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I have one question for whome it may concern. What do the Railroads do if a section of the mainline is experiencing a blackout from either manmade or mother nature do the railroads have a certain order for running trains duringblackout condition or what?
rresor Member # 128
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The standard rule if any signal is "dark" (not illuminated) is that it must be assumed to be displaying its most restrictive indication (which is "stop").
When automatic block signals (those with number plates) go dark, the usual rule is "stop and proceed at restricted speed, looking out for broken rail, switch not lined, or equipment on tracks". Thus a train will proceed at less than 20 mph (the legal definition of restricted speed), prepared to stop "within half the range of vision", stopping at each dark signal encountered, until it has passed through the area of signal failure.
At interlockings, if signals are dark a member of the train crew must "walk the plant" to verify that switches are lined and locked for the desired route. Permission must be received from the dispatcher to pass a red (or dark) home signal at an interlocking.
Any way you look at it, signal failures really foul up operations.
Throttle_JCKY Member # 354
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He is correct. If the outage is man made and will be for a extended period of time, then there are other rules that will apply. For example, some railroads might resort to track warrants or block authority. In Cincinnati when they built the 3rd main, we had to run on block authority. If it is mother nature, then all bets are off, and normally you run at restricted speed looking out ahead for whatever might or could be the cause. It isn't fun when mother nature causes the problems, because you never know what might be wrong ahead.
LightRail Member # 633
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The same rules apply on our Light Rail system. DO NOT pass a dark signal. Stop short of the signal, call the Controller. The Controllere will grant restricted speed, red signal rules, call me from the next signal with the aspect. (red, yel, grn, or maybe also dark). Be on the lookout for broken rail, bad iron, and in our case grade crossing arms that may be malfunctioning. On 7 1/2 min headways that boogers up the system real fast. I don't even want to go into what happens during a power outage (we are in southern CA) that affects a large area.
LARZ Member # 839
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Boy...you guys are a little off.
Restricted speed is this by definition.
"A speed that will permit stopping within half the range of vision, short of a train, a car, on track equipment, a derail, a stop signal or an improperly lined switch. It must permit looking out for broke rail. It will not exceed 15 mph.
And when a signal goes dark that is some sort of intermediate signal with a numberplate...the rule is ...proceed at restricted speed. You no longer are required to stop. At interlockings it depends on which rr runs the interlocking...and what type of interlocking it is. there are many different procedures for running an interlocking under red.
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