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| Track circuit failure 03/08/2013 at 14:23 #47869 | |
Mr Mystery
25 posts |
Hi, I've just encountered this track circuit failure at Exeter St Davids. How do I deal with this? It essentially stops all trains on the down line into platform 4, as well as all trains from platforms 1&3 going to cowley bridge jn? (2B02 is waiting to go to Barnstaple already) Which also leads me to ask, how are delays due to track circuit failures explained in public announcements? 
Post has attachments. Log in to view them. Last edited: 03/08/2013 at 14:40 by Mr Mystery Reason: Added image Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 03/08/2013 at 14:33 #47870 | |
Peter Bennet
5362 posts |
If there is no alternative route then "talk the train past the signal(s)" you can either wait for the driver to call in or be proactive via the f2 option. Here you can authorise the driver to pass signal at red - you should tell the first one to examine the line. Note that generally the TD will not step so you need to manually interpose at a subsequent signal. Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply The following user said thank you: Mr Mystery |
| Track circuit failure 03/08/2013 at 14:42 #47871 | |
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John
884 posts |
If the track circuit failure allows you to set routes in a safe manner, then you can lock any points within the route, lower Red Cow LC, and authorise the driver past the signal(s) affected. The first train through the section should be instructed to examine the line. When I am entering delay reasons into the CIS at Victoria, this sort of occurrence would be announced as "due to a temporary fault with the signalling equipment at..." Last edited: 03/08/2013 at 15:17 by John Log in to reply The following user said thank you: Mr Mystery |
| Track circuit failure 03/08/2013 at 14:50 #47872 | |
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Mr Mystery
25 posts |
Ah okay thanks. But I can't set a route for 2B02 from platform 3 and up to cowley bridge jn as the "points are locked normal by another route"?? Oh right, so it just comes under a general "signalling problem"! Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 03/08/2013 at 15:07 #47873 | |
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AndyG
1835 posts |
Dependent on the lie of the points within the TCF, it might be possible to shunt 2B02 via Exeter south (rev) to Plt 4, then authorise/examine through the TCF to Cowley Br Jn. Otherwise it just has to wait and sit it out until fixed.
I can only help one person a day. Today's not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look too good either. Last edited: 03/08/2013 at 15:08 by AndyG Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 03/08/2013 at 15:17 #47874 | |
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John
884 posts |
" said:so it just comes under a general "signalling problem"!Yeah. Anymore detail than that and all you'd get would be quite a few blank, confused looks. Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 03/08/2013 at 19:37 #47895 | |
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Mr Mystery
25 posts |
" said:Dependent on the lie of the points within the TCF, it might be possible to shunt 2B02 via Exeter south (rev) to Plt 4, then authorise/examine through the TCF to Cowley Br Jn. Otherwise it just has to wait and sit it out until fixed.Yeah this works, I've just tried it (though I routed it back through platform 5). However, now I've had another train come from Cowley Bridge passing over the TCF into platform 4, and the Red Cow LC barriers won't raise again?! Also, the overlap from this prevents any further movements between platforms 1/3 and Rev Exeter South!! What a hassle!! " said: Yeah. Anymore detail than that and all you'd get would be quite a few blank, confused looks.Yeah that's true, I guess as far as the public are concerned that's enough info. There already are enough confused looks normally! Last edited: 03/08/2013 at 19:42 by Mr Mystery Reason: Added extra info Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 03/08/2013 at 20:05 #47901 | |
Steamer
3925 posts |
" said:Yeah this works, I've just tried it (though I routed it back through platform 5). However, now I've had another train come from Cowley Bridge passing over the TCF into platform 4, and the Red Cow LC barriers won't raise again?! Also, the overlap from this prevents any further movements between platforms 1/3 and Rev Exeter South!! What a hassle!!I'm assuming you set a route over the TCF when the train from Cowley Bridge arrived? Once this has been done, the route beyond the TCF will not clear (the track will stay white), as the interlocking still *thinks* the train is halfway through the route. The route still being locked will prevent Red Cow from lowering and the overlap will not release. The route will not clear until the TCF has been fixed, at which point it will change to the 'unoccupied' state and the route disappear by itself. "Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q) Log in to reply The following user said thank you: Mr Mystery |
| Track circuit failure 03/08/2013 at 21:13 #47906 | |
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AndyG
1835 posts |
" said:However, now I've had another train come from Cowley Bridge passing over the TCF into platform 4, and the Red Cow LC barriers won't raise again?! Also, the overlap from this prevents any further movements between platforms 1/3 and Rev Exeter South!! What a hassle!!Normal procedure is not to set a route over the TCF, but to key and lock ALL points on the route before authorising to movement. See WIKI - TC failures I can only help one person a day. Today's not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look too good either. Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 04/08/2013 at 18:44 #47934 | |
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Mr Mystery
25 posts |
Oh I see, thanks Steamer, that makes sense. I shouldn't have done that then! Looks like I can only wait for it to be fixed now :( Thanks everyone. Also thanks for that wiki page, I've never noticed that and was wondering what the actual procedures were. Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 04/08/2013 at 18:47 #47935 | |
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Stephen Fulcher
2028 posts 
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You can release the route. If you press F11 and then go to track circuits, click the mouse, then click on the failed track circuit. This will show you in the list which track circuit is occupied. Unoccupy it, let the route die, and then occupy it again. This practice is allowed on Network Rail subject to a few conditions. Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 04/08/2013 at 19:00 #47936 | |
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Danny252
1461 posts |
" said:You can release the route.Does Exeter have F11? I thought it was far too ancient for that. Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 04/08/2013 at 19:06 #47939 | |
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John
884 posts |
Exeter has F11.
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| Track circuit failure 04/08/2013 at 21:42 #47947 | |
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Danny252
1461 posts |
" said:Exeter has F11.Huh, so it does - I was sure all the GW sims were of the same vintage, but it seems that Bristol (my reference point) didn't get a refresh when the rest did. I could also have sworn that F11 was never than 2011 - how time flies! Last edited: 04/08/2013 at 21:43 by Danny252 Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 05/08/2013 at 19:21 #47976 | |
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Mr Mystery
25 posts |
" said:You can release the route.Oh ok, this is extremely useful! But if I do this, will the original track circuit failure be "fixed" by the technician in the same way? Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 05/08/2013 at 19:36 #47977 | |
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Stephen Fulcher
2028 posts
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Yes
Log in to reply |
| Track circuit failure 13/08/2013 at 11:14 #48280 | |
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kbarber
1712 posts |
" said:" said:Dependent on the lie of the points within the TCF, it might be possible to shunt 2B02 via Exeter south (rev) to Plt 4, then authorise/examine through the TCF to Cowley Br Jn. Otherwise it just has to wait and sit it out until fixed.Yeah this works, I've just tried it (though I routed it back through platform 5). However, now I've had another train come from Cowley Bridge passing over the TCF into platform 4, and the Red Cow LC barriers won't raise again?! Also, the overlap from this prevents any further movements between platforms 1/3 and Rev Exeter South!! What a hassle!! That's exactly what track failures are. Wherever they happen!!! Sometimes it only takes one to absolutely kill the job stone dead, except you're still expected to run something. Ah, (not so) happy days... " said: " said:Yeah. Anymore detail than that and all you'd get would be quite a few blank, confused looks.Yeah that's true, I guess as far as the public are concerned that's enough info. There already are enough confused looks normally! Indeed, but sometimes delays give rise to a chance to educate people. Many years ago I was station supervisor at Barking. One evening a train sat down on the up line around West Ham towards the end of the evening peak; as you'd expect, Fenchurch was empty within 20 minutes and the down roads stopped coming at Barking about 12 minutes after that. It being a pleasant summer evening and nowt to do, I walked out on the platform and was accosted by one of our more vocal customers (he had a bit of a reputation as a moaner) who couldn't understand why a failed train going the other way was delaying his journey home. So I took a deep breath and explained (briefly, in layman's terms) the procedures for dealing with a failure (OK I laid it on a bit thick when I came to how long it would take the driver to walk to a signal - this was 1982 so no CSR or mobile phones or anything). He wasn't happy, but he wandered off a bit more thoughtfully. Fast forward 6 months. A train blew out an overhead line insulator at Fenchurch about 15:30 one Monday afternoon (I was late turn and had just doubled back off nights... just what you want on a shift like that). That took out two of the four platforms (and trapped several trains in the station, also several on the up line behind the failure - in those days the LTS was 4-tracked all the way from Limehouse). It took the OHLE engineers nearly an hour to get there, then they had to take an isolation before they could do anything at all. Finally, about 17:15 or so, they gave us back 2 tracks and 3 platforms! You can imagine what the platforms at Barking were like by about 17:30 when the first trains finally started arriving - and they stayed like that until the peak finally dragged itself to an end about 20:30. The passengers (quite justifiably, I have to say) weren't pleased. At one stage there was an awful lot of complaining going on outside the office. Then I heard a familiar voice and my heart sank... until he started laying in to his fellow passengers, telling them how hard we were obviously working to try and run trains, and all in language that would've got any of us sacked (even in the East End!) if we'd used it on a passenger. Yes, talking to the punters does do some good! Log in to reply The following user said thank you: guidomcc |