (hand operated switches, electronic devices, securing equipment). If you are just looking to get a feel for the rules, 8th edition should be fine.
One of the NORAC railroads assembled a list of significant changes when the 11th came out. I don't know if it's available on-line.
As noted, though, unless you're looking for something specific, 8th Edition on will do that for you.
Tree in my flying career I found that reading the changes were a good way to stay up on the rules and having a good refresher. Our revisions always had a marker of some ind and / or a written synopsis of what changes were in effect and if they were effective now or at a certain time.
BaltACD tree68 Lithonia Operator Thanks, Larry. Is there no actual, physical book available? What do railroaders carry with them? And aren't you required to carry one on the job? Are folks only using iPads, etc.? We are required to carry NORAC, air brake rules and appropriate employee timetables, at the very least. I carry inspection forms, time sheets, ear plugs, and a few other similar items as well. And that's why we have a "grip." One reason for having the rules in loose leaf form is because of changes. It may be easier to simply print out the affected pages and replace them in the binder than to do an extensive pen-and-ink, or even a literal cut and paste of changed sections. This is often true of the ETT as well. A railroad may decide to do the printing of the affected pages and distribute them to the employees with instructions to replace pages as required. You can probably take the PDF I linked to an office supply store and have them print it on both sides of the paper. In the 21st Century I am surprised the carriers haven't gone to a 'designated electronic device' that employees must have accessable to them while they are on duty that has had all the applicable rule books (operating, train handling, safety and anything else) and ETT loaded on them and being maintained as current. Of course that would fly in the face to the FRA's edict on electronic devices.
We switched to Nautiz X6 phablets about 18 months ago. No more paper rulebooks or train journals on CN in Canada.
It is nice to have stuff get automatically updated, but it can be quite hard to navigate the app sometimes.
We can also look at CTC overviews on the phablet.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
SD70Dude BaltACD In the 21st Century I am surprised the carriers haven't gone to a 'designated electronic device' that employees must have accessable to them while they are on duty that has had all the applicable rule books (operating, train handling, safety and anything else) and ETT loaded on them and being maintained as current. Of course that would fly in the face to the FRA's edict on electronic devices. We switched to Nautiz X6 phablets about 18 months ago. No more paper rulebooks or train journals on CN in Canada. It is nice to have stuff get automatically updated, but it can be quite hard to navigate the app sometimes. We can also look at CTC overviews on the phablet.
BaltACD In the 21st Century I am surprised the carriers haven't gone to a 'designated electronic device' that employees must have accessable to them while they are on duty that has had all the applicable rule books (operating, train handling, safety and anything else) and ETT loaded on them and being maintained as current. Of course that would fly in the face to the FRA's edict on electronic devices.
When changes are made to directives/rules that are contained on the phablet - are those directives/rules publicized by other means to draw peoples attention to the fact that something has changed? Knowing company's desires to create 'gotcha' situations it would be all to easy to quietly change something and have it updated to the phablet - and since one doesn't read every page of the directives/rules book every day - you now have in your possession the updated rule you are now, unknowling, violating.
BaltACD SD70Dude BaltACD In the 21st Century I am surprised the carriers haven't gone to a 'designated electronic device' that employees must have accessable to them while they are on duty that has had all the applicable rule books (operating, train handling, safety and anything else) and ETT loaded on them and being maintained as current. Of course that would fly in the face to the FRA's edict on electronic devices. We switched to Nautiz X6 phablets about 18 months ago. No more paper rulebooks or train journals on CN in Canada. It is nice to have stuff get automatically updated, but it can be quite hard to navigate the app sometimes. We can also look at CTC overviews on the phablet. When changes are made to directives/rules that are contained on the phablet - are those directives/rules publicized by other means to draw peoples attention to the fact that something has changed? Knowing company's desires to create 'gotcha' situations it would be all to easy to quietly change something and have it updated to the phablet - and since one doesn't read every page of the directives/rules book every day - you now have in your possession the updated rule you are now, unknowling, violating.
We are supposed to 'sync' the device at the start of each tour of duty. Any changes will be noted in the form of a new bulletin/notice/alert that pops up quite obviously once the device finished syncing. We then have to 'comply' with each new bulletin by opening and entering a 'compliance code' (a random series of numbers that comes with the bulletin).
After that the bulletin disappears into the old bulletin section, and they can be rather hard to find again.
I think electronic devices replacing paper rule books, bulletins and time tables is coming. I prefer my paper. I'd like to say I hope I'm gone before we go that route, but I think I have enough time left that I'll have to use them.
Jeff
SD70DudeWe switched to Nautiz X6 phablets about 18 months ago. No more paper rulebooks or train journals on CN in Canada. It is nice to have stuff get automatically updated, but it can be quite hard to navigate the app sometimes. We can also look at CTC overviews on the phablet.
I see they'll sell you a 'grip' to go with it ... that you glue on the back to make scanning codes easier.
Balt is being paranoid. Of course they'll change the rule in the phablet after they accuse him of violating the rule. Is the Union savvy enough to log all the revisions carefully on a separate platform??
Overmod SD70Dude We switched to Nautiz X6 phablets about 18 months ago. No more paper rulebooks or train journals on CN in Canada. It is nice to have stuff get automatically updated, but it can be quite hard to navigate the app sometimes. We can also look at CTC overviews on the phablet. Oh wow, Android bridge to signaling. That has to have implications for PTC on legacy equipment somewhere.
SD70Dude We switched to Nautiz X6 phablets about 18 months ago. No more paper rulebooks or train journals on CN in Canada. It is nice to have stuff get automatically updated, but it can be quite hard to navigate the app sometimes. We can also look at CTC overviews on the phablet.
Oh wow, Android bridge to signaling. That has to have implications for PTC on legacy equipment somewhere.
If you like that, you'll love the 3270 emulator app that our horribly antiquated pay system now runs on.
Both it and the CTC app kick you out if the device thinks you are moving, but the motion sensor is pretty terrible. This is a source of much frustration as people regularly get locked out while attempting to tie up, despite sitting perfectly still in the yard office.
Overmod I see they'll sell you a 'grip' to go with it ... that you glue on the back to make scanning codes easier. Balt is being paranoid. Of course they'll change the rule in the phablet after they accuse him of violating the rule. Is the Union savvy enough to log all the revisions carefully on a separate platform??
Probably not, or they don't have enough access to CN's systems to do this. The bulletins never come with an exact timestamp, only a date, but the phablet does keep track of the last time it was synced (of course, they could go in and change that).
If they really want to get you, there are far easier ways to do it. And most transportation supervisors* are pretty lazy.
*Officially we aren't allowed to call them "Trainmasters" anymore. Apparently it is too close to being a reference to slavery.
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