Eat & Drinking while driving

[Deafdoggie]

I would say that only air traffic controllers at a very busy airport are the only ones that have to concentrate almost continously. I believe (although don't quote me on exact timings, I'm remembering them from an atc documentary) that they have to have a break of 15 minutes after 45 minutes of work.

I once worked for Royal Mail doing mail sorting on a PC. It requires total and full concentration. So much so, its a ten minute break for every fifty minutes work. I can't see train drivers getting a ten minute break every fifty minutes without a major timetable change! Ironically, we were allowed to listen to headphones, but no-one could tell you what they'd listened to!
I'd imagine the trick with train driving is knowing where and when to eat and drink, rather than actually doing it.

 

[dk1]

How many people expect a train driver to drive 4.30hr continuously without a hot drink or food ? Then in a 9.30hr shift you get only 40mins break, this is why most drivers eat & drink on the go.
Plus some jobs the MRB either in the first hour or last hour of a 9.30hr job, the hunger or thirst would be a huge distraction rather than snacking on the go.

It's strange how people outside the railway industry think. Perhaps they can only relate to driving a road vehicle.

 

[Bletchleyite]

How many people expect a train driver to drive 4.30hr continuously without a hot drink or food ?

A bus driver does, and indeed could end up on the wrong side of the law if they did.

It's strange how people outside the railway industry think. Perhaps they can only relate to driving a road vehicle.

That's exactly it - personal experience.

 

[Kremlin Stooge]

From my bus-driving days there was quite a lot of emphasis on keeping properly hydrated, as an aid to maintaining levels of concentration and alertness. Can’t imagine it’s any different for train drivers.

Certainly when packing my bag before starting work the water bottle was the first thing to go in, sometimes two if we were in a spell of hot weather.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

A bus driver does, and indeed could end up on the wrong side of the law if they did.



That's exactly it - personal experience.

You can’t compare it to driving a road vehicle. Whilst train driving does require a high level of concentration, you‘re not necessarily physically doing a whole lot all of the time. e.g. When you get to line speed and have a few miles to your next station, you’re mainly observing/monitoring and perhaps occasionally adjusting the power controller. So it’s not like you need both your hands on the controls at all times.

 

[Ianno87]

0

From my bus-driving days there was quite a lot of emphasis on keeping properly hydrated, as an aid to maintaining levels of concentration and alertness. Can’t imagine it’s any different for train drivers.

Certainly when packing my bag before starting work the water bottle was the first thing to go in, sometimes two if we were in a spell of hot weather.

Guess for a bus driver, I guess it's a balance between keeping hydrated and, uh, not getting caught short remote from a toilet.

 

[Kremlin Stooge]

0


Guess for a bus driver, I guess it's a balance between keeping hydrated and, uh, not getting caught short remote from a toilet.

That was what the nearside rear wheel was for!

 

[Val3ntine]

A bus driver does, and indeed could end up on the wrong side of the law if they did

A bus driver may do a journey of an hour-ish or less before reaching their destination before making a return trip. In that time there’s often plenty of time to have a quick snack etc as no stand time will booked to be in and out at the exact same minute. Of course late running might mean the driver has to depart more or less straight away but again can still take the time to have a quick bite to eat and/or use facilities before doing so.

 

[Dieseldriver]

A big thing with Train Driving is the shifts, a lot of the time a PNB is placed at an odd time to have a meal and generally I do like to eat at a consistent time if I can. Certain turns I like to bring in a warm meal and eat it on my PNB if it’s at a suitable time, other turns it’s a sandwich on the move. It’s not distracting to eat/drink whilst at the controls and as a lot of other posters have said, eating fruit and drinking water is actually encouraged to help maintain concentration.
Although we are constantly vigilant whilst driving, I’d argue that one hidden ‘skill’ in Train Driving is knowing (through route knowledge and experience) where you can slightly relax concentration and when to ramp it up, sometimes depending on how the journey goes, you may have to suddenly ramp it up in reaction to something.
as an example, if I’m eating a sandwich on a ‘straightforward’ bit of route running on greens and encounter an unexpected double yellow I will (and have) simply put the sandwich down and deal with the task in hand. At all times I’m obviously looking out for signals, members of staff line side, trespassers, ESRs, obstructions etc but eating or drinking does not have a negative effect on that

 

[tiptoptaff]

A bus driver may do a journey of an hour-ish or less before reaching their destination before making a return trip. In that time there’s often plenty of time to have a quick snack etc as no stand time will booked to be in and out at the exact same minute. Of course late running might mean the driver has to depart more or less straight away but again can still take the time to have a quick bite to eat and/or use facilities before doing so.

Can't count the number of times I've been on a bus and half way along the route the driver hops out for a smoke.

Can't do that sort of thing on the railway!

 

[O L Leigh]

I think that I shall continue to do whatever it is that I consider necessary in order to safely discharge the duties of my job, whether or not it seems logical, defensible or equivalent to other areas of life, and that includes managing and regulating the physical needs of my own body. If that means that I'm eating or drinking on the move then so be it, and I fervently hope you can all trust me to know when and where it is safe and appropriate to do so.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Can't count the number of times I've been on a bus and half way along the route the driver hops out for a smoke.

Can't do that sort of thing on the railway!

No they smoke in the cab with the window open!!

 

[L401CJF]

A bus driver may do a journey of an hour-ish or less before reaching their destination before making a return trip. In that time there’s often plenty of time to have a quick snack etc as no stand time will booked to be in and out at the exact same minute. Of course late running might mean the driver has to depart more or less straight away but again can still take the time to have a quick bite to eat and/or use facilities before doing so.

I drive buses, now everything is quiet we get our full layover period at the terminus, but pre lockdown it was pretty much constant driving all day every day (except on late shifts) straight in and out at the terminus, you'd get in the cab and drive for 4-5 hours straight, 35-40 minute meal break (often reduced to 30 when late) and has been like that pretty much since i started a good 7 years ago.

 

[Class360/1]

I've seen greater anglia drivers sipping coffee while their train is at the station, so yes, you can drink whilst driving (so long as it is not alchohol)

 

[Darandio]

I've seen greater anglia drivers sipping coffee while their train is at the station, so yes, i would interperet that you can drink whilst driving (so long as it is not alchohol)

There's nothing for you to interpret, just read the confirmation from many drivers that have posted in the thread.

 

[DarloRich]

I can eat a burger while driving down the M1 but people think you cant have a coffee/water while driving a train. That seems...................... odd

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can eat a burger while driving down the M1 bu people think you cant have a coffee while driving a train. That seems...................... odd

Eating a burger while driving a car is likely to be seen as Driving Without Due Care and Attention. Sometimes hard to prosecute (hence specific mobile phone laws) but definitely illegal if it in any way affects your driving, which it very likely will. See also fiddling with the radio, satnav etc, particularly with modern touchscreen controls that you can't use without taking your eyes off the road (stupid design in my view).

An amusing technicality is that it's no more illegal to drink alcohol while driving a car than coffee (unless it takes you over the limit), though it's certainly one that'd cause the Police to check absolutely everything to see what they could get you on!

 

[Steve4031]

In the USA there are some long stretches on Amtrak. Salt Lake City to Elko, Nevada is 2 to 3 hundred miles.
On some routes there is only an engineer. I recall one trip where the train stopped so the engineer could use the bathroom in the locomotive. I had a scanner and overheard the conversation.

The physical and mental demands of driving a train deserve respect and appreciation.

 

[Bigfoot]

Have you ever been a train driver, or an air traffic controller? I bet you’ve done neither job...

How much is this bet worth? Think I could profit greatly from it!

I would say that only air traffic controllers at a very busy airport are the only ones that have to concentrate almost continously. I believe (although don't quote me on exact timings, I'm remembering them from an atc documentary) that they have to have a break of 15 minutes after 45 minutes of work.

A search on the CAA website has brought this info to light.

"No operational duty shall exceed a period of two hours without there being taken during, or at the end of, that period a break or breaks totalling not less than 30 minutes"

So my 15 mins break after 45 mins work was pretty close to accurate.

CAP 670: Air Traffic Services Safety Requirements | Civil Aviation Authority

publicapps.caa.co.uk

 

[weastebusdepot]

In the early years of the Pendelinos I recall journeys where I've been seated in the front coach and a member of the on board shop staff has gone through the door to the driving cab with a delivery in a paper bag while the train is on the move, presumably in response to having been buzzed with the order. That would seem reasonable as long as the person making the delivery observed the cab discipline rules while they were in there.

 

[dk1]

I've seen greater anglia drivers sipping coffee while their train is at the station, so yes, you can drink whilst driving (so long as it is not alchohol)

That's why cup holders (two on Stadlers)) are installed in every cab.

 

[Class360/1]

That's why cup holders (two on Stadlers)) are installed in every cab.

Never knew ga stadlers had cup holders!

 

[Energy]

Never knew ga staffers had cup holders!

Most new trains have cup holders in the cab.

 

[berwicksfinest]

Our 66s on DB have the centre console for mugs of tea, I'm led to believe GBRf's 66s are slightly smaller because they only use champagne flutes !! (filled with non alcoholic shloer, of course)

 

[DelW]

Our 66s on DB have the centre console for mugs of tea, I'm led to believe GBRf's 66s are slightly smaller because they only use champagne flutes !! (filled with non alcoholic shloer, of course)

In G Freeman Allen's book about the development and introduction of the class 59s, there's a comment that the control stand was the standard EMD design, except for the addition of a recess in the top for tea mugs, described as "essential to British operating conditions".

 

[choochoochoo]

Most new trains have cup holders in the cab.

Have you seen the cup holder in 700s ? I don't know what kind of cups they have at Siemens but the cup holders are enormous. The standard range of coffee cups/drinks cans just do not fit snugly.

Also they could have put them in an easier to reach place.

 

[galwhv69]

If a driver gets a takeaway ordered to a platform, does the delivery driver have to get a platform ticket, or are they let through the barriers?

 

[357]

If a driver gets a takeaway ordered to a platform, does the delivery driver have to get a platform ticket, or are they let through the barriers?

I've always ensured gateline staff are aware of the situation in advance and know they can let them through.

 

[Intermodal]

If a driver gets a takeaway ordered to a platform, does the delivery driver have to get a platform ticket, or are they let through the barriers?

It's usually easier to make a stop at a level crossing and get it passed through the window rather than do it at a large station - it can be a pain to get through the barriers exactly as you describe.

 

[galwhv69]

I've always ensured gateline staff are aware of the situation in advance and know they can let them through.

Ah alright, thanks

It's usually easier to make a stop at a level crossing and get it passed through the window rather than do it at a large station - it can be a pain to get through the barriers exactly as you describe.

Yeah, can imagine trying to get through Clapham Junction at 7am on a Monday . Though are you allowed to just stop at a level crossing? Won't that hold up the service? Assuming that it's agreed with the signaller in advance