John Albert  wrote:
> I don't know whether there were any instructions similar to these in
> MMA operating rules and special instructions.

Section 1.12.1 of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada report,
"Rule 112 of the Canadian Rail Operating Rules", says that

TSBC# Since MMA operated in former CPR territory, it adopted CPR's
TSBC# General Operating Instructions (GOIs). [16]

Footnote 16 of the TSB Canada report says

TSBC# Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway (MMA) decided to use Canadian
TSBC# Pacific Railway's (CPR) General Operating Instructions (GOIs), and
TSBC# decided how to apply and interpret any instruction.

There appears to be a copy of the CP Rail General Operating Instructions
from April 2009 posted on a Canadian rail union site (Teamsters Div. 76
Winnipeg) - top level at http://www.tcrc76.com/TCRC_CP_GOI.htm .

Section 14 of the CPR GOI
http://www.tcrc76.com/Legislative/GOI/GOI%20Section%2014%20-%202009%20Final.pdf
, item 3.0, "Leaving a Train Unattended", on paper page 177, PDF page
5 of 8, says (in part):

CPR# On the controlling locomotive, the control stand must be left as
CPR# follows.
CPR# . Independent brake cut-IN and FULLY applied.
CPR# . Automatic brake cut-IN and handle in RELEASE.
CPR# . Generator Field OFF, Engine Run ON, Control/Fuel Pump ON.
CPR# . Engine Control Switch (ECS) to Isolate.
CPR# . Reverser handle removed.
CPR# . Take the reverser handle from the cab of all locomotives in the
CPR#   consist except as specified by Section 15 - item 10.3, or except
CPR#   as specified by special instructions, subdivision footnotes or
CPR#   operating bulletin.

I have dug around a little, including on archive.org, and I can't find
any MMA-specific documents that might have amended or changed the CP
operating instructions.

> BUT -- if the engineman had only taken that "one extra step" of
> re-applying his air brakes after releasing them -- this wouldn't have
> happened.

Or if the person who retrofitted the alerter (the TSBC report calls it
a "reset safety control" or RSC) had wired it correctly, then when the
main switch on the locomotive was shut off, the alerter would have done
a penalty brake application.

Or if somebody in a shop had realized that JB Weld (or similar) wasn't
the best product to use on the camshaft bearing housing of a 3,000 hp
diesel engine.

Of course, you can chase the "chain" way back if you want to.

> That's my take on it, and I'm standing by it.

It is always good to hear from somebody who, you know, actually knows
how to drive a train.  (I don't want this to come through with the
wrong tone, so: I am serious about this.)

Matt Roberds

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