Emergency diesel generators do this all the time as in hospital service. The difference is that they are always heated and they have a full time pre-lube system and the breaker closes on the way up to pick up the load. I read somewhere that nuclear plants were using a new type of oil and the wrist pin bearing dried out after only sitting a month or so. So at least they should use at least a 5 minute idle in time.
Only on emergency diesel generators. As a rule they shouldn't do it on locomotives and there is no reason to do so. The auto start system on modern locomotives only runs at idle until the oil and water temperatures come up then shut down again. If they (the railroads) are in the habit of running at run 8 as soon as they start they will wipe out some bearing eventually.