How would passengers be evacuated from a stranded train?

[Lockwood]

Another thread on here made me think again about a job I had a while ago, but from a logistical point of view.

There was a 4 track section of third rail. A train was stopped beyond a station following an incident on one of the Down lines (left most), there was 1/4-1/2 a mile between the end of the train and the end of the platform.
My understanding was that the driver was not happy to move the train.
There was also a train in the station on that platform, so returning to that platform would be impossible, even if the signaller was able to permit that to happen.
Everyone on the train in the platform had been detrained and kicked out of the station, so they are all fine to make onward travel.
We had been told that power had been cut to both the Down lines, with the two lines being pointed out, but that we were not to go near the Up lines, the nearest of those being pointed out.

So, in the general terms and not specifically this incident, what would the options be for the people on the train out of the station? With additional debris between the two trains, would they walk people back in that direction? I'm not sure if there was any damage/discolouration to the front of the stopped unit - if there was, would that influence decisions about moving people?

I've put down a very basic drawing of what I'm talking about, not to scale, features removed for clarity, etc. The brown lines were turned off, the red lines were apparently still live - nothing had been running over them while we were there so I will assume that current was on but all signals in the area set to danger.



(It's odd, I remember walking back to the platform and seeing points on the track I was on/by and having to alter my walking route because of it. Looking at aerial photos, I can only see them on the other line - strange what the memory does)

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd expect they would power down all lines before evacuating?

 

[bionic]

Agree with the above. Can't see anyone authorising punters ambling about on the track with the juice on adjacent lines. Although that is exactly what happened at Peckham Rye.

 

[Intermodal]

Indeed - the rulebook states that an emergency switch off of OHLE/live rail must be obtained before any type of evacuation, even an emergency (immediate unplanned) evacuation.

It is hard to comment on this specific incident, but there are a few basic options:

• The train in the station is set back just enough to get a door of the incident train onto the platform, which is then set back providing any debris or obstacles are cleared
• The passengers are de-trained and walk to the station
• Wrong direction working is implemented to bring a train alongside the incident train, and passengers are cross-boarded to that which proceeds to the next station
• Another willing driver is sought to take the incident train forward

Again, it is hard to comment much without knowing the full details, but those are the basic options.

Discolouration of the front of the train does not necessarily mean it cannot be moved, but it may have to be moved at a slower speed or with an assisting train.

Whether they would walk back through debris depends on the circumstances and the debris.

 

[muz379]

So, in the general terms and not specifically this incident, what would the options be for the people on the train out of the station? With additional debris between the two trains, would they walk people back in that direction? I'm not sure if there was any damage/discolouration to the front of the stopped unit - if there was, would that influence decisions about moving people?

Firstly as a member of railway staff I would not start evacuating passengers on a layout such as that until I was assured that there was an isolation of power on both lines. It's be better to be safe than for someone to misunderstand or ignore instruction and end up causing a secondary incident that then needs managing .

As for the "debris" if what we are talking about here is a situation when the train out of the station has struck a person . Then passengers wont be walked past the aftermath of that . They will remain on the train until it can be worked forward . Usually this means once the police are satisfied that it is non suspicious , and a replacement driver arrives at the scene .If the debris is just an object that has been struck such as a shopping trolley then passengers could be walked past that . And the station in rear may well be one of the evacuation routes considered by the staff coordinating the evacuation . But again it depends on location , there could be an access point closer to the train in the direction it was travelling .

 

[Lockwood]

I wasn't wanting to go into too much detail about it. The "debris" was human tissue and was certainly over both down lines - I'm not sure if it had reached the up lines, it was obvious that we weren't needed there so we didn't look around too much.
Google Maps shows there is 1.3 miles between the stations, with a track joining from the left as you head down to the next station.
It was very dark during this - I'm going to guess that this would be a factor in a decision to detrain and continue on foot as well?

i was curious as well in the general as opposed to the specific, what factors would come in to play in a decision to move people by foot or onto another unit.

If they wanted to go from the train on Track 1 to Track 3 (my terminology) would there we a transboarding bridge long enough or would they have to go down, across track 2 and back up? (with power turned off and borrowing staff/BTP to stop people roaming if needed)
I guess that with human tissue everywhere, the rescuing train would then travel backwards to not drive through the scene?