Blue Signal Workers

Any railroad employee who is assigned to inspect, test, repair, or service railroad rolling equipment, or their components, including brake systems. This excludes a member of a train crew working on their own train.

Train & yard crews are not excluded from blue signal protection when:

• Repairing a rear marker or EOT
• Changing a battery is considered a repair
• Changing a knuckle or drawbar (could use emergency provision)
• Hostlers & helpers are excluded, outside of a locomotive servicing area, if hostler is at controls of locomotive (adding locomotives to a train)
• Train/yard crews are protected from other trains by rules requiring an understanding of movements to be made between crews working on the same track

Hostler and helper may engage in sanding or refueling activities in a locomotive servicing track area without a blue signal displayed on the controlling locomotive as long as:

• Visual contact is maintained between these two employees
• The area is properly protected by blue signals

Note: The rule does not include contractors, non-railroad employees loading auto racks, or special agents checking car lading. FRA is sponsoring an RSAC Working Group to deal with the contractor issue, but, to date, there’s been no consensus reached with industry.

Exceptions: There are exceptions for servicing, when supplying locomotives and passenger equipment with certain commodities. Testing also carries exceptions, and you have to learn them before you can properly apply the rule. (See the definitions, and §221.16.) Utility employees are also special cases. You should apply this separately from the requirements of §§218.25, 27, and 29.

Train Crew Exceptions: Members of train and yard crews are excluded from blue signal protection when assigned certain work on equipment that is part of the train or yard movement they have been called to operate (or have been assigned to as “utility employees”).

The Train and Engine crew exclusion applies only to:

1. Setting or releasing handbrakes.
2. Coupling or uncoupling air hoses.
3. Preparing rail car couplers for coupling.
4. Setting blocks or wheel chains.
5. Conducting air brake tests.
6. Inspecting, testing, installing, removing or replacing a rear marker or EOT.
7. Conducting daily visual inspections of the locomotive consist.