The objective of these rules will be to provide all maintenance of way employees with a state of freedom from danger that may result in injury or death from being struck by a moving train or other on track railway equipment This instruction details the on track safety requirements for all maintenance of way personnel and conforms to the FRA regulations contained in CFR 214.307 relating to roadway Workers Protection

S-28.2 ~ Fouling the Track

Every roadway worker has the responsibility to verify that on-track safety is providedbefore fouling any track. A roadway worker or roadway machine is considered to be fouling a track when the nearest rail of any track is within 8 feet

S-28.3 ~ Verification of On Track Safety Procedures

Management and individual roadway workers jointly share the responsibility for ensuring that proper on-track safety procedures are followed when fouling the track

S-28.3.1 ~ Responsibility of California Northern Railroad Management

California Northern Management must:

Provide initial and recurrent on-track safety training to all roadway workers once each calendar year.

Guarantee each employee the right to communicate in good faith, whether the on-track safety procedures to be applied at that work location comply with the provisions of the "Maintenance of Way Operating Rules"

Follow the procedures outlined in Appendix B to achieve prompt resolution of concerns relating to on-track safety procedures.

S-28.3.2 ~ Responsibilities of California Northern Individual Roadway Workers

Individual California Northern Roadway Workers must:

Follow all on-track safety rules and procedures.

Not foul a track except when necessary in the performance of duty.

Ascertain that on-track safety is being provided before fouling a track.

Refuse any directive to violate an on-track safety rule.

Notify the employee in charge when making a good faith determination that on-track safety provisions to be applied at the work location do not comply with the "Maintenance of Way Operating Rules".

S-28.4 ~ Job Briefings

A job briefing must be conducted prior to any roadway worker fouling any track. A job briefing will only be complete when each roadway worker has acknowledged understanding of the on-track safety procedures to be followed

S-28.4.1 ~ Job Briefings – Roadway Worker Group

All information related to on-track safety must be discussed in the job briefing with every roadway worker who will foul the track. The on-track safety briefing must include:

Designation of the employee-in-charge Method
Track limits and time limits of authority
Track(s) that may be fouled
Control of train movements on adjacent tracks, if any
Procedure to arrange for on-track safety on adjacent tracks, if required
Methods of providing a warning when a lookout is utilized
Designated place of safety where workers will clear for trains
Designated work zones around machines

Follow-up job briefings must be conducted when:

Working conditions or procedures change
Methods of on-track safety is changed, extended, or about to be released

S-28.4.2 ~ Job Briefings – Lone Worker

Every lone worker must participate in a job briefing with his/her supervisor at o fouling any main track or siding on the California Northern Railroad

S-28.5.1 ~ On Track Authority Matrix

The following on track authority matrix establishes the type of on-track protection that will be required prior to fouling any track:

Type of Work_____ Type of Protection Required

Roadway Worker Group Track Warrant

(Track Gang) Form B

(Contractor) Watchman/Lookout

- planned activity

Lone Worker Track Warrant

(Signal Maintainer) Individual Train Detection (ITD)

(Contractor) Watchman/Lookout

planned activity

Roadway Worker Group Form B

(Surfacing) Track Warrant

planned activity

Movement of Track Equipment Track Warrant

- planned activity

Track Inspection w/High Rail Track Warrant

planned activity

Emergency Work Track Warrant

unplanned activity Flagman

Any Activity in Yard Limits Form B

S-28.5.2 ~ Use of Track Warrant Protection

When the "Track Authority Matrix" requires track warrant protection before fouling the track, follow these steps:

Radio American Canyon Dispatcher for track warrant
Fill out and retain possession of track warrant
Review the contents of the track warrant as part of the daily job briefing
Release the track warrant authority after completion of the work activity by radio communication with American Canyon Dispatcher

S-28.5.3 ~ Use of Form B Track Bulliten Protection

When the "Track Authority Matrix" requires Form B protection before fouling the track, follow these steps:

Establish Form B authority with American Canyon Dispatcher 12 hours in advance of planned activity
Retain possession of the field copy Form B
Review the contents of the Form B as part of the daily job briefing
Release the Form B authority after completion of the work activity by radio communication with American Canyon Dispatcher

S-28.5.4 ~ Use of Individual Train Detection

A lone worker can only use individual train detection (ITD) when the following requirements are satisfied:

Performing routine inspection and minor correction work

Has the ability to see a train moving at unrestricted speed and has the ability to move to a safe location at least 15 seconds before the train approaches the work site
There are no roadway maintenance machines or power tools being operated that would affect the hearing of the lone worker

2. A lone worker using individual track detection (ITD) may not perform other duties or functions that would interfere with the ability to detect approaching trains

A lone worker who uses individual train detection to establish on-track safety shall complete a written "Statement of On-Track Safety". The Statement shall designate the limits of the track for which it is prepared and the date and time for which it is valid. The Statement shall show the maximum authorized speed of trains within the limits for which it is prepared, and the sight distance required for approaching trains. The lone worker using individual train detection to establish on-track safety must produce the "Statement of On-Track Safety" when requested by a representative of the FRA. (Statement of on-track safety contained in Appendix A)

S-28.5.5 ~ Emergency Work Situations

S-28.5.5.1 ~ It may be necessary, from time to time, to perform emergency repair or Inspection work when the American Canyon Dispatcher is not on duty. This work may be a direct result of one or more of the following situations:

Heavy Rains/Snow
Derailment
Washouts
Structure Fires
Terrorist Activities
Earthquakes

Before fouling the track, follow these steps:

Track Out of Service – No Dispatcher

-place Red Flags on both ends of affected track

-telephone Transportation Superintendent and advise track is out of service until further notice

Track Out of Service – Dispatcher on Duty

-place Red Flags on both ends of affected track

-radio or telephone dispatcher and advise of situation

S-28.5.5.2 ~

Use of watchmen/lookouts during emergency situations, to provide protection to roadway worker groups, may be necessary if all radio and telephone communications are out. A watchman/lookout is an employee who has been trained and qualified to provide warning to roadway workers of approaching trains or on-track equipment. Watchmen/lookouts shall be properly equipped to provide visual and auditory warning (whistle, air horn, white disk, red flag, lantern, fusee). A watchman/lookout’s sole duty is to look out for approaching trains or on-track equipment and provide at least 15 seconds advanced warning to employees before arrival of trains or on-track equipment

The use of watchmen/lookout’s will be governed by the following rules:

1. Warning will be given be watchmen/lookout’s to each roadway worker to

enable them to move to a safety position at least 15 seconds before the train

passes by the working area

Watchmen/lookout’s must only perform watchmen/lookout duties and shall

Devote full attention to train movement in the working area

The train warning signal that a watchman/lookout uses must be

distinguishable to the roadway workers in the work area. The warning shall

be distinctive to insure that all roadway workers will hear, or receive, the warning regardless of location on the track

All watchmen/lookout’s must ensure that they are properly equipped to

perform their duties

S-28.5.5.3 ~ The use of flagmen may be required to support on-track worker safety in the following situations:

Emergency situations that require protection of working limits
Situations that require lone workers to use on-track protection that exceeds the requirements of ITD
Any other situation that requires maintenance of way personnel to restrict or stop the movement of trains on the railroad

A flagman, is an employee designated by the railroad to direct or restrict the

movement of trains past a point on a track and to provide on-track safety for roadway workers. A flagman will engage solely in performing that function. A flagman must have the following skills:

1. The ability to detect and recognize approaching trains

The ability to provide warnings to roadway workers of approaching trains
The ability to determine train approach distance along the track to provide

Sufficient warning time

4. Knowledge of railroad on-track safety procedures to be used for train

approach warning

S-28.6 ~ On-Track Equipment Operator Requirements

This section of the roadway worker safety rule explains what authority is required to operate any piece of on-track equipment on the California Northern Railroad.

S-28.6.1 ~ General Training Requirements

No employee may operate a roadway machine without first:

Having been trained in accordance with section S-28.7 of this instruction

Having been informed of the safety procedures applicable to persons working near the machine

Acknowledging full understanding of those safety procedures

Machine-Specific Training Requirements

The operator’s manual, which includes instructions for safe operation, shall be provided and maintained with each machine large enough to carry the document. A machine operator must be conversant with in the information contained in the associated manual prior to operating a roadway machine.

B. Qualification

An employee will not be considered qualified to operate on-track equipment without having been trained and certified to be competent in the operation of that machine. This training may be accomplished on-the-job through peer instruction or through a combination of classroom training and peer training.

Competency certification must be established prior to operating a roadway machine. New or relief machine operators who have not, within the past year, operated the type of equipment to which they will be assigned must be certified competent by a Work Equipment Supervisor. The interviewer will observe such operators for a period, which is extensive enough to determine the operator’s competency level.

S-28.6.2 ~ Working with On-Track Equipment

When working with on-track equipment, spacing guidelines must be adhered to in order to prevent contact between machines and to prevent machines from contacting workers. When work or travel conditions dictate that machine spacing must be less than the guidelines require, the machine operators and the employee in charge must have a through understanding of the specific task, the conditions under which the task is to be done, and how the task is to proceed. In addition, the operator of a machine approaching workers who are foul of the track must communicate with the workers before getting closer than 15 feet to them.

Before reverses move of more than 15 feet be made, the operator must ascertain that a backup alarm is activated and/or the appropriate horn or whistle signal is sounded. In addition, the operator must observe that the track is clear of men or machines before the reverse movement is made.

Work Zones Around Machines

When roadway workers tasks require that they occupy the center of the track, they must not enter a machine’s work zone without first communicating with the operator to establish safe work procedures. Unless a different understanding is established through a job briefing, this work zone extends from a point 15 feet in front of the machine to a point 15 feet behind the machine.

Safe Working Distance Between Machines

Unless a different understanding is established through a job briefing, the minimum distance between machines while working is 50 feet.

Safe Traveling Distance Between Machines

On-Track equipment must remain at least 300 feet behind other on-track equipment while traveling to or from a work location. When established through a job briefing, machines may be "bunched" to make movements over short track segments such as crossings at grade, moveable structures, and control points. A minimum of 50 feet must be maintained between machines during such movements.

Stopping On-Track Equipment

When necessary to slow or stop on-track equipment, the operator must signal following equipment operators, whether by radio or hand signal. If a radio is used, the machine operator transmitting must be sure that the following equipment operators have received and understood the message transmitted. If hand signals are used, the signal must be continuous until it is verified that the following equipment operators have observed and understood that the movement is to be slowed or stopped.

If machines are to be "bunched" when stopped, all employees must remain clear of the track until the entire movement has stopped unless otherwise instructed by the employee in charge. After stopping, the

lead machine operator in the consist will dismount that machine and assume a position that is visible to the following machine and assume a position that is visible to the following machine operator as well as to anyone who could step into the path of the next approaching machine. The dismounted operator will spot the following machine using hand signals. This procedure will be used by each successive operator in the consist to spot the following machine.

S-28.7 ~ Maintenance of Way Safety Rules Training

All roadway workers will receive annual on-track safety training. In addition to this

training, lookouts, flagmen, lone workers, machine operators, and group coordinators

working with maintenance and construction crews will be qualified on the on-track safety procedures specific to their positions.

S-28.7.1 ~ Rules-Qualified Employees

In addition to the training and qualification that all roadway workers receive, every roadway worker who is required to be an employee-in-charge, must be qualified annually on California Northern Operating Rules.

S-28.7.2 ~ Contractors

Contractors, directly employed by the California Northern Railroad, whose employees perform services on railroad property, will be responsible for providing on-track safety training to their employees. This training may be accomplished at the job site in the form of a job briefing. These workers must not foul a track unless they have been provided on-track safety training and a railroad employee who is trained and qualified as a lookout flagman, or employee in charge is present at the work site.

S-28.8 ~ Audible Warning from Trains

General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR) Rule 5.8.2, "Sounding Whistle", will require trains and engines to sound the whistle and ring the bell when approaching roadway workers on or near the track, regardless of any whistle prohibition.

S-28.9 ~ Personal Protective Equipment

Before any California Northern Railroad maintenance worker can foul any track, the following personal protective equipment must be worn by every roadway worker in the group or lone worker:

Yellow/orange hardhat with white reflective tape on front and back of helmet
Steel toe lace up boots
Hearing protection
Safety glasses
Safety orange traffic flagman’s vest with light reflective tape on front and back panels

S-28.10 ~ Roadway Worker Safety Documentation

California Northern Railroad on-track safety program will be maintained as a part of the safety rules for all employees. All qualified employees shall be provided with and shall maintain a copy of these instructions.

Effectiveness of and compliance with this program will be monitored through annual written examinations for qualified employees and evidenced by field proficiency testing.

APPENDIX A

California Northern Railroad Statement of On-Track Safety

A lone worker using individual train detection to establish on-track safety, or a employee assigned as a lookout, must complete this form prior to fouling a track:

To complete this form:

Provide the following information:

Name

Date

Subdivision

Working limits: From MP to MP

Time form completed

2. In the table below, place an X in the box adjacent to the maximum

authorized timetable speed of trains within the working limits specified above and observe the minimum required sight distance associated with that speed

Maximum Authorized Speed in MPH	Minimum Required Sight Distance		Maximum Authorized Speed in MPH	Minimum Required Sight Distance
	X	Feet		X	Feet
5		110	50		1,100
10		220	55		1,210
15		330	60		1,320
20		440	65		1,430
25		550	70		1,540
30		660	75		1,650
35		770	80		1,760
40		880	85		1,870
45		990	90		1,980

Note: When the maximum authorized timetable speed is not shown on the form, use the

next higher speed.

APPENDIX B

Resolving Concerns Relating To On-Track Safety Procedures

California Northern employees governed by the Maintenance of Way Operating Rules Have the right to challenge in good faith whether the on-track safety procedures Applied at their work location comply with the safety rules. Individuals must make a good faith challenge before fouling the track, or when Possible, before the on-track safety rules are misapplied. Resolve the challenge as Follows:

The challenging individual will inform the employee in charge that he/she does not believe the method of on-track safety being or about to be applied to the work group complies with the rules. Note: Individuals will not be subject to retribution or punishment for making a challenge.
The employee in charge will review the on-track safety procedures with the challenging individual to verify the proper procedures have been or will be applied.
If the challenging individual is not convinced that the on-track safety procedures comply with the MWOR, the next level supervisor will be contacted. The on-track safety procedures will again be reviewed and the next level supervisor will determine whether those procedures are being properly applied.

If the supervisor determines the on-track safety procedures are not being properly applied, the employee in charge will modify the procedures as required.

If the supervisor determines the on-track safety procedures are being Properly applied, the challenging individual must perform his/her assigned duties. An individual who still refuses to perform those duties will be subject to disciplinary action.

The chief engineer will review written documentation of all challenges made within 1 week of each challenge.
Any recommendation for changes in on-track safety procedures from thisReview will be considered as possible amendments to the safety rules.

APPENDIX C

Definitions

Adjacent Tracks:

Two or more tracks with track centers spaced less than 25 feet apart.

Controlled Track:

A track upon which all movements of trains must be authorized by a train dispatcher.

Employee in Charge:

The employee who is responsible for On-Track Safety Protection by definition , a lone worker is the employee in charge.

Employer:

An employer is a railroad, or a contractor to a railroad, that directly engages or compensates individuals to perform any on-track duties.

Exclusive Track Occupancy (ETO):

A method of establishing working limits on controlled track in which movement authority is withheld or restricted by the train dispatcher, or one or more approaches to the working limits are protected by a flagman.

Flagman:

Any employee, whose sole function is to direct or restrict movement of trains past a point on a track to provide On-Track Safety for roadway workers.

Fouling a Track:

The location of an individual or an item of equipment in such proximity to a track that the individual or equipment could be struck by a moving train or on-track equipment, or is within eight feet of the side of the near running rail.

Inaccessible Track:

A method of establishing working limits on non-controlled track.

Individual Train Detection:

Designated lone worker-watching for trains by yourself where permitted.

Lone Worker:

An individual roadway worker who is not being afforded On-Track Safety by another roadway worker, who is not a member of a roadway work group, and is not engaged in a common task with another worker.

Non-Controlled Track:

A track upon which trains are permitted by rule or special instruction to move without receiving authorization from a train dispatcher (yard limits).

On-Track Safety Protection (OTS):

A state of freedom from the danger of being struck by a moving train or other railroad equipment provided by operating or safety rules that govern track occupancy by personnel, trains and on track equipment.

Qualified:

A status attained by an employee who has successfully completed required training or has demonstrated proficiency in, and has been authorized to perform, the duties of a particular position or function.

Restricted Speed:

A speed that will permit stopping within one-half the range of vision, but not exceeding 20 miles per hour, unless further restricted by the operating rules of the railroad.

Roadway Maintenance Machine:

A device powered by any means of energy other than hand power, which is being used, on or near railroad track for maintenance, repair, construction or inspection of track, bridges, roadway or signal, communications or electric traction system. Roadway maintenance machines may have road or rail wheels or may be stationary.

Roadway Work Group:

Two or more roadway workers organized to work together on a common task.

Roadway Worker:

Any employee of a railroad, or of a contractor of a railroad, whose duties include inspection, construction, maintenance, or repair of railroad track, bridge, roadway, signal, communication systems, electric traction system, or roadway facility.

Track:

Term designating the area between rails and an area that extends to 8 feet outside of each rail.

Track Car:

Equipment (other than trains) operated on track for inspection or maintenance.

Track Center:

Distance from the center of one track to the center of an adjacent track.

Train:

A locomotive with or without cars, with the rear piece of equipment displaying a marker.

Train Dispatcher:

A railroad employee assigned to control and issue orders governing the movement of trains on a specific segment of railroad track in accordance with the operating rules of the railroad that apply to that segment of track.

Watchman/Lookout:

An employee who has been annually trained and qualified to provide warning to roadway workers of approaching trains or on-track equipment. Watchmen/Lookouts must be properly equipped to provide visual and auditory warning such as a whistle, air horn, white disk, red flag, lantern, or fusee. A Watchmen/Lookouts sole duty is to look out for approaching trains, on-track equipment and provide at least fifteen seconds advance warning to employees before arrival of trains and on-track equipment.

Work Limits:

A segment of track within definite limits established in accordance with this rule upon which trains and engines may move only as authorized by the roadway worker having control over the track within the working limits.