Making things less Dangerous for track workers?

[DesignGuy 0]

How do we make things less dangerous for track workers and detecting oncoming trains? do they need better warning equipment? bright full body reflective jumpsuits? is the current flag and lantern system enough? or is detecting trains not the main problem but does loud repeititve train noises become too common a sound? Can anyone give me some insight as to what it's like for a track worker down there?

[DOB2RTO 29]

How do we make things less dangerous for track workers and detecting oncoming trains? do they need better warning equipment? bright full body reflective jumpsuits? is the current flag and lantern system enough? or is detecting trains not the main problem but does loud repeititve train noises become too common a sound? Can anyone give me some insight as to what it's like for a track worker down there?

 

The danger is from both divisions RTO and track. T/O's do need to respect those flags, and sadly it is the senior folks, who I have been told by TSS's who keep breaking the rules, just to be on time. That doesn't mean they are doing 20mph through the area, but they are going to fast........

 

From track, too many are walking when they shouldn't be, and are slowing down service unnecessarily. I'm talking about those doing point to point flagging (roaming track gangs). To be honest they should have to be in contact with control at all times while on the tracks, and keep getting updated on where a train is, so they can clear up earlier (or even better yet get the hell out of the way off that particular track all together, so the train can do normal speed through the area).......

[INDman 414]

Radio contact at all times seems like a good idea, but on the midnights when you have gangs working between almost every station on some lines the radio would get choked with gangs giving up dates on where they are. I have always thought that small groups of 2 or 3 (track inspectors and signal maint.) should also have a green lantern so if they are in an area where they can be completely clear and let the roads go by at normal speed. Of course you could not have small groups do that in tube track areas, but when they are working in a 4 track area I think they could.

 

Another thing too, signal dept. now uses LED lanters instead of regular bulbs. They look like the older lights that track and some of the other MOW depts. use but they are bright as hell and can be seen from far away. The flags that RTO flaggman use are ok but still not as bright as the ones signal has.

[DesignGuy 0]

From track, too many are walking when they shouldn't be, and are slowing down service unnecessarily. I'm talking about those doing point to point flagging (roaming track gangs). To be honest they should have to be in contact with control at all times while on the tracks, and keep getting updated on where a train is, so they can clear up earlier (or even better yet get the hell out of the way off that particular track all together, so the train can do normal speed through the area).......

 

Well arent they supposed to do some sort of mainteneance to ensure the train doesnt faulter on the track to begin with? so at some point they have to be there right? what kind of work are they doing besides laying track down?

 

also someone said this to me: "How about a temporary block system to control an alarm. If a system could be developed which wouldn't interfere with the existing signal block, 2 wires could be connected to the rails, and if anything enters that block, it sounds an alarm. This would give better warning than the flagman standing there looking both ways with a horn."

 

would this work?