Track Authorities? what the hell?

[troy12n]

So I had a couple days to do a little railfanning and went to the pokey and Roanoke area. Was pleasantly surprised by the ammount of trains running on the pokey despite tunnell work. One thing that obviously has changed, and I am not sure why.

What is with the dispatchers requiring track authorities on CTC territory? This makes absolutely no sense at all and seemed to tie up the railroad pretty well. I am not talking about for track inspectors or hi rail trucks, but for trains. I have seen things like this (track warrants) when the signal system was out of service,  but it did not appear to be, because signals were lit properly and crews were calling them. I also saw this on the H line.

I also listened to one of the most absurd conversations ever. The Roanoke dispatcher took literally 10  minutes walking a train through correctly repeating a track authority.

It seems absurd the lengths they require for a readback (spell 1 O-N-E , say out "TODAYS DATE", and then do the numbers as well. Someone explain the logic to me here... seems they are doing a thorough job of destroying system fluidity

[jcmark4501]

The dispatcher asked the crew to read the authority back like that because that's the rule. It sounds like it could have been a case of a green conductor who didn't know how to read back or a dispatcher who wants everything done exactly to the rule. I don't blame the dispatcher because, if the crew did not read back the authority correctly and the dispatcher still gave his okay then the train got into an accident, it's the dispatcher's fault. The dispatcher was just CYA since the radio is recorded.

[J-man]

I've copied several TA forms, and they're not a simple as the good ole 23-A form it replaced (it also replaced the track warrant form).  They're not difficult to understand, but compared to the 23-A's we used to use, there's a bit more writing involved and, the bigger TA forms aren't as easy to carry in the grip.  (Yes, that was a complaint. But hey, railroaders have to complain about something, right?!! ) 

As for the repeating, it's so that there isn't any mis-communication over the radio as to what's been communicated between the dispatcher and the trains.  Essentially it's to make sure that everybody is on the same page.

[Michael Knight]

Track authority forms have replace form 23-As in Traffic Control (TC)  territory. Trains in TC territory may need track authority protection when performing work on-line and when sharing a block that's also occupied by M.O.W. personal--such authorities will include a milepost or RWIC (Roadway Worker In-Charge) restriction within the block.  Rules have always required  dispatcher instructions to be repeated for clarity. For example, 57, must be repeated once as a number and once as "five-seven." In addition, Numbers less than 10 must be repeated and spelled; such as 8, e-i-g-h-t.

[Michael Knight]

And getting back to my other question. Why does movement on a CTC line now require a track authority?

Trains in TC territory may need track authority protection when performing work on-line and when sharing a block that's also occupied by M.O.W. personal--such authorities will include a milepost or RWIC (Roadway Worker In-Charge) restriction within the block. 

Track authority forms have replace form 23-As in Traffic Control (TC)  territory. Prior to the switch to track authority forms, trains and engines would need a form 23-A for the same reasons listed above in TC territory. Thus, nothing has changed other than the type of form.

From a safety standpoint, I feel the NS' type of  form is safer because it allows for more specific instructions and better clarification than CSX's forms.

[Michael Knight]

And they have to read back "correctly blocked and recorded by" and all that nonsense to the T.

"Repeated correctly, blocked, and recorded" was required to be read for form 23-As too, as was everything else that must be repeated for clarity.

[ssw9662]

I didn't go out railfanning today, but I turned the scanner on just to listen into what was going on. It certainly is different, and it is confusing a lot of the crews and foremen. For those of us in ex-Conrail territory, the "CP" prefix is gone now, except on CP's with just a number (i.e. CP-88). Also, NS is replacing the numbered CP's with named interlockings in the Pittsburgh area, and I expect to see them do that throughout their system soon.

I also noticed that the dispatchers signed with their initials rather than their surname as they did with Form D's.

[Rockin Roller]

It is my understanding that the reason the Lake Division had to start spelling everything out a few months ago, was because a dispatcher cleared the wrong track authority for someone, which means someone else was still on the track with no protection.

[Michael Knight]

It is my understanding that the reason the Lake Division had to start spelling everything out a few months ago, was because a dispatcher cleared the wrong track authority for someone, which means someone else was still on the track with no protection.

This is a good example of why such a rule exists. However, this incident was not the reason for the rule, as the rules requiring clarification have been around for many years;  the incident  probably has led to increased enforcement though.

CSX also has the same rules requiring things to be repeated, but since they don't embrace a culture of safety, seldom are things repeated according to rule.

[E.M. Bell]

You think repeating a TW  back is bad?? You should have been around to have heard the long, drawn out conversations between dispatchers and trains when they still used 19R train orders and lineups. TW's are a MUCH needed improvement.


As far as the exacting repeats, there is a very good reason. One small error, a minor omission, or decimal in the wrong place is all it would take to get someone hurt, or even killed. On non TC territory or even dark territory, that little slip of  paper and the people who fill them out is the only thing between a good day, or a really bad one.

I came across a series of old ICC accident reports a while back. Check out this link, its a good read, and a prime example of why things are done the way they are done, even today.  They say that every rule on the RR is written in blood, and thats not really an exaggeration. 

One wrong word kills..    http://jreb.org/ns/index.php?topic=1017.0