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Train Dispatchers
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axlecounter
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None in Switzerland. Trains are dispatched by the guard or are DOO (regional trains, S-Bahn). I believe it is very much the same in Germany.
Interesting , Thanks
AlexNL
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The same applies to the Netherlands and Belgium. All trains are dispatched by a guard or are self-dispatched.
The departure procedure is as follows:
NL: the starter signal clears, simultaneously a lamp ("vertreklamp") illuminates on the platform. When the time of departure is due, the guard blows their whistle, closes all doors except a local door, and finally closes the local door. In the cab, the interlock light lights up and the driver can now take power. With DOO trains, doors are controlled from the cab.
ProRail and NS have been trialing a countdown timer which tells the guard when the starting signal will clear. This enables them to start the departure process in time, allowing a timely departure.
BE: at the time of departure, the guard closes all doors except a local door. They then operates a "AVG" ("aanwijzer verrichtingen gedaan") plunger on the platform, which informs the signaller that the train is ready to start. The guard now has at least 10 seconds to return to their local door for the final phase of the departure process: they have to stay until the driver has taken power. The local door can then be closed.
If the signal has cleared the train will depart after 10 seconds, even if the guard is not yet on board of the train. Otherwise the driver waits for the signal to clear, and then takes power. This means that in Belgium, trains can and will depart with one door still open. This process will be changed in the future, allowing the guard to close their door immediately after operating the AVG.
The departure procedure is as follows:
NL: the starter signal clears, simultaneously a lamp ("vertreklamp") illuminates on the platform. When the time of departure is due, the guard blows their whistle, closes all doors except a local door, and finally closes the local door. In the cab, the interlock light lights up and the driver can now take power. With DOO trains, doors are controlled from the cab.
ProRail and NS have been trialing a countdown timer which tells the guard when the starting signal will clear. This enables them to start the departure process in time, allowing a timely departure.
BE: at the time of departure, the guard closes all doors except a local door. They then operates a "AVG" ("aanwijzer verrichtingen gedaan") plunger on the platform, which informs the signaller that the train is ready to start. The guard now has at least 10 seconds to return to their local door for the final phase of the departure process: they have to stay until the driver has taken power. The local door can then be closed.
If the signal has cleared the train will depart after 10 seconds, even if the guard is not yet on board of the train. Otherwise the driver waits for the signal to clear, and then takes power. This means that in Belgium, trains can and will depart with one door still open. This process will be changed in the future, allowing the guard to close their door immediately after operating the AVG.
TheSeeker
Member
Bruxelles Central has dispatchers as I think the long curved platform means the guard can't see the whole length of the train.
Brussels Centraal and possibly I believe Airport stations. Not seen anywhere else with them in Belgium.
DB I seem to recall have dispatch staff at some major terminals but they don't appear to be wide spread.
SNCF on the other hand seem to have them quite frequently.
DB I seem to recall have dispatch staff at some major terminals but they don't appear to be wide spread.
SNCF on the other hand seem to have them quite frequently.
In Switzerland, famously, one (there are sometimes two train controllers on long trains) of the train controllers switches the switch in one of the small orange boxes spread along the platform which turns the small square 'Right Away' signal from two white lights to a white and green aspect. the short delay in this aspect changing gives (a) the driver the nod to close the train doors and (b) the controller the time to board the open door under his/her control, before shutting that just before the train starts moving. In addition Swiss motive power generally has retractable door mirrors for the driver to observe the position of the controller during this manoeuvre.
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axlecounter
Member
A couple of picky remarks:
The square signal is normally off. White lights are only displayed usually at stations where a train originates, when a brakes test is needed (tipically a loco change in a “Kopfbahnhof”). Should be three white lights in reverse “L” form, meaning “brakes OK”, but often a bulb or more are broken
.
IIRC you can’t turn on the RA signal if a brake test is started but not finished (e.g. the signal still shows “brake” or “loose”).
Only when the driver sees the white-green signal (or: see below) he then closes the doors or, on traditional rolling stock/push-pull sets, the guard closes the train doors with his key and finally closes his. Historically there was a “theoretical” delay of 7 seconds from when the driver saw the RA signal to when he could take power, needed to give the guard the chance to close the doors and jump on the train. The process worked quite well after all, but obviously created some problems from time to time...
Today where every train has a doors interlock indicator everything is much easier and the driver can at least take power knowing that every door on the train is shut and locked. Some guards still manage to lose their train though.
More and more stations are being equipped with an SMS dispatching facility. The guard selects on his phone to send the RA and the driver receives an automatically generated SMS on the GSM-R radio giving him the RA.
The square signal is normally off. White lights are only displayed usually at stations where a train originates, when a brakes test is needed (tipically a loco change in a “Kopfbahnhof”). Should be three white lights in reverse “L” form, meaning “brakes OK”, but often a bulb or more are broken
.IIRC you can’t turn on the RA signal if a brake test is started but not finished (e.g. the signal still shows “brake” or “loose”).
Only when the driver sees the white-green signal (or: see below) he then closes the doors or, on traditional rolling stock/push-pull sets, the guard closes the train doors with his key and finally closes his. Historically there was a “theoretical” delay of 7 seconds from when the driver saw the RA signal to when he could take power, needed to give the guard the chance to close the doors and jump on the train. The process worked quite well after all, but obviously created some problems from time to time...
Today where every train has a doors interlock indicator everything is much easier and the driver can at least take power knowing that every door on the train is shut and locked. Some guards still manage to lose their train though.
More and more stations are being equipped with an SMS dispatching facility. The guard selects on his phone to send the RA and the driver receives an automatically generated SMS on the GSM-R radio giving him the RA.
Just a small correction: on EMU's and DMU's, the guard will activate a small buton next to the door to confirm the driver he is on board. The driver will not start the train unless he received that signal.
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