Author Topic: FRA Approved Work Attire....NOT!  (Read 3799 times)

Offline Ponce de Leon

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FRA Approved Work Attire....NOT!
« on: March 25, 2014, 09:21:19 PM »
For those who may not follow Rail Pictures, where I posted this earlier today:

Before you overreact to this shot, it’s important to note it was taken in July 1969, not recently. This fellow is Merl Snodgrass, and at the time of this image (an Ektachrome slide) he was working the first trick conductor’s job at Southern’s Andover, VA yard. Merl was a real jokester, and when that summer got especially hot, he showed up to work a few times in this garb. I was doing a paid photo shoot for the division safety committee. My task was to complete a slide show illustrating various safety violations. In this case, Merl is obviously standing on a drawhead (coupler) to reach the handbrake on an Interstate hopper (the car is standing on the scale track at Andover), and that’s a serious “no-no.” I remember the terminal superintendent wasn’t particularly thrilled with Merl’s work uniform, so this didn’t last long. But—he was not committing any grievous offense at that time. There were no FRA requirements then for a safety vest, hearing protection, head gear, safety glasses---not even foot wear. As the years went by, the railroad industry tightened up safety regs considerably. This shot ran in an article of mine about 14 years ago in Classic Trains magazine.


Ron Flanary

Offline GP30Rider

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Re: FRA Approved Work Attire....NOT!
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2014, 10:44:43 PM »
To my knowledge there still is not any FRA safety requirements for any of that stuff with regards to train crews.

Offline Ponce de Leon

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Re: FRA Approved Work Attire....NOT!
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2014, 11:46:15 PM »
To my knowledge there still is not any FRA safety requirements for any of that stuff with regards to train crews.

At least on CSX, a conductor would be required to wear a safety vest, safety glasses, hearing protection and steel toed boots. I would very surprised if NS' requirements were any different.
Ron Flanary

Offline chipallen16

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Re: FRA Approved Work Attire....NOT!
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2014, 01:25:46 AM »
Awesome shot, Ron! It would have been great to witness the days of many fun-loving, happy railroad employees. I'm not saying there aren't any now, but I am saying that they're getting harder to come across.

-Chip  :)

Offline GP30Rider

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Re: FRA Approved Work Attire....NOT!
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2014, 03:22:03 AM »
To my knowledge there still is not any FRA safety requirements for any of that stuff with regards to train crews.

At least on CSX, a conductor would be required to wear a safety vest, safety glasses, hearing protection and steel toed boots. I would very surprised if NS' requirements were any different.

Absolutely.   Company rules though.   Not FRA requirements.  You were correct that there were no FRA requirements for that sort of safety attire 50 years ago and there still is not in 2014 for operating crews.  The FRA does have safety requirements for MOW employees when it comes to wardrobe but not for operating employees.

Offline Ponce de Leon

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Re: FRA Approved Work Attire....NOT!
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2014, 09:56:57 AM »
Thanks for clearing that up. When I first worked for the Southern (in MofW) in 1970, we weren't even required to wear hard hats, safety shoes or anything like that.

There might be some who wonder about all the required hearing protection, safety glasses, steel-toed boots, etc.---but those represent sound decisions over the years. The down side, of course, is it's just a few more things an employee can get "gigged" over.

One of several reasons I didn't stay in railroading, as an officer, was the Gestapo-like expectations Southern had for its officers in the transportation department. I just couldn't tolerate the "chicken-s__t" side of rules checks for things that really didn't matter all that much. An operating rule violation, Rule G, or something that could truly cause serious problems? Sure...I knew those had to be addressed. But there was just this culture of maintaining tension, constant suspicion and division between management and the rank and file---and I didn't care for it at all. That was really a secondary issue for my decision to change careers into something non-railroad, but it was in the back of my mind.
Ron Flanary

Offline dschlegel

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Re: FRA Approved Work Attire....NOT!
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2014, 09:53:05 PM »
That's a neat photo and great back story. Thanks for sharing this!
PA Dan

Offline lwjabo

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Re: FRA Approved Work Attire....NOT!
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2014, 05:13:39 PM »
All the old track supervisors and the motor car operators were deaf. Several years before I retired several of us got together. We were shooting the breeze and we got to laughing about every one kept saying huh over and over. Ridding those old units ruined our hearing. Without my hearing aids I can't hear anything. I admit the safety glasses helped some. The vests came out after I retired. I did have one that held my radio on my chest. It like me was worn out when I retired. I never did buy the safety boots. Still would recommend a good pair of boots for anyone who walks on or near the tracks.