112 engineer collapses

[Knothead]

Tragedy may well have been averted recently due to the simple fact that two people -- not one -- were working aboard a Norfolk Southern (NS) locomotive.

On June 21, engineer Dan Neyhouse and conductor Alan Stuckey, both members of UTU Local 490 in Princeton, Ind., answered the call to operate NS train #112 from Princeton, Ind., to St. Louis, said Mike Lewis, a fellow member of Local 490.

As Neyhouse made preparations for departure, conductor Stuckey released the hand brakes, mounted the third engine of the locomotive consist and advised the engineer he was in the clear and ready to proceed, said Lewis, who also serves as a UTU International auditor and regional organizing coordinator.

Neyhouse failed to acknowledge his conductor, and when conductor Stuckey made his way to the lead locomotive, he again advised the engineer to proceed. Without verbally responding to Stuckey, engineer Neyhouse released the brakes and the train began to move.

Seated on the conductor's side of the engine, Stuckey reminded Neyhouse of the 10 mph speed restriction at an upcoming crossing, but the engineer again failed to respond verbally, a situation that Stuckey found odd.

With his view of Neyhouse obstructed by the control stand, and his uncertainty rising due to the lack of verbal acknowledgement from his crew mate, conductor Stuckey left his seat and approached the engineer's side of the cab, only to find Neyhouse staring blindly out the side window.

Stuckey asked again if the engineer heard and understood his instructions about the speed restriction, and suddenly realized Neyhouse couldn't respond. Instead, the engineer, with a contorted expression, swiveled strangely in his seat, mumbled incomprehensibly, motioned toward the ceiling with his right hand and drew his left hand across his chest.

Instantly comprehending the gravity of their situation, conductor Stuckey put the train into emergency before it reached the dangerous crossing and called on the radio for an ambulance. As Stuckey radioed for help, Neyhouse collapsed, face down, onto the floor of the cab.

Frightened, Stuckey brushed away any concession to panic and went to Neyhouse's aid, propping him up into a seated position and splashing bottled water on his face in an effort to revive and comfort him.

Neyhouse was transported to a local hospital, while Stuckey was assigned a replacement engineer and sent on his way.

Doctors treated Neyhouse and released him later that evening, but a definite cause of his ailment couldn't be determined, Lewis said. According to their best guess, the doctors theorized that Neyhouse may have been suffering from severe dehydration.

"Even though engineer Neyhouse was experiencing some type of seizure or dehydration and wasn't in full control," Lewis said, "he still was able to operate the engine and the alerter mechanism to prevent the train from applying a penalty application of the brakes to stop the train.

"Had an inexperienced conductor -- or no conductor at all -- been with the engineer, this train could have run a stop signal at the crossing and sideswiped another train, causing a derailment, injuries or -- God forbid -- a hazardous material spill imperiling the lives of the city's residents," Lewis said.

"This incident is an example of the potential disasters being averted because two employees are required in the locomotive to ensure its safe operation," Lewis said. "And I feel that UTU-represented conductor Alan Stuckey deserves recognition for his alert, calm reaction and dedicated service."

This is another reason that an FRA working group on collision avoidance, which includes representatives of carriers, labor and the FRA, recommends two sets of eyes and ears in cab of all trains.

[NS 2557]

And the railways want to phase out the conductor   :evil:  if it wasnt for the conductor this engineer would be dead