Section 8: Shunting Operations

Question 1

What is shunting?

Answer 1

The process of sorting items of railway rolling stock into complete train sets or wagon consists. May involve attaching or detaching wagons or moving the train set from one track to another for operational reasons such as defects, repairs and/storage

Question 2

Why is shunting a particularly dangerous operational activity?

Answer 2

There is a risk of being killed or very seriously injured if procedures are not followed correctly as the employee will have to physically get in between the wagons to complete the coupling/uncoupling procedure

Question 3

To ensure the safety of any second driver, no movement is permitted until the Locomotive driver

Answer 3

has communicated with the other person and has received an assurance that those persons are in a safe place

Question 4

Describe the 10s communication rule

Answer 4

employees controlling movements during shunting operations must communicate with each party involved at least every 10s

Question 5

If the 10s rule is not observed the locomotive driver must

Answer 5

immediately stop the movement and check with the employee controlling the shunt movement as to what is happening and why they have not maintained the 10s communication protocol

Question 6

If the locomotive driver is not responsing, the employee controlling the shunt movement must attempt to stop the movement by

Answer 6

contacting the locomotive driver by radio, waving any light violently or using stop hand signals

Question 7

If communication between Train Crew members directing the shunting and a locomotive driver is interrupted..

Answer 7

the locomotive driver must stop the train immediately

Question 8

Trains must be marshalled in accordance with

Answer 8

the requirements specified in the Train Operating Conditions (TOC) manual

Question 9

Unattended trains, including locomotives must

Answer 9

be secured with the appropriate number of handbrakes and single pieces of rolling stock that are stowed must have soft wooden wheel chocks placed appropriately

Question 10

Unless specified by local instructions, parking brakes should, wherever possible be applied to

Answer 10

the descending end of a wagon rake

Question 11

Vehicles with red warning flags/lights must not be moved, shunted against or have other vehicles attached unless

Answer 11

the red warning flag/lights are first removed by the worker who put them there and no work is being done on or near the vehicles

Question 12

The airbrakes of locomotive shunted vehicles must be

Answer 12

sufficient to control movement of the vehicles and controlled from the locomotive

Question 13

Train crew directing shunting must

Answer 13

have adequate locality knowledge, confer with other workers beforehand and agree about planned movements

Question 14

If necessary to shunt, train crew

Answer 14

must arrange for clearance of fixed signals and/or make sure that the routes are correctly set and safe for movements

Question 15

What are the general rules for shunting

Answer 15

Boarding or alighting from moving locomotives or wagons is prohibited, riding on locomotive or wagon side steps is prohibited, riding on wagon end steps is prohibited, riding on or in wagons is PROHIBITED, gravitational or loose shunting is prohibited, inspection before moving any rolling stock should be carried out

Question 16

Employees controlling propelling shunting movements must

Answer 16

be in a position where the propelling movement is fully observable for both sides of the leading wagon in advance of the shunt movement and not remain inside of any motor vehicle while the shunting instructions are being given to the locomotive driver

Question 17

Describe the procedure for the employee controlling the shunting movement where trains are to be shunted into dead-end roads

Answer 17

Precede the movement, must “red light” at a distance not less than five metres from the end-stop, stop the movement no less than 2 loco lengths short of the dead end, continue movement slowly and under caution

Question 18

A shunting movement past yaard limits must proveed only

Answer 18

under an authority to enter the section and as far as necessary to carry out the shunting movement

Question 19

When shunting over points, train crew members must

Answer 19

be assured that the points will hold their set positions

Question 20

When shunting over level crossings, a shunting movement must

Answer 20

stop before and clear of a level crossing, unless road and pedestrian traffic has been stopped

Question 21

When Stabling on a running line

Answer 21

an authority of the Network Controller must be acquired, the vehicle must be removed as soon as possible and detached vehicles must be secured

Question 22

If a release must be obtained for rail traffic to return to the running line after tabling or shunting at an intermediate siding, the train crew must

Answer 22

Have the NCOs authority to return to the main line, make sure that the route has been set correctly, make sure that they have the correct Proceed Authority

Question 23

After completion of shunting, train crews must

Answer 23

set points and signals to their normal positions, restore releases to their normal positions and return keys to their normal positions

Question 24

In track circuited territory, the ground frame must be released with a key obtained

Answer 24

at the siding by an electric release or from a location at or before entry to the section

Question 25

Describe a release switch

Answer 25

a device that interconnects with the signalling system to allow a key, used to operate points, to be released but only when authorised by the NCO responsible for that location

Question 26

Describe ground frames

Answer 26

small trackside interlocking machines used for local, manual lever operation of points or signalling equipment.

Question 27

Pulling lists

Answer 27

indicate which levers to pull, and in which order, so as to set the correct route for ground frames

Question 28

When using operator keys, ensure that you

Answer 28

have the correct authority to operate the points before doing so and restore the point to the normal position when departing a location

Question 29

Describe point clips

Answer 29

used to secure points in the normal or reverse positions and secure expansion joints for wrong running direction movements

Question 30

Facing points on running lines must be locked if

Answer 30

you cannot be sure that the points will remain in the correct position, there is an instruction at the points to clip and lock them, or the points are included in instructions in the controlling signal box

Question 31

Describe standard point clips

Answer 31

used for standard points. Have a switchblade and stock rail of similar depth, has a simple hook for the switchblade flange

Question 32

The procedure to fit a standard point clip

Answer 32

ensure safety, ensure points are in the correct position and the blade is tightly against the stock rail, fit the clip to underside as close as possible to the tapered end between the sleeper, hand tighten the barrel nute, fit and lock an SL lock or if authorised an XL lock

Question 33

Describe tangential point clips

Answer 33

used for tangential points, have a shallower switchblade. Clip has a stepped hook to suit the shallower switch blade

Question 34

Describe swing nose point clips

Answer 34

used for the swing nose on swing nose points. Fits the wider base of the swing nose mechanism

Question 35

Non-interlocked points are used

Answer 35

to divert rail traffic from one line to another or as a derail device

Question 36

Describe non-interlocked points

Answer 36

no facing point locking, points can be moved as needed because they have no locking mechanism

Question 37

Spring switch and throw-over points should be set

Answer 37

for the right running direction and not trailed under any circumstances

Question 38

Describe Hold down point levers

Answer 38

weighted for the Normal position but must be held in the reverse position

Question 39

The lever of a signal protecting points with mechanical interlocking only must not be returned to normal before rail traffic has

Answer 39

passed completely beyond the points or been brought to a stand before the points

Question 40

When a train is required to enter a loop or siding equipped with catch points or a derail device, the co-driver operating the frame (to allow the train to access the loop or siding) will:

Answer 40

Set the points and proceed to a safe location at the points points and/or derail device prior to authorising the train to enter the loop or siding

Question 41

Mechanical interlocking machines have large levers directly connected by

Answer 41

rods to the points that they control and cables (wires) to the signals that they control

Question 42

On a track indicator diagram, or behind the interlocking machine, there may be lights to show

Answer 42

Whether signals display PROCEED (signal repeaters) and the position of the points

Question 43

The procedure for a Qualified Worker to operate points and signals

Answer 43

if there is a pulling list, use it to find the correct order of levers to set the intended route, if necessary, use blue levers to remove facing point locking, use black levers to set points, if necessary, use blue levers to reapply facing point locking, use red levers to set signals, check that points and signals are set correctly for the route

Question 44

Powered interlocking machines use

Answer 44

electrical relays or computers to interlock points and signals. They check and set the points and signals in a route

Question 45

Point indicator lights show that points are

Answer 45

able to respond to operation of the point and set in the intended positions

Question 46

Flashing point transit indicator lights show that the relevant points do not have detection because

Answer 46

the points are not in position, facing point locking is not engaged or the points are changing position

Question 47

The procedure for a qualified Worker to inspect points

Answer 47

check the equipment identification number of the points, check the current position of the points, check whether point clips are fitted, if possible check whether the points locking mechanism of each machine is engaged, look to see why the points are not working correctly, get instructions from the Network Control Officer

Question 48

The procedure for a Qualified Worker to remove an obstruction

Answer 48

use a suitable tool to remove the obstruction, ask the NCO to test the points, Confirm with the NCO that the points operate correctly, if they do not get further instructions from the NCO

Question 49

The Procedure for a Qualified Worker to operate a cranked points machine

Answer 49

Find the correct Emergency Switch Machine Lock (ESML) cabinet for the points, Unlock the cabinet, if there are instructions in the cabinet read and follow them, turn the crank handle to release its attached key from the Annet Lock, take the handle from the cabinet removing it, switch the points machine to trackside control and set the protecting signals at stop, check the handle label to make sure you have the correct one, make sure the protecting signals are at stop

Question 50

What does a safety cut-out latch do?

Answer 50

engages the manual operating hand and breaks the motor drive circuit

Question 51

The procedure for a Qualified Worker to operate Nippon points machines

Answer 51

undo and remove the SL lock securing the safety cut-out latch, turn the safety cut-out latch to vertical, turn the manual operating handle a full turn until the stop is reached, make sure the switch rail is hard against the stock rail, get instructions from the NCO

Question 52

The procedure for a Qualified Worker to operate hand thrown electric points

Answer 52

Obtain the correct Emergency Operating Lock (EOL) key and insert into the lock assembly, lift the catch holding the hand throw and selector levers, move the hand throw lever from normal to reverse and the selector lever from motor to hand, lock the hand throw and selector levers in the reverse/hand position, make sure changes set the correct route to each point machine