Rail View Camera, Friend or Foe?

If you have been involved in a crossing accident you know that the report is always the same. The Engineer was not blowing the horn, the bell wasn’t ringing, the lights were not working and so on and so on. I have been involved in several crossing accidents, two of which involved a fatality. I was accused of not doing my job and I was sued along with the carrier. I am sure many of our members have had similar experiences.

In each accident I knew that the horn was sounding, the bell was ringing and the locomotive light was on, but I had no proof. The rail view camera system has provided the proof that the crews need. The system videos the crossing and records the horn blowing and the bell ringing. We have all observed automobiles going around gates and running the signals, now they are caught on camera, The rail view system has proven to be a friend of the T & E crews as it proves that we are doing our jobs properly.

Many of you have heard that the rail view system records conversations between the crew members. The microphones are located outside the cab of the locomotive. I have observed two videos being played and I was able to here someone talking, but I could not determine what was being said even when the locomotive was in idle. The rail view system is not on the locomotive to record your conversations, as the carrier is not interested in what you are saying. They are interested in recording the horn, bell and videoing the crossing. The system has benefited each crew that has been involved in a crossing accident. The rail view system is also equipped with a date and time indicator which primarily records the time and date of crossing accidents The system also records the time and date that the microphone is disconnected or disabled. This information allows the Carrier to determine who was on the locomotive when the microphone was disconnected.

This article is to inform you of the reason the rail view system was placed on the locomotive and also, to ask that you not tamper with the equipment. The rail view system has helped the crews prove what we have said all along, that we are doing our jobs.