Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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If you spend any time around railroad people, you'll soon become
aware that safety is constantly on everyone's mind. And with
good reason: with massive weights moving at high speeds, rail-
roading is an inherently dangerous business. The consequences of
poor safety practices can mean wrecks, which are hugely expen-
sive. They can potentially cost millions of dollars in damage to
equipment and freight, not to mention additional millions when
people are hurt or killed.
Every railroad employee is responsible for safe operations
and, if necessary, is empowered to override orders from superiors.
For example, if an engineer receives confusing or garbled radio
instructions from a dispatcher, he can refuse to move the train
until he's satisfied that he clearly understands the instructions.
Maintenance
Regular maintenance is just as important to a railroad as it is to
an airline. Amtrak performs maintenance and repair work at a
dozen facilities located around the country: Albany, New York;
Boston; New York City; Wilmington, Delaware; Washington,
D.C.; Chicago; Miami; New Orleans; Los Angeles; Oakland,
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