What Happens when We Don't Get Enough Sleep

I wonder if this guy knows how railroad crews live.

Some of his assertions I'd quibble with; but I have done the 30-day...when you're home at night after a day working, sleep...get up...and the line movement has slowed...you don't get called until that night, just as you'd be going to bed.

And when the call comes, there is no longer any way to refuse it. So they own you for 14 hours from when you get the call.

I've made trips standing up; I've been so tired I couldn't focus on the train speed. I've come up to a(n unofficial) staging area outside Frontier Yard in Buffalo...holding trains in a yard, which is what yards are FOR, counts against Terminal Superintendents' bonuses. So they'd claim no room and stage you on the main. For us, coming from the west, it was at the lift bridge...CP 3, just before Draw (CP is Control Point. Some are named; some have milepost numbers as name).

So...so tired my brains are running out my ears...I come in, set the air, and the train stops short. Back then (1983-ish) they held a LOT of trains out there. I had to make room for some behind me. So, release the air on the brakes, and walk the train up to the signal at CP 3.

Damned if I didn't fall asleep in the three minutes we were creeping along at walking speed. I had to dump the air (emergency braking) to stop short of that big red signal-mast.

I am SO glad I'm not doing that, anymore...