I saw a show on pbs some night back where a group of “good kids” spotted a rock slide on the tracks & were able to wave a train down to avoid an imenant disaster. Could this happen in the real world??? let’s say it’s out in the middle of the desert. We find a bad rail or something that someone felt would derail a train. We stand by the track & give the universal “STOP” warning signal by waving a red cloth back & forth below the waistline.If the engineer saw us,would he stop his train??? Thanks EASTER
He might. But then again, 90% of the time, what the general public thinks is a horrible danger is something perfectly normal and completely safe.
Dave H.
In this day and age of almost universal cell phone coverage (at least in most places that people fan) it would probably be better to dial up the appropriate number for that railroad and provide them with the specifics (problem, milepost, why you were close enough to the rail to discover that problem[:-^]).
The odds of my having my cell phone with me are a lot higher than me having a red flag in my back pocket. On the other hand, I do carry fusees (flares) in my truck for highway traffic control at emergency incidents. I’m gonna think really hard before I set one on the rails, though, and you can bet the RR will have told me they want me to do it. With two way radio, that’s not likely to happen as they can probably contact the train faster than I can light the flare.
And, in today’s age of suspicion, someone standing trackside waving a red flag might tend to be suspect.
Don’t the rules say that any person waving any object violently on or beside the tracks is a signal to stop? I would think that this should only be used as a last resort and in a case of imminant and obvious danger, as an emergency stop can be more dangerous than the perceived danger in the mind of the person trying to stop the train.
yep it dose…
csx engineer
From the GCOR…
.
5.3.2 Giving Signals
Employees who give signals must:
Make sure signals can be plainly seen.
Give signals clearly so they can be understood,
Give signals on the engineer’s side of the track when practical.
5.3.3 Signal Disappearance
If a person disappears who is giving the signal to back or shove a train, engine, or car, or the light being used disappears, employees must:
Stop movement, unless employee on leading car controls the air brakes.
5.3.4 Signal to Stop
Any object waved violently by any person on or near the track is a signal to stop.
See rule 5.3.4: It does not have to be a red flag…if you wave your hands back and forth below your waist line, that is a “wash-out” signal…if the hogger is on the ball, he will stop.
Now, the look on your face, and how you are acting will also have a great deal to do with how he reacts…
Looking directly at him, giving the wash out or stop signal, and having that “oh crap” look on your face will get his attention.
Ed
Well, here is something to think about if that were to happen.
If you are hanging out watching, or walking along the ROW and see an issue, such a popped rail, or rock slide for instances. If you dont have elctronic communcations to use,
You better pick a direction and start running like the wind.
Going to have to give that crew atleast fighting chance to stop the train. You can wave you arms all you want, but it wont do squat if you give them 50 feet warning when they 3000 feet to stop. (or more. you get the idea)
Best Regards
John k
Assuming you know which direction the trains going to be comming from
I have NS and CSX emergency numbers in my cell.
Adrianspeeder