Recently the Salisbury Post did a story on remote-control railroading. In the article, there were several references made to employees operating the remote-control devices as locomotive engineers.

Not true.

They are conductors. Nothing against the men and women who hold these positions — I used to work as one myself, and I’m still considered to be a qualified conductor. The trains can’t operate without them.

But now I’m a locomotive engineer. It has taken me almost a year’s worth of training to learn how to operate a train, and I’m still learning every day. The men and women who will be operating the remote-control engines have two weeks of training. Big difference!

— Joseph A. Paglio Jr.

Salisbury