With UP bridge out over Brazos River Sunset detours south to Alvin then north thru Manvel before coming back to Rosenberg.
Yes, freight engineers are used as pilots on detoured Amtrak trains.I guess the Amtrak loco engineers will not know the signals, etc, on such diversions. Do they have to learn the possible diversions anyway? Here in the UK, if a train driver has not "signed off" that he is competent on a particular route, an additional driver with the route knowledge is put in the cab to guide, known as a pilot.
I imagine these other pilot engineers, if used on USA diversions, can only come from the freight companies?
Ed.
(We call engineers train drivers.)
Generally true, but there are Amtrak T&E Crews that are qualified on re-routes such as those that the Eagle uses in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois!Yes, freight engineers are used as pilots on detoured Amtrak trains.I guess the Amtrak loco engineers will not know the signals, etc, on such diversions. Do they have to learn the possible diversions anyway? Here in the UK, if a train driver has not "signed off" that he is competent on a particular route, an additional driver with the route knowledge is put in the cab to guide, known as a pilot.
I imagine these other pilot engineers, if used on USA diversions, can only come from the freight companies?
Ed.
(We call engineers train drivers.)
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