DMU driver on phone.

There is one big assumption being made here - the conversation was of a private nature and should thus should not have been made. How do you know this was not an operational call, for which mobiles are an acceptable means of communication? Most signal boxes have BT lines and a mobile is a quick way to alert a signalman of say a potential bridge strike train staff observed.

Was this your own video or has it been piched up from the web?

Dave Scott

 

Correct. Train crew have their mobiles for a number of operational reasons and use them as such. Just because a driver is spotted using his phone, it doesn't mean it's a personal call.

 

Martin Walker (55022 owner) is not too happy about it:- http://royalscotsgrey.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/driving-ban-at-the-east-lancashire-railway/

 

Concurs with my immediate thought, I highly doubt the Lancs has GSMR!.

 

It happened on BR too......http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/steamtrains/7306.shtml

Fast forward to 29.50

 

The main diference is that on BR in 1980 the rule book probably allowed such practice. When I commuted between Moreton in Marsh and Reading the line between Moreton and Evesham was single, the second track has siince been replaced. I used to catch a train just after seven which was an HST. Every day we had the incongruous site of the driver holding out of the cab door of a 125mph set a Tylers token for the bobby to catch. The power car stopped well beyond the box so the exchange must have been in the order of 10mph. This was in 1996 to 2000.

Dave Scott

 

I suppose another assumption was it was a phone call at all, and not a text message / it could have even been surfing the net, playing music etc on that phone.. who knows.

The video shows the train departing Rawtenstall station, so is it any better an assumption that this wasn't a driver watching the train for open doors behind him, obstructions in front or that he really was about to telephone the signal box he was about to pass that he had seen an obstruction between the end of the platform and 100m to that box... or watching for traffic / pedestrians at the level crossing he went over ?

On Martin Walkers link he suggest this person ...

errrr.....

 

Not whilst on the move!

 

Many years ago whilst waiting for a train at Watford Junction I was passed by a train running under yellow signals and the driver had the cab light on and was reading a newspaper.
Colin.

 

Fantastic clip to be used for training purposes.

Steve

 

If only to prove the point that these days we are ALWAYS in the public eye.

 

The current big railway rule book is quite clear that all token exchanges must be made whilst stationery (Railway Group Standards TW1)

32.2
Entering or fouling a single line worked with a token or train staff
You must always stop your train when you need to get, deliver or exchange a token or train staff.

 

...which presumably isn't carried over and also featured in the rule books of all the numerous preserved railways that can be seen exchanging tokens whilst trains are on the move.

 

What's the logic?

Presumably for a single-manned vehicle, if the driver goes to change the token, (s)he is necessarily remote from the controls. Whereas on a vehicle with two crew, the driver can remain in full control of the vehicle while the fireman / secondman can deal with the token exchange.

Is that the rationale why the big railway requires token exchanges to be done while stationary, while in the past, and on many heritage railways, token exchanges while moving are allowed?

Tom

 

Exchanging tokens on the move is limited by one heritage rule book to steam traction and double manned diesel hauled. Single manned diesels and DMUs must be brought to a stand to exchange tokens. The logic is therefor related to single manning - for that particular railways rule book

 

A limiting technical factor is that all modern DMUs have a DSD (Driver Safety Device) which will put the brakes on if the driver is away from either the DSD foot switch or "dead mans handle" for more than 5-7 seconds. Modern DMU windows are also not designed for hanging out of and exchanging tokens!