(a) An engineer working alone as a one-person crew shall not perform duties on, under, or between rolling equipment, without blue signal protection that complies with § 218.27 or § 218.29, unless the duties to be performed are listed in § 218.22(c)(5) and the following protections are provided:

(1) Each locomotive in the locomotive engineer's charge is either:

(i) Coupled to the train or other railroad rolling equipment to be assisted; or

(ii) Stopped a sufficient distance from the train or rolling equipment to ensure a separation of at least 50 feet; and

(2) Before a controlling locomotive is left unattended, the one-member crew shall secure the locomotive as follows:

(i) The throttle is in the IDLE position;

(ii) The generator field switch is in the OFF position;

(iii) The reverser handle is removed (if so equipped);

(iv) The isolation switch is in the ISOLATE position;

(v) The locomotive independent (engine) brake valve is fully applied;

(vi) The hand brake on the controlling locomotive is fully applied (if so equipped); and

(vii) A bright orange engineer's tag (a tag that is a minimum of three by eight inches with the words ASSIGNED LOCOMOTIVE—DO NOT OPERATE) is displayed on the control stand of the controlling locomotive.

(b) When assisting another train or yard crew with the equipment the other crew was assigned to operate, a single engineer must communicate directly, either by radio in compliance with part 220 of this chapter or by oral telecommunication of equivalent integrity, with the crew of the train to be assisted. The crews of both trains must notify each other in advance of all moves to be made by their respective equipment. Prior to attachment or detachment of the assisting locomotive(s), the crew of the train to be assisted must inform the single engineer that the train is secured against movement. The crew of the train to be assisted must not move the train or permit the train to move until authorized by the single engineer.