COLOR BLIND TEST DURING PHYSICAL?

I guess we better start making the cabs of locomotives accessible to wheelchairs too! How about the flight deck of all commercial aircraft? Why not retrofit them all so that a wheelchair bound person can manipulate the yoke and rudder pedals? Wait, I guess we might have to redesign the rudder pedal approach for those who have no use of their legs. ( I have nothing against those with disabilities )

Our friend better READ the ADA and understand what it can and cannot do for a person with a "true" disability. Take a look at the ADA in the CFR's and take note of what "reasonable accommodation" means for a person "covered" by the ADA act.

28 CFR 36 and 49 CFR 37

Also note:

"An employer is required to make a reasonable accommodation to the known disability of a qualified applicant or employee if it would not impose an “undue hardship” on the operation of the employer’s business."

http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-ada.html

Requiring all railroads to adopt semaphores would bankrupt the companies and create a nightmare in maintenance, database programming, training, etc. All for the sake of a few individuals who cannot see color?

Yeah, right.

Also. If it bothers you that much take up the issue with your local congressman/senator. The FRA has a whole lot to say about the medical condition of those who work on the railroad, especially those crafts in the operations arena.

http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/safety ... sa98_1.pdf

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2003/ ... 40.121.pdf

You guys really can't take a joke, can you, how many people here actually believed I was being serious when I said that railroads should (re)adapt to using semaphores?

I like the wheel chair lift idea on locomotives. I think conveyor ramps would be an excellant idea for loading our grips on to the locomotive. When you get older it's tougher to climb on board.

RedLantern wrote:You guys really can't take a joke, can you, how many people here actually believed I was being serious when I said that railroads should (re)adapt to using semaphores?

Those of who had to be ever mindful of setting up a headlight meet, engine crew OR
block operators, take such VERY seriously and do not see the humor in it. Thus a bit of "touchiness" about so serious a matter

Gadfly

COEN77 wrote:I like the wheel chair lift idea on locomotives. I think conveyor ramps would be an excellent idea for loading our grips on to the locomotive. When you get older it's tougher to climb on board.

Especially the side of a P42!

conductor3516 wrote:Chill out, despite what almost everyone has posted--you'll be FINE. I have the same disorder, and I am a conductor. During my physical the doc told me that as long as I can pass a field test I would be okay. I did, and if you can see colors like you say--you'll pass to bro. Good luck and train roll on!

Isnt it difficult for reverse movements in relaying the signal info to the engineer? especially seeing the signals and identifying the colors from a distance? I am color blind but am hesitant because of this disorder...scared may make a crucial mistake.

The key is being able to tell the difference between yellow/orange and red. Hell I have perfect vision and no color blindness at all and some times its hard to tell if a signal is red or yellow depending on the light conditions. Especially on a searchlight signal.

G Dawg wrote:

conductor3516 wrote:Chill out, despite what almost everyone has posted--you'll be FINE. I have the same disorder, and I am a conductor. During my physical the doc told me that as long as I can pass a field test I would be okay. I did, and if you can see colors like you say--you'll pass to bro. Good luck and train roll on!

Isnt it difficult for reverse movements in relaying the signal info to the engineer? especially seeing the signals and identifying the colors from a distance? I am color blind but am hesitant because of this disorder...scared may make a crucial mistake.

If your scared can you imagine the railroads concern, any mistake can cost millions and or can cost lives.

Question I finished my Physical for Train attendant and passed everything but the Doc said I have trouble seeing Red/Green will it hurt my chance of clinching this job? HR said Amtrak's Medical Dept will decide on what to do. I need Insight please

Hello all.
I have recently applied for a freight conductor position with CSX. The process has gone smooth enough. But now I think there is a snag. I have just finished the physical and the strength test. Did very well on everything except the Ishiara color test. This makes it seem like I am colorblind. But I can honestly see all different color lights and signs. I have taken several of the farnesworth color test and passed them with flying colors (pardon the pun).
I am all for not coming on board if I am truly colorblind. I would be unable to be safe and effective at being a conductor. But I can see different colors. I can tell the difference between blue, yellow, red, green, purple, orange etc... So I wanted to get a little feed back from folks that are in the field right now. If I can see the difference between colors but I cant pass the Ishiara test does that mean I am not qualified?
I would rather pull out from this particular offer than try to sqeak by, and get someone or myself hurt. Its a good job but not worth risking someones life.

Were you able to see any of the colors (numbers) on the test, or did you fail completely? I know if you miss some you can still pass. Did the doc say you failed? You should hear from CSX in a couple of weeks about your official results. If they say you fail it doesn't matter an iota what any of us in the field think... On a side, there have been times in bad visibilty or poor light (think sun shinning just the "wrong" way onto a signal) that it has been hard to discern between red and orange until right on the signal, and I have perfect color vision.

There are other jobs on the railroad that do not require perfect vision, such as track department, keep that in mind.