I was the web site of WLS TV Chicago and foud a video about trains getting insufecent warning to emergenices. to watch it please go to http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=6002241 Please let me know what you think thank you.
Here’s the number one issue with their news story:
The police dispatcher is relying on an officer to get to the crossing in time before notifying the train dispatcher. It’s a protocol issue on the police side, and they need to be the ones to address it. I highly doubt very many railroads are going to allow some run-of-the-mill municipal police officer to use their communications frequencies for such use.
Not buying it.
I agree stay off the railroad channels contact thte dispatcher and let him stop the train. if they must put a fusee down ( not flare) if they wave it then we will stop otherwise stand back and watch the show. they may have good intentions but most generally it will only cause more problems and sometimes the crew wont get back with the dispatcher in time and if the dispatcher knows in advance he can stop traffic reroute it and get more done.
Another issue besides those already mentioned is that not all public safety systems are on the same band (VHF-High) as the railroads, making it impossible for such communications to occur without adding another radio to an emergency vehicle’s collection.
I’ll agree that it’s a protocol issue. Given a report of a possible emergency situation at a crossing, the police dispatcher should be on the phone to the railroad immediately. Any affected trains can approach the subject crossing with due caution. If the problem is confirmed, further actions can be taken (re-routes, holding other trains, etc).
It wouldn’t hurt for the police dispatcher to have available a database of all crossings, including all of the information about the crossing, so they don’t have to wait for a patrol to get there and call it in.
I’ll agree with you guys, its more of an issue with the police response time to the accident and how fast they can communicate the information to dispatch on their end, rather than how fast the stop order can be issued. And what if the police break in on the train freq just as dispatch is issuing them an order? What happens then, does the train crew stop, then call dispatch back and ask “huh?”
For the police to use RR freqs in their radios is not the norm ! As a retired PO I always used the ds to contact the RR in an emergency…The RR police dont use intercity car to car either so ,CALL THE EMERGENCY # posted at the crossing where the problem is or have your ds to call !