from the flagman the 45-kph freight crashed into the work train, demolished
the caboose and two work cars, and stopped with its front end buried deep in
the work-train engine. Two section men were killed, and property damage was
estimated at nearly 0,000.
What happened? It's rather basic when given a little thought. The
flagman simply couldn't remember whether he was "in" or "out."
He didn't
know whether his train was on the main or in the siding.
He had two
choices, and he guessed wrong. If he had recalled the simple provisions of
rule 108--"In case of doubt or uncertainty, personnel will take the safe
course," he would have stopped the train and prevented a tragedy.
4.9.
TIMETABLE SCHEDULE
Earlier the text states that if scheduled trains were always on time,
train orders would seldom be needed. When schedules are worked out--strung-
-for publication in a single-track timetable, the meets of scheduled trains
are planned to the extent that train orders are unnecessary.
However,
scheduled trains may frequently run late. When they do, train orders must
be issued to other trains on the line to assist the overdue trains in
getting back on schedule or to prevent them from delaying other trains or
operations.
The following subparagraphs further discuss operating trains
with respect to the timetable.
a. Running ahead of schedule. The right of a regular train to occupy
the main track at a particular time is established in the timetable.
However, the train must travel in strict accordance with the published time
figures in the train schedule columns, as shown in the timetable in appendix
II.
This means that a train cannot gain time en route and arrive at the
various stations substantially before it is due.
Logically, a passenger
train could not make a practice of departing stations early because of the
clamor which would surely be raised by the traveling public, and rightly so.
A train may gain time between any two successive stations, but it must not
pass the advance station earlier than the time shown in the timetable. To
do so would disrupt operations ahead of the train. When a yard crew desires
to cross or foul main tracks, or when an inferior train occupies a track
ahead of a superior one, the crews adhere strictly to the published time
figures in the timetable.
They always give thought to, but never depend
upon, the possibility of the scheduled train's being late but NEVER early.
b. Running behind schedule. When a train becomes late on its schedule,
numerous other delays to inferior trains running over
63
Previous Page
