Why do Loco Pilot exchange rings when they passing through a station? A question arising those those who travels through railways. Get the full from an expert here.
My personal experience regarding this.
I was working in this system as a Loco Pilot. In my working area PKA (Pradhankhanta to SNMY (Sindhry) under single line operation and use a token system.
This system is used in single line section in Indian Railways. In single line section trains operations done in both directions on the same line.. So it must assure that when a train enters in a block section (the section between two consecutive stations) in one direction by no any means another train can enter in the same block section from same or opposite direction.
This is a serious matter of safety connected with passengers travel in railways. To obtain this security a special instrument is used in stations. It is called a single line token block instrument. It looks like this
It is also called Neal Block Instrument.
Lets try to understand this system through simple example.
Two consecutive stations are X and Y. SM of station X wants to line clear from station Y through telephone and block instrument.
SM of Y given the line clear of that particular train by operates the block instrument. It notices on block instrument of station X.
Then SM of station X operates his block instrument. With this operate a token comes out from block instrument of station X. It looks like this. A number with station name engraved on this token.
Then this token put into a token pouch. It looks like this.
This is ring what handed over to Loco Pilot as authority to proceed with line clear for entering into a block section. Loco pilot already has a token from the previous station for previous authority to proceed.
First, he gives his previous token to station staff or drop at a particular place near and visible to SM and takes a fresh token from SM as authority to proceed. It looks at this
Here Loco Pilot give his previous token to a station staff and SM in the rear give him fresh token as new authority to proceed for advance block section. It continues throughout the section.
The received token from Loco Pilot inserts to the block instrument immediately by SM.
There are two types of metal token used in Indian railways. First one is Ball type and second one is Tablet type.
A total numbers of 36 tokens in Ball Token Instrument and 40 Tokens in Tablet Token Instrument shall normally be provided in the Block Instruments controlling a Block Section. Only one Token can be taken out at any one time.
Another very important aspect is when one Token has been taken out at station ‘X’ another token can not be taken out at ‘X’ or ‘Y’ until the token previously taken out has been inserted in the instrument at ‘X’ or ‘Y’.
Indian Railway always ensure the full safety of his passengers through various ways. To know more on Indian Railways can subscribe my Blog. See you soon with another interesting article about Indian Railways.
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