With no train service for prolonged duration due to lockdown, Madurai division of Southern Railway had to run light engines to keep its running staff technically fit to operate trains before resumption of services on Monday.
Locopilots, assistant locopilots (ALPs) and guards are getting the Road Learning exercise to help get familiarised with locations of signals and level crossing gates in the rail section on which they are going to operate the trains.
“For pilots and ALPs, even the details of loop-lines should be known beforehand,” a senior locopilot said. “This exercise is usually given whenever a goods pilot or passenger train pilot gets promoted to the next level to understand the train dynamics. This exercise is a must for those running staff who were absent from duty for more than three months,” he added.
Usually, pilots would observe signals and LC gates on particular sections by accompanying pilots in the locomotives of regular train services. The divisional railways adopts a roaster system that ensures that all pilots, ALPs work in trains on all sections at periodical intervals so that their knowledge on particular section of road does not get lapsed.
“As per safety protocols, if a loco-pilot or ALP has not worked on a particular section for more than three months, it would be considered that his knowledge about the section is lapsed. He has to undergo learning of road exercise for one round trip,” he added. Additional trips are prescribed for longer duration of absence from work.
“However, under the extraordinary situation of lockdown, not only regular trains but also special trains could not be operated for a prolonged period. Light engines are operated to facilitate road learning exercise,” a senior guard said.
An official said light engines were operated almost in all sections of the division. During the lockdown, as goods services and special parcel trains were operated, goods loco-pilots and ALPs have not missed their regular work.
“With limited special trains operated in the intervening period and limited number of special parcel trains operated, not all loco-pilots, ALPs of trains and guards got an opportunity to work,” he said.
In order to get at least three sets of crew go through the exercise in each section, light engines were operated since Friday. The rest of the crew would get trained by travelling in the special trains once operations resume.
