How is train parting dealt with?

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How is train parting dealt with?

July 17, 2019, 1:56 PM

If a train parts en route with a coupler failure, the guard uses his brakes to attempt to slow down his portion of the train to a safe halt. (If the train is being banked, the banker brings the train to a halt on seeing the guard’s signal, and also sounds a danger signal to attract the attention of the driver in front.) If the front portion of the train has not yet departed from view, the guard can also use a flag or lamp signal (green, waved strongly up and down) to attempt to indicate to the engine crew that the train has parted.

Often the driver will notice the train has parted from the break in the continuous brakes (leading to a loss of brake pressure and also auto-regression of the master controller) and also the reduced load on the locomotive. Or, if lucky, the crew may happen to look out and spot the guard’s signal. (Under normal circumstances, the driver or his assistant always look back from the cab periodically to visually check that the rake is whole and has no obvious problems, especially on curves when all the coaches or wagons are visible.) In any case if the driver notices the train has parted, he brings his portion of the train to a halt. If the two portions of the train are close by, and it is possible to couple them together, the train may then proceed normally as a whole train. If it is not possible to couple the portions together, normally the guard can give the driver written authority to proceed with the front part of the train.

The guard also decides whether the same locomotive should return to assist and move the remaining portion of the train, and gives the driver written instructions to this effect. The driver hands over any tangible authority to proceed that he had been carrying (token, staff, or written authority to proceed) to the guard. The driver takes the partial train to the next station, while the guard stays with the rest of the train after protecting it at the rear with flares, detonators (placed as described above) and possibly using hand signals (flag/lamp) to alert oncoming or passing trains. In bad weather or with poor visibility the front of the train is also protected. Parking brakes are applied where provided, on all the vehicles of the train portion.

In rare instances, an engine failure or loss of power, or a train stalled on a gradient, may require that a train be deliberately parted by uncoupling the locomotive or a portion of the train. In this case too, the driver hands over his tangible authority to proceed to the guard, gets written permission to proceed from the guard, and then proceeds (with or without a portion of the rake) to the next station.

If the driver notices too late that the train has parted, and reaches the next station and stops there, he does notrelinquish any tangible authority to proceed (token, staff, or written authority to proceed) until the rest of the train that is left on the block section is safely brought in by an assisting locomotive and the block section cleared of all the portions of his train.

In the above cases where the driver knows that the train has parted, he must stop at the first station he arrives at and inform the station master that the block section is still obstructed; if a signal cabin is passed the signalman can also be so informed. This allows the block section to be kept free of traffic by leaving block instruments at ‘Train on Line’ and keeping the signals at On.

In the above cases, if the guard has instructed the driver to return with assistance to the remaining portion of the train, the station master grants authority to proceed either on the same line or on an adjacent line for the locomotive to reach the disabled train portion. Block sections remain appropriately closed to traffic when this happens.

If a train passes through a station and is seen (by the station master or other staff exchanging signals with the train) to have parted (i.e., does not have the Last Vehicle sign or lamp on the last coach or wagon), the block instruments for the section to the rear are kept at ‘Train on Line’ and the station to the rear is informed of the parting of the train; signals remain on so that the block section cannot be entered by any other train. In addition, the station ahead is informed of the train parting so that the signals there can be set to On to stop the train. A cabinman or the driver of a train going in the other direction may also notice a train has parted — the procedure is similar in such cases, with the nearest stations being informed and the block section closed off to other traffic.

Source – IFRCA.org

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