General Discussion

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts) Thu May 14, 2015, 08:36 AM May 2015

Why don't they mandate two Locomotive Engineers per train? ... [View all]

"Because that would mean having TWO people do the job of one, and that is a waste of money, silly! We'd be paying the second guy/gal, just to sit around!"

That is the, unspoken, sentiment that I am hearing ... the same mentality that has some people riling whenever they want to make some sophomorically profound anti-public works point ... i.e., "How many City workers does it take to dig a ditch? 3. One to do the digging and 2 to stand around holding shovels."

Yes, "positive train control" would/will prevent these train crashes ... until the technology breaks, as technology is known to do ... In the meantime, SPEND THE EXTRA COUPLE OF MILLION A YEAR, to save real peoples' lives.

Edited to reflect new knowledge ... Locomotive Engineers drive trains; Conductors, collect tickets.

69 replies

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Highlight:

Why don't they mandate two Locomotive Engineers per train? ... [View all] 1StrongBlackMan May 2015 OP

How about two taxi drivers? Two bus drivers? brooklynite May 2015 #1

Really??? jschurchin May 2015 #9

Is it time to maybe rethink if maybe these are too dangerous yeoman6987 May 2015 #48

you're asking whether rail transportation is necessary CreekDog May 2015 #67

Obviously you don't like my replies yeoman6987 May 2015 #69

I suppose.. My Good Babushka May 2015 #10

the average airplane carries hundreds of people, travels at hundreds of miles per hour... Javaman May 2015 #20

Do you understand the difference between a taxi and a train? Lol, wow. nt RedCappedBandit May 2015 #26

Don't forget two airline pilots Major Nikon May 2015 #44

Trains operate in two dimensions; planes operate in three brooklynite May 2015 #55

They should mandate catheters and urine bags for pilots so the German airline suicide scenario... Human101948 May 2015 #60

That's what PTC was supposed to address... brooklynite May 2015 #62

I don't think your point signifies what you think Major Nikon May 2015 #64

we know what you were attempting with that post and you failed miserably CreekDog May 2015 #68

And two airline pilots, how ridiculous! CreekDog May 2015 #66

How could two conductors Ms. Yertle May 2015 #2

How about ... 1StrongBlackMan May 2015 #5

So, Ms. Yertle May 2015 #12

Why do you think this is funny? DURHAM D May 2015 #23

Um, no Ms. Yertle May 2015 #25

Seems like everyone else in this thread understands DURHAM D May 2015 #28

Poster changed the OP Ms. Yertle May 2015 #34

To keep each other honest or even awake. Renew Deal May 2015 #30

Cross checking and crew resource management just to name a couple Major Nikon May 2015 #47

Hey Schmuck. The poster mistook conductor for engineer. And you know that. HERVEPA May 2015 #51

Was the conductor in the cab? Brickbat May 2015 #17

Ma'am, you couldn't possibly have ever been in charge of a train. jschurchin May 2015 #19

Well, why don't you educate me? Ms. Yertle May 2015 #24

Kinda lazy, huh? jschurchin May 2015 #32

Maybe because Conductors don't drive the train. HooptieWagon May 2015 #3

My bad ... Clearly a Non-train rider here. Thanks n/t 1StrongBlackMan May 2015 #7

Not necessarily just 'ticket collectors'. PotatoChip May 2015 #8

Isn't there something called the Dead Man's Switch? CTyankee May 2015 #16

I don't know much about it, but have heard the term. PotatoChip May 2015 #39

The alerter is an electronic siren-like noise that goes off every minute or so and gets Brickbat May 2015 #49

Ugh! That would be annoying, wouldn't it. PotatoChip May 2015 #50

You mistook my sarcasm for support. Brickbat May 2015 #53

Oh, sorry. PotatoChip May 2015 #54

Actually, one conductor and the others trainmen. HERVEPA May 2015 #52

Why? Lobbyists. ellenrr May 2015 #4

Life does not matter to republican, only money matters. Augiedog May 2015 #6

It does truly always come down to money... Phentex May 2015 #13

+10 The GOP as the Party of Death, and the Dems. as the Party of Life is truer than not. appalachiablue May 2015 #65

The guy on Morning Joe this am was DURHAM D May 2015 #11

Strange Ms. Yertle May 2015 #14

Ever wonder why Freight Trains have a Engineer and Conductor riding together in the Locomotive? jschurchin May 2015 #15

Carriers are lobbying heavily for one-person cabs. Brickbat May 2015 #18

Yep, don't we both know it. jschurchin May 2015 #21

Never seen an industry want to kill the golden goose the way RRs do. Brickbat May 2015 #27

One obvious answer Ms. Yertle May 2015 #29

This message was self-deleted by its author jschurchin May 2015 #33

"One obvious answer is that Freight is unlikely to cause a problem or a disturbance" jschurchin May 2015 #35

I'm pretty sure he means a human disturbance Renew Deal May 2015 #40

I agree, 100%. nt jschurchin May 2015 #46

Uhhm Conductors do not just collect tickets. They are the boss of the crew. CBGLuthier May 2015 #22

In NY, the Long Island Rail Road runs the "Air Train". Renew Deal May 2015 #36

Historic train crews 1939 May 2015 #37

There would be two engineers...in an economically just society. nt DisgustipatedinCA May 2015 #31

As of 2013, a Conductor and an engineer are required, according ot this article from 2013 Agnosticsherbet May 2015 #38

. DURHAM D May 2015 #41

There was a conductor on this train. He survived. Agnosticsherbet May 2015 #42

Off point. DURHAM D May 2015 #43

Proposed Two-Person Train Crew Rule Rattles Passenger Rail Advocates Agnosticsherbet May 2015 #45

The same reason there was no Flight Engineer on Germanwings. Downwinder May 2015 #56

I remember an earlier version of this battle from 60 years ago. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #57

Exactly. And that's what gave us Lac-Megantic. eppur_se_muova May 2015 #58

Wasn't that one of the "bomb" trains (in addition to the underlying accident)? Vinca May 2015 #63

... automated speed controls. nt ladjf May 2015 #59

Two engineers would be good in many scenarios, but not foolproof brachism May 2015 #61