6959 Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 This topic is aimed at real railwaymen with real experience of the real railway. Others need not apply. How should an average Joe react in the following circumstances without making matters worse? Imagine you are train spotting on the double track main line miles from anywhere (not trespassing) and see a pile of concrete blocks or a washing machine in the four-foot, What should you do to avoid a train hitting it? I assume that if you have a mobile phone (cell phone) with enough credit and battery and phone 999 by the time they have asked you to recite your life history and you have been able to explain the exact location to a police call centre one hundred miles away, a train could have run over it already. If there is a signal mast with a phone in a box, What should you do? If you do cannot summon help and are up sh*t creek without a paddle, would using a set of car jump leads to bridge Spangol clips on a pair of running rails activate track circuits? Maybe some dangerous options here but worth a punt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted March 19, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 19, 2012 You don't have to give your name and address when calling 999 - so you comments aren't exactly a good start, you then add to this with another dig "nd you have been able to explain the exact location to a police call centre one hundred miles away, a train could have run over it already." Your patronising "This topic is aimed at real railwaymen with real experience of the real railway. Others need not apply." doesn't exactly endear either. I could point you to plenty members of staff who I wouldn't trust with Widnes (my model), never mind the big railway in such a situation. I'm wondering how a previous train hadn't already run over the debris, which means it must have been a recent "tip" If it was me and I believed there was a *REAL* danger I would phone 999, immediately, after all, given I'd got there, I should be able to explain to someone else how to get to the same spot, but with my knowledge I would also be able to tell them which signal box to contact to get trains stopped. However I'm not a professional railway man, although I have known and still know plenty and did spend a lot of time unofficially working signal boxes, and I never take any notice of "need not apply" comments. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 19, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 19, 2012 1. Stay off the line or anywhere immediately adjacent to it (you can't really judge the nature of a small obstruction and trying to do something about it exposes you to danger). 2. Ring an emergency number and ask them to pass on information to the railway authorities - but make sure you describe the location as clearly as possible (preferably with a railway milepost mileage) and get the civil authorities to repeat the location details so you can check they have correctly heard what you said. 3. If you know a railway operational number (e.g. one shown at a level crossing or near a bridge) ring that and explain who you are, where you are and what you have seen - stay there until railway personnel arrive. BUT above all bear in mind that the railway receive nuisance calls, they often treat calls about 'obstructions on the line' with scepticism until they know more about both caller and location - you need to clearly identify yourself etc from the beginning. A good few years back I reported an incident from an internal auto 'phone while I was off-duty and the reaction I got was slightly sceptical untilI told the person at the other end my name and job - at which point he said 'hello Mike, what exactly is happening?'... Outsiders wouldn't have the advantage - lucky in that case - of being known to a signalbox supervisor or Controller who answers the 'phone hence the need to clearly identify yourself before you say anything else. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaloak Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 If the signal post is on the platform then use that to contact the signalman directly, DO NOT TRESPASS, they will know the location of the signal you are calling from so just tell them what line is blocked, what it is and then your name. Under no circumstances go on the line so your jump lead idea, although plausible (IF the line has proper electric track circuits, a lot dont) will only put you in danger. Oh waving red knickers at an approaching train is optional! Edit, If the item is likely to derail a train then the chances of you being able to remove it are practically nil. Easy answer is call 999 and get them to pass the message on, a few seconds delay wont make any difference in the scheme of things and looking around for a proper railway phone will waste more time than that anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 The implication in the question is that you are railway staff - to which I am worried that you need to ask the question. If you are not railway staff (and like me have no experience on the railway) I would simply call 999 and saying who I am explain the situation and leave it up to them to make any strategic decisions - that is their job. As for placing myself or others in danger or interfering with the track/trackside equipment - forget it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
6959 Posted March 19, 2012 Author Share Posted March 19, 2012 The implication in the question is that you are railway staff - to which I am worried that you need to ask the question. If you are not railway staff (and like me have no experience on the railway) I would simply call 999 and saying who I am explain the situation and leave it up to them to make any strategic decisions - that is their job. As for placing myself or others in danger or interfering with the track/trackside equipment - forget it. I have not worked on the railways so I am eager to read advice from those whose main job involves, or involved, railway operation. Having witnessed the speed a train can overwhelm the unsuspecting, especially the almost silent overhead electrics, I stay behind the fence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted March 19, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 19, 2012 An interesting connundrum. Picture the scene A level crossing with full width single barriers behaves erratically - barriers raising and lowering with no discernable pattern, sometimes during train approach phase. No direct emergency but potential for problems. Observed for an hour or so and no sign of any staff in vicinity - remote country location on quiet road with CCTV cameras on crossing. Railway phone to local bobby on post just inside gate - on railway property but nowhere near running lines. Correct action? Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Old Bruce Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 If you are anywhere near a bridge, it should have a plate on it giving the number to call in an emergency. I can't really imagine someone going "miles from anywhere" to dump concrete blocks or washing machines when there ar plenty of hedge bottoms about so you should be somewhere near what passes for civilisation. Bearing in mind what has already been said above, a 'Railwayman' would know that in an emergency situation, and I stress 'emergency' it would be acceptable to use a signal telephone to contact the signal box providing that you could do so safely without going onto the track. For non railwaymen - if in doubt - KEEP OFF. Sensibly, if you are the slightest bit railway orientated, you will know the 'normal' direction of travel. You could then go towards the direction of an approaching train (keeping to the outside of the fence of course) and try to attactct the attention the driver when one appears. The standard hand signal for 'stop' is to raise both hands above the head. Alternatively anything waved violently should indicate a problem ahead. Always assuming the driver sees you and takes any notice. Even the bloke who fell asleep while driving along the M62 and parked his Land Rover on the ECML didn't have time to get the message through to the right place before it derailed a GNER train. At AHB level crossings there should be roadside telephones for the use of people in charge of slow moving vehicles or animals wishing to cross the line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfwit Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 (Above tongue in cheek). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Correct action? Phil Is the phone clearly labelled for public use? Phone 999 using your mobile. Just because there is a direct line to the signal box does not give you the authority to use it - you will be trespassing and being lineside the signalman may well be more concerned about your safety than an erratic barrier which he may well be aware of from the CCTV and already monitoring and acting upon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 A level crossing with full width single barriers behaves erratically - barriers raising and lowering with no discernable pattern, sometimes during train approach phase. No direct emergency but potential for problems. Observed for an hour or so and no sign of any staff in vicinity - remote country location on quiet road with CCTV cameras on crossing. Railway phone to local bobby on post just inside gate - on railway property but nowhere near running lines. Would have thought there would be a phone usable by the public at all road crossings, unless possibly they are right next to the controlling signal box - else the 'drivers of large or slow moving vehicles' would not be able to call for permission to cross. Use that? Full width barriers would suggest either local control or monitored via CCTV to me, so if you do ring they may already know and be working round an issue and will be able to tell you it's under control - if not they can monitor it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod3 Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 The question has clearly been answered by the first posts, we are now wandering off into somewhat obscure areas, the simple answer appears to be dial 999 if in doubt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod3 Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 I have been asked, by a professional railway man, to point out that going onto the line for any reason is not wise, trains can run either way on some lines so while you may believe you understand where the next train is likely to come from, that is not necessarily the case. To repeat the advice already given - phone 999 and let the emergency services deal with it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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