Opinion ID: 765540
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Federal Regulations and Orders Regarding Train Crew Size

Text: 34
35 In 1993, the FRA promulgated a new rule regarding utility employees temporarily assigned to work with train or yard crews. Some background is necessary to understand the FRA's rule-making. Since 1970, the FRA's regulations had distinguished train and yard crews from workers. 4 The former were the engineers, conductors, and brakemen who were assigned to a particular train--rolling equipment. Workmen were employees who were not a part of a particular crew but whose job required them to work on, under, or between rolling equipment doing such things as inspecting or repairing locomotives and cars. When a worker was working on, under, or between rolling equipment, he was required to comply with certain blue signal rules found in 29 C.F.R. part 218. Essentially, the worker posted a blue flag or sign on or near the train. No one could then move the train until he had found the worker who posted the blue signal and verified that the worker was not in danger when the train moved. Train and yard crew members were generally excluded from the blue signal requirement. The logic of the rule is simply that one of the greatest dangers to an employee working around rolling equipment is that the equipment might move unexpectedly because of a lack of communication between the crew and a worker. Because train and yard crews work together as a team and keep in constant communication, there is much less danger of the engineer unexpectedly moving the train while another crewman is, for example, uncoupling a car. 36 In 1993, however, the FRA modified its regulations to account for substantial changes in the typical size of train crews, and the development of a new type of employee: the utility employee. In announcing the new regulation, the FRA stated: 37 Since promulgation of the regulation [in 1970], the size of train and yard crews has been significantly reduced through the collective bargaining process and increased operating efficiencies. Implementation of the recommendations of Presidential Emergency Board No. 219 (PEB 219) (see Pub. L. No. 102-29, 1991) is greatly accelerating this process. Through this and prior processes, crews that once consisted of a locomotive engineer, fireman, conductor, and two trainmen, have in many cases been reduced to a locomotive engineer and conductor only. 38 58 Fed. Reg. 43288. As the crew sizes decreased, many railroads began using utility employees who were attached temporarily to train and yard crews. Under the prior regulations, there was confusion and disagreement about whether these utility employees were train and yard crew members, thus excluded from the blue signal requirement, or were workers who were not. After studying the situation, in 1993 the FRA changed the regulations to expressly account for the changes in the industry. The new regulations defined train and yard crews, utility employees, and workers, and set out when each was subject to the blue signal requirement. In so doing, the FRA recognized that sometimes train or yard crews had only one person, and it adopted a different standard for such crews. 39 The regulations provided that a utility employee could be part of train and yard crews, and so excluded from the blue signal requirement, only when an engineer was at the controls of the locomotive, or at least in the cab. 29 C.F.R. sec. 218.22(c) & (e). The FRA explained that [t]he presence and vigilance of the engineer at of the controlling locomotive is essential. 58 Fed. Reg. 43291. The FRA permitted, however, another member of the train or yard crew to go into the cab if the engineer had to perform some function outside. Id. The notice also explained: 40 A single locomotive engineer in helper service, or a single hostler may not take advantage of the exclusion from blue signal protection unless joined by a utility employee. Absent a crew member to monitor the locomotive, blue signal protection is required. 41 Id. The exclusion of single-person train and yard crews from the blue signal protection was noted only in the preamble to the new rule, not in the text itself. The FRA later explained why it had done so: 42 FRA's notice of proposed rule making requested comment on the protection needed for a single locomotive engineer performing helper or hostler service. . . . Protecting one-member crews was therefore within the scope of the notice. FRA chose not to address the subject in rule text because no comments were received. In the preamble to the final rule, however, FRA expressed discomfort with one-member crews. It was stated that a lone engineer could not take advantage of the exclusion from blue signal protection unless joined by a utility employee to ensure that the locomotive cab was always occupied. 43 60 Fed. Reg. 11047. 44 In response to the preamble's making one-person train and yard crews subject to the blue signal requirement, the AAR petitioned the FRA for reconsideration. On March 1, 1995, the FRA announced an amendment to the rule. 60 Fed. Reg. 11047. The FRA summary stated [t]he amendment will permit single-person crews to work within the protections provided for train and yard crews. Id. The FRA expressed its continued concern with the unique risk faced by lone engineers despite the current lack of evidence of a substantial injury record for one-member crews. An engineer assigned to helper or hostler service must frequently perform work, such as placing rear end markers or making connections between locomotives, that puts that employee in danger, particularly when this work is performed in 11047, 11048. So the FRA issued a new regulation, 49 C.F.R. sec. 218.24, which permitted a lone engineer to work on, under, or between rolling stock without blue signal protection only if certain specified conditions were met. The regulation also covered how a single engineer in helper service would communicate with the crew he was assisting and how the two crews would go about moving their respective trains. In response to this new rule for one-person crews, the FRA received numerous comments and petitions. After reviewing them, the FRA suspended the regulation as of its effective date, May 15, 1995. 60 Fed. Reg. 30469. The FRA also reopened the comment period on the amendment regarding only the issue of one-person crews and the comment period is apparently still open. 45
46 By 1993 some railroads had begun using remote control devices with their one-person crews. These devices permitted a lone engineer working outside the cab to move the locomotive. Thus, a lone engineer would be able to perform a task that previously would have required the engineer to be in the cab moving the locomotive and communicating by radio with another crew member working on the ground. The use of these devices raised some significant regulatory compliance issues. In January 1993, the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Company petitioned the FRA for waivers from certain regulatory requirements so that it could use remote control devices with lone engineers. The FRA invited comment, conducted a public hearing, and then on November 18, 1994, issued a notice that it would conduct a two-year test program for remote control devices involving Wheeling & Lake Erie, although it encouraged other railroads to join the test program. 59 Fed. Reg. 59826. The FRA allowed the continued use of remote control devices by other railroads only if they participated in the two-year test program. 59 Fed. Reg. 59827. The UTU petitioned the FRA to prohibit any use of remote control devices, but the FRA denied that petition. See 61 Fed. Reg. 58737. 47 c. Wisconsin Central's Use of One-Person Crews for Over-the-Road Movements, Use of Remote Controls, and the FRA's Review. 48 In 1996, Wisconsin Central proposed expanding its use of one-person crews for some over-the- road movements on four new routes. (At the time Wisconsin Central used one-person crews on four other routes.) On April 25, 1996, the UTU petitioned the FRA for an emergency order banning Wisconsin Central from using one-person crews for any over-the-road movements. (The FRA has not yet ruled on this petition.) The FRA then began reviewing Wisconsin Central's use of one-person crews and asked it not to expand its use of one- person crews for over-the-road movement during the review period. Wisconsin Central agreed. 49 In a May 8, 1996, letter to Wisconsin Central, the FRA stated: 50 We are aware that other railroads, as well as your own, currently operate one-person trains. For the most part, these operations are short, slow trains. You intend, however, to move mixed freight over long distances in these four routes. As you no doubt realize, your proposed operations are novel, and pose many complex problems. 51 Although there are no available data proving one- person crews are unsafe, there are also no data showing operations of the type you propose to be safe. . . . 52 The FRA listed a number of safety concerns and directed Wisconsin Central to submit an action plan detailing its operating standards for one- person crews and addressing these issues. The FRA approved Wisconsin Central's continued use of one-person crews on the four existing routes while the FRA studied the matter. 53 In September 1996, Wisconsin Central notified the FRA that it wanted to begin using remote control devices to move locomotives at two of its rail yards in Wisconsin. On September 17, 1996, the UTU petitioned the FRA for an emergency order banning the use of remote control devices not only by Wisconsin Central but by all railroads. (The FRA has not yet ruled on this petition either.) On November 18, 1996, the FRA announced that it would conduct public hearings in Wisconsin on the issue of Wisconsin Central's use of one-person crews and the use of remote control devices in general. The hearings were held on December 4 and 5, 1996, in Appleton, Wisconsin. Numerous persons testified regarding the safety of one-person crews and remote control devices, John Dobyns. Dobyns admitted he was no expert on railroads, but opined that one-person crews and remote control devices were not safe. Shortly after testifying at the FRA hearings, Dobyns introduced the bill that eventually became sec. 192.25. 54 On January 10, 1997, the FRA wrote a letter to Wisconsin Central in which it indicated that it was reviewing the issues raised at the December hearings. The FRA permitted Wisconsin Central to continue with its then-current use of oneperson crews, but told it to wait until a final FRA decision before expanding its use of one-person crews. The FRA did bar Wisconsin Central from implementing remote controlled operations, however. Due to a high accident rate, the FRA began conducting a broad study of all of Wisconsin Central's operations. On February 8, 1997, Wisconsin Central and the FRA entered into a Safety Compliance Agreement. The agreement permitted Wisconsin Central to continue using one-person crews for light movements, that is, locomotive only, but not for over-the-road movements, and it prohibited Wisconsin Central from using remote control devices. Those restrictions did not apply to Wisconsin Central's Port Inland, Michigan, terminal. This agreement ended after 12 months and was replaced with a new Safety Compliance Agreement. The new agreement praised Wisconsin Central for its compliance with the prior agreement and as a result expanded slightly the types of one-person crew movements that Wisconsin Central could conduct. The second agreement also had a 12-month term, which has now expired. The record is silent as to whether Wisconsin Central has entered into another agreement. 55