Another Perspective on Following the Rules...

It was a normal day in Sharon Springs, Kansas, when a Union Pacific crew boarded a loaded coal train for the long trek to Salina.

Just a few miles into the trip a wheel bearing became overheated and melted, letting a metal support drop down and grind on the rail, creating white hot molten metal droppings spewing down to the rail.

A very alert crew noticed smoke about halfway back in the train and immediately stopped the train in compliance with the rules.

The train stopped with the hot wheel over a wooden bridge with creosote ties and trusses.


The crew tried to explain this to Union Pacific higher-ups but were instructed not to move the train!

They were informed that Rules prohibited moving the train when a part was found to be defective!

Now see what happened when they followed the Rules, would they have been better off if they had adjusted their procedure to the situation rather than applying these blanket regulations that obviously cost more than the part that was originally the issue.

'REMEMBER, THE RULES IS THE RULES!'

(Don't ever let common sense get in the way of a good Disaster! )