Engineer smoking a cigar?

[Scuba_Steve]

I've been reading this forum for a while now, and just decided to make an account because I saw something that made me very curious.... Last week, I got off work a little before a Surfliner was scheduled to arrive in Oxnard. I had nothing else to do so I went over to the station to see it. The train arrived about 20 minutes late. I was sitting on a bench that was located next to the front of the train (which was the Cascades NPCU used on the surfline). As the train was departing, I noticed the engineer put a cigar up to his mouth and took a puff of it. I've never seen this before, and I'm wondering if this is even allowed by Amtrak?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Nope, Amtrak is entirely Non- Smoking! If inward facing cameras were installed in the cab, this guy would be in trouble! ,( of course we've all seen OBS puffing cigs out the open dutch door windows on trains)

It has to do with smoking in a workplace rules and regs.. In Canada they even issued tickets to Commercial Truck Drivers driving their own trucks!!!

 

[Thirdrail7]

As of a few years ago, smoking is prohibited in the cabs of locomotives, but it is one of those things that doesn't come up unless someone complains. Previously, smoking was allowed if you were the lone crew member or if all crew members agreed that smoking wasn't an issue.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Nope, Amtrak is entirely Non- Smoking! If inward facing cameras were installed in the cab, this guy would be in trouble! ,( of course we've all seen OBS puffing cigs out the open dutch door windows on trains)

i highly doubt anyone is going to use an inward facing cameras to bring someone up on charges for smoking. That may not even be allowed.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Nope, Amtrak is entirely Non- Smoking! If inward facing cameras were installed in the cab, this guy would be in trouble! ,( of course we've all seen OBS puffing cigs out the open dutch door windows on trains)

i highly doubt anyone is going to use an inward facing cameras to bring someone up on charges for smoking. That may not even be allowed.

Isn't there political pressure to install inward facing cameras in the cabs since the 188 accident in PHL?
Railroads are notorious for looking to nail crews for violations!

Many smart people that still smoke have a supply of Nicotine Gum to use while at work.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Nope, Amtrak is entirely Non- Smoking! If inward facing cameras were installed in the cab, this guy would be in trouble! ,( of course we've all seen OBS puffing cigs out the open dutch door windows on trains)

i highly doubt anyone is going to use an inward facing cameras to bring someone up on charges for smoking. That may not even be allowed.

Isn't there political pressure to install inward facing cameras in the cabs since the 188 accident in PHL?
Railroads are notorious for looking to nail crews for violations!

Many smart people that still smoke have a supply of Nicotine Gum to use while at work.

Even more political will be the events or reasons that will allow the inward cameras to be viewed and/or used as evidence. These details are still being worked on.

 

[StriderGDM]

I would hate to see inward cameras be used to do what I could consider harass engineers.

Yes, I want them to follow the rules and there to be penalties for failing to do so.

HOWEVER, you also need trust. And something like an inward facing camera is very intrusive so an effort should be made (both policy-wise and even technology-wise) to only use them for things like accident investigations or the most gross dereliction of duties.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Without looking in the SSM, I believe OBS are even barred from smoking on the platform, at least not in view of pax. Yet I've seen many fire up a Heater at an extended stop and make no effort to be low about it.

Up until a few years ago there was a GREAT Conductor who worked the Texas Eagle FTW to wherever the next southbound crew change is and he often walked the cars with a cold cigar in mouth or hand. Never lit.

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

Some people chew Cigars. I know about 7 that do that.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I rode many times with the now retired Eagle Conductor that chewed the Cigars, he was a real character.( can't remember his name)

He started out as an SP Trainman in Del Rio and retired out of San Antonio, the Crew base for the SAS-FTW Conductors. ( the Engineers do SAS-Del Rio and SAS- AUS. The FTW based Engineers do AUS-FTW and FTW-LVw!)

 

[BCL]

The Service Standards Manual didn't really address crew smoking. However, I've seen crew lighting up in clear view of passengers boarding and unbarring. However, I would have thought that it didn't apply to engineers.

I would find it unusual though. I have seen engineers waiting on the platform lighting up. I thought the entire station was supposed to be smoke free, but it's kind of thought to prevent anyone from doing so outdoors.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Smoking Laws are as ridiculous as Alcohol Laws.

Here in Austin you can't Smoke on any

Outdoor Patio or Deck in a Cafe or Bar til after 230PM, including Vapor Cigs.

But you can have your Pets outside anytime!( Inside Smoking is a No!No! @ All Times!)

Of course Service animals are allowed at all times, but that's a Federal Law!

 

[TylerP42]

I've seen once the engineer of the Coast Starlight smoking a cigar at Emeryville. He was standing in the doorway of the locomotive.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Smoking Laws are as ridiculous as Alcohol Laws.

Most of the alcohol laws I don't agree with are those that involve religious motives or no-refusal participation.

Here in Austin you can't Smoke on any Outdoor Patio or Deck in a Cafe or Bar til after 230PM, including Vapor Cigs.

Although I'm fine with vapor cigarettes myself you have to remember that hundreds of years of bad karma from obnoxious smokers isn't going to be resolved anytime soon. With the way smokers conducted themselves in the past it's a wonder they're still allowed to smoke at all.

But you can have your Pets outside anytime!( Inside Smoking is a No!No! @ All Times!) Of course Service animals are allowed at all times, but that's a Federal Law!

I'm not following the equation between smoking and pets. Was the 2:30PM decision some sort of compromise so that folks with pets weren't forced to deal with smokers the entire day from open to close?

 

[sgtsluder]

Really, nothing better to do on Labor Day, than to try to get an Engineer terminated! Great use for this site.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

Really, nothing better to do on Labor Day, than to try to get an Engineer terminated! Great use for this site.

Relax man.... Nobody is trying to get anybody fired. I sure as heck don't care if the guy is smoking a cigar, and I don't think many others on here really care either judging by the comments. I'm sure the guy is a great engineer, and I would still hop on his train. I was just asking a question because I had never seen that before, and was surprised by how blatant he was about it. And even if I wanted to get the guy fired, I don't have any "proof" to show anyway. It's not like I was sitting there taking pictures of him.

 

[Asher]

Smoking Laws are as ridiculous as Alcohol Laws.

Here in Austin you can't Smoke on any

Outdoor Patio or Deck in a Cafe or Bar til after 230PM, including Vapor Cigs.

But you can have your Pets outside anytime!( Inside Smoking is a No!No! @ All Times!)

Of course Service animals are allowed at all times, but that's a Federal Law!

The old order in the military " smoke Em if you got em " is history. Glad I quit.

 

[neroden]

Although I'm fine with vapor cigarettes myself you have to remember that hundreds of years of bad karma from obnoxious smokers isn't going to be resolved anytime soon. With the way smokers conducted themselves in the past it's a wonder they're still allowed to smoke at all.

Yeah. I'm actually allergic to some additive which is very common in cigarettes and cigars (never figured out which one, but I know it's an additive because pipe smoke doesn't bother me), so secondhand smoke is a HUGE issue for me -- I really wish smoking in public would be banned outright. Although I've met the occasional polite smoker, most smokers have been complete jackasses about secondhand smoke for a very long time. I'm all for allowing recreational drug use in public, but they shouldn't be forcing the damn stuff on the rest of us -- keep it out of the air.

 

[me_little_me]

Tracks in stations are full of cigarette butts from inconsiderate smokers. Then again, they pollute every curb and permitted smoking location, and they chuck the butts out the windows of their cars.

 

[Hal]

Although I'm fine with vapor cigarettes myself you have to remember that hundreds of years of bad karma from obnoxious smokers isn't going to be resolved anytime soon. With the way smokers conducted themselves in the past it's a wonder they're still allowed to smoke at all.

Yeah. I'm actually allergic to some additive which is very common in cigarettes and cigars (never figured out which one, but I know it's an additive because pipe smoke doesn't bother me), so secondhand smoke is a HUGE issue for me -- I really wish smoking in public would be banned outright. Although I've met the occasional polite smoker, most smokers have been complete jackasses about secondhand smoke for a very long time. I'm all for allowing recreational drug use in public, but they shouldn't be forcing the damn stuff on the rest of us -- keep it out of the air.

At station stops some will come out on the platform and stand right next to the conductor blowing smoke in the conductors face. Even though many outdoor stations now like all in New Jersey prohibit. They do it in Penn Station and 30th Street too where smoking on the platform is prohibited. Suffice to say I am not a fan of smokers because of the ones who are inconsiderate.

Smoking a cigar in the cab is inconsiderate too because someone is going to run that engine after and the smell will linger.

 

[fairviewroad]

they chuck the butts out the windows of their cars.

That's what I was thinking in this case. The west is a tinderbox right now. What do you think happened to that cigar butt? I highly doubt there's an ashtray in the cab, especially if the smoker in question is bending the rules. It's possible he carries a portable pocket ashtray. But it's far more likely that thing got tossed into the dry bushes along the tracks.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Really, nothing better to do on Labor Day, than to try to get an Engineer terminated! Great use for this site.

Relax man.... Nobody is trying to get anybody fired. I sure as heck don't care if the guy is smoking a cigar, and I don't think many others on here really care either judging by the comments. I'm sure the guy is a great engineer, and I would still hop on his train. I was just asking a question because I had never seen that before, and was surprised by how blatant he was about it. And even if I wanted to get the guy fired, I don't have any "proof" to show anyway. It's not like I was sitting there taking pictures of him.

Well, even if you don't have proof someone can now "put an eye" on this person. Perhaps future questions can be posed without using the train number?

they chuck the butts out the windows of their cars.

That's what I was thinking in this case. The west is a tinderbox right now. What do you think happened to that cigar butt? I highly doubt there's an ashtray in the cab, especially if the smoker in question is bending the rules. It's possible he carries a portable pocket ashtray. But it's far more likely that thing got tossed into the dry bushes along the tracks.

It is even more possible that the person in question takes a water bottle and extinguishes the cigar in there. Then, at the end of the trip the whole thing is dumped in the toilet or in the garbage can.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Oddly enough the more defensive and accusatory the smoking sympathizers get about this the more inclined I am to take some sort of action the next time I see one of the staff smoking in, on, or around a train, station, or platform.

 

[sgtsluder]

At the company I work for, I see guest compliment letters, stating what a great vacation they had because of employee "John" who went out of his way.

Included in the letter is something like a train number and mention of his cigar.

Now his "Thank You" letter turns into his grounds for termination. The Management argument is, "Why would the complimenting guest lie?"

Please withhold the train # next time.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

At the company I work for, I see guest compliment letters, stating what a great vacation they had because of employee "John" who went out of his way.

Included in the letter is something like a train number and mention of his cigar.

Now his "Thank You" letter turns into his grounds for termination. The Management argument is, "Why would the complimenting guest lie?"

Please withhold the train # next time.

I agree, my mistake. I've contacted a couple admins to remove that info for me, as it is too late for me to edit the post... trust me the last thing I want is for someone to get fired, especially since a co-worker of mine, and a close friend who was with the company for 10 years, was wrongfully terminated from my work a couple weeks ago. Def don't wish that upon anyone.