Stop a Train from the Track Level

Have you ever wondered what you should do if you get stuck on a railway track or see something blocking the line? This is what to do:

Steps

  1. Locate the contact phone if you are at a grade crossing.
  2. Lift the phone and wait for a response from the dispatcher.
  3. Speak clearly into the telephone and make sure you give only relevant information to them.
    • You should use words such as "This is an emergency call, I am a civilian at (insert location name here) grade crossing. I want all lines blocked with immediate effect. There is a vehicle (or whatever else) fouling the line.
    • In places without Signaller telephones (Most of the US's Railroad crossings), You should look for a sign on the crossing itself. It should be directly beneath the lights as shown in the picture, but sometimes it might be on trackside equipment. When you find the number, call it and do the aforementioned to inform the signaller/operator of the problem
  4. Use your mobile to call the emergency services. Provide them with a road name and/or number as well as the above information.
  5. If you cannot do the above steps, run in the direction of the worst visibility and be ready to give a driver signal to stop by waving violently any well visible object. The train needs at least several hundred meters to stop from the place where the driver have first spotted your signal.
  6. If there are two people available, they should go to opposite directions and be ready to stop any train from both sides.

Emergencies

This is a list of various different numbers you can call/text to contact the dispatcher. If it is not listed here, search up "(Operator) Emergency number)

America

  1. Amtrak
    • Text: Txt-a-Tip to APD11 (27311)
    • Call: 1-800-331-0008
  2. CSX
    • Call: 1-800-232-0144

Canada

  1. Via Rail
    • CN Police service call: (800) 465-9239
    • Via Rail Customer service (US) call: 1 888 842-7245
    • Via Rail Customer service (CA) Call: 1 888 842-7245

United Kingdom

  1. Network Rail
    • Emergency Number Call: 03457 11 41 41
  2. British Transport police
    • 0800 40 50 40 or 999



Tips

  • Once you have given this signal to the engineer, then if you are in doubt make sure that you get as far away from the tracks as possible. Once there, stay away from the train.
  • The driver should use the train horn (two short whistles[1]) to confirm he understood and is braking. If you hear this, it is done, just run away out of the track.
  • if you raise both your arms vertically and then if you cross your hands repeatedly, this is also a signal to stop because of danger[2]. It is a very old signal from times when hand signaling was used to notify the driver.
  • The braking distance for the train running at typical speed (100 km/h or about) should be about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} [3] but it is much longer for the fast running train (600 m for 160 km/h and near 2 km for 300 km/h which is not typical).

Warnings

  • The train will pass you if you give a signal as it needs more track to stop than the driver can see. Get out of the way.
  • You may end up serving a jail sentence if you give a stop signal to the train with the purpose other than to prevent a deadly disaster. The same rules apply if you pull the emergency brake inside the train without a good reason.

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