27
The system general road foreman testified that he was aware of the concerns of apprentices and recently trained engineers about the program. He also said that he was "comfortable with" the times allocated for learning the physical characteristics. The coordinator for the Boston classes stated that learning the physical characteristics in the training program is to be accomplished within a fixed period of time. He also thought apprentices should have more time than has been allotted to learn their territories.
Simulator Training Phase—Amtrak leases time on the train simulator at IIT for both instruction and evaluation purposes. The manager of engineer training said that the current version of the training program allots 4 days for simulator training, which is to be completed before apprentices begin their OJT. The simulator instruction is for "superliner" equipment and power braking. The manager of engineer training identified three "experiences" provided to apprentices during the simulator instruction phase, rules compliance, operating efficiency, and train handling. He stated that after each apprentice completes his instruction, a member of the simulator operations staff critiques his performance.
Although one apprentice engineer said that the simulator is an "excellenttool," other engineers trained under the program told Safety Board investigators that their instruction on the simulator was not applicable to their equipment or territories. One recently trained engineer stated that he did not find the simulator part of the training program useful, and he did not know why the section of railroad presented for his simulation was a stretch of territory in Utica, New York, that he never expected to work on Another Amtrak apprentice engineer recalled being given a section of Burlington Northern track during his simulation. The manager of engineer training explained that the sections of railroad used for the simulator are intended to be "generic."
On-the-Job Training Phase—The purpose of the OJT phase is to build operating skills through experience on locomotives, according to the system general road foreman. Apprentices in this training phase ride with regular engineers and operate the train under the qualified engineer's guidance. The system general road foreman testified that OJT is the most critical training in the program. He also stated that apprentices are assigned to the engineers for OJT based on the personalities involved and that Amtrak supervisors monitor OJT. He added that he usually observes trainees himself during this phase.
One engineer who had instructed apprentices for OJT since 1988 said that apprentices "just show up" and request that they be permitted to ride for the trip. Another engineer stated that Amtrak management sometimes asks engineers whether they will consent to having an apprentice ride with them. He noted that some engineers have declined. All engineers who were questioned said that no riding assignments were made in advance for recent classes. Apprentices usually asked to ride with them when the engineers were preparing for their trip and boarded the train after showing the engineer their head end pass. One recently trained engineer stated that he had been assigned to engineers for some of his OJT. Another engineer trained under the program said he may have worked with 20 different engineers while on his OJT, and one other recently trained engineer stated that an apprentice had already ridden with him for OJT.
Apprentice engineers in the current class told Safety Board investigators that they were selecting their own instructing engineers. They said they frequently based their choice on two factors, the convenience of the trip in terms of schedule
