"Remember diesels could have pilot footboards until 1978." "All locomotives built after March 1975 must not be equipped with footboards. (49 CFR 231.30 paragraph d., part 1) "After September 1978, all locomotives built before April 1975 must not be equipped with footboards. (49 CFR 231.30, paragraph d., part 2)"
Most injuries from running boards came from riding the running board to a joint (coupling). The sudden jerk coupling up jarred the man off of the running board down between the equipment, if everything didn't come to a complete stop as it hit then as the equipment rolled that last couple of feet it ran him over got him. If the couplers mismatched then he could be crushed between the equipment.
