So, you know when you want to send a letter to someone, you need to write their address on the envelope? That address tells the post office exactly where your letter needs to go. But imagine if the person receiving the letter lives in a big house with many apartments and many people. Just the house address might not be enough. You might also need to specify the apartment where the person you want to receive the letter is located.
In computer networking, the 'address' is like the IP address of a computer. It tells the network where to send the information. But computers are like a big house converted to apartments. They can do many things and run many applications at the same time. Each of these applications is like a person in a different apartment in the house.
The 'port' is like the apartment number in the house. When information arrives for a particular IP address (the house), the port number (the apartment number) makes sure the information gets delivered to the right application (the right person in the right apartment).
So, when you play an online game, or use a web browser, or send an email, each of these applications uses a different port number. This allows your computer to know which application should receive the information that's coming from the internet.
In summary, in computer networking, a port helps your computer sort incoming and outgoing data so it goes to the right program.
The majority of railway employees are also unfortunately not safeguarded by the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Instead, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is tasked with regulating our industry, however, their protocols can often be perceived as grossly inadequate. Employees attempting to adhere strictly to safety guidelines risk termination, while ironically, those who suffer injuries due to non-compliance with a rule are also at risk of losing their jobs.
Furthermore, railway workers are legally prohibited from striking. The employment conditions for many require round-the-clock availability throughout the year with NO days off, necessitating immediate response to any operational issue (such as what a firefighter may face). As a Signal Maintainer, for instance, should one struggle to stay awake during a long, three-hour drive to a remote railway crossing, there are no alternatives but to continue the journey, perform necessary repair work often in physically challenging and deadly environments, and then drive home only to turn back around and resume a standard eight-hour work shift when the sun rises.
Regrettably, our hours of service laws, intended to regulate the balance between work and rest periods, are incredibly insufficient. Employers can exploit loopholes to bypass these regulations, further endangering employee well-being.
Moreover, OSHA's regulatory enforcement does not extend to most railway workers, leaving the FRA in charge. Rather than focusing on enforcing the multitude of safety regulations designed to shield both employees and the public from harm, the FRA appears to prioritize minor infractions such as slightly dim light units at a crossing, or protecting the financial interests of the railway companies. This situation necessitates a reevaluation of our current safety and regulatory framework.