A current feature that isn't prototypical

In reality, TRTS will often have little-to-no resemblance to the reality of the readiness of a train to move, it is often pressed by platform staff when trains aren’t ready, I’ve seen it done when the train wasn’t running and had neither a guard or driver on board.

Stephen Fulcher in post 141481 said:

In reality, TRTS will often have little-to-no resemblance to the reality of the readiness of a train to move, it is often pressed by platform staff when trains aren’t ready, I’ve seen it done when the train wasn’t running and had neither a guard or driver on board.

I find this hard to believe. Is it because some platform staff don't understand what the TRTS button is actually for?

bugsy in post 141482 said:

Stephen Fulcher in post 141481 said:

In reality, TRTS will often have little-to-no resemblance to the reality of the readiness of a train to move, it is often pressed by platform staff when trains aren’t ready, I’ve seen it done when the train wasn’t running and had neither a guard or driver on board.

I find this hard to believe. Is it because some platform staff don't understand what the TRTS button is actually for?

It’s more that platform staff end up under pressure to minimise delays and so on, so they just don’t always checks.

Classic example I’ve seen regularly is TRTS being pushed for trains at Reading that haven’t even fully stopped in the platform yet - never mind any unforeseen crew change issues or similar.

bugsy in post 141482 said:

Stephen Fulcher in post 141481 said:

In reality, TRTS will often have little-to-no resemblance to the reality of the readiness of a train to move, it is often pressed by platform staff when trains aren’t ready, I’ve seen it done when the train wasn’t running and had neither a guard or driver on board.

I find this hard to believe. Is it because some platform staff don't understand what the TRTS button is actually for?

It’s more that platform staff end up under pressure to minimise delays and so on, so they just don’t always checks.

Classic example I’ve seen regularly is TRTS being pushed for trains at Reading that haven’t even fully stopped in the platform yet - never mind any unforeseen crew change issues or similar.

bugsy in post 141482 said:

Stephen Fulcher in post 141481 said:

In reality, TRTS will often have little-to-no resemblance to the reality of the readiness of a train to move, it is often pressed by platform staff when trains aren’t ready, I’ve seen it done when the train wasn’t running and had neither a guard or driver on board.

I find this hard to believe. Is it because some platform staff don't understand what the TRTS button is actually for?

It’s more that platform staff end up under pressure to minimise delays and so on, so they just don’t always checks.

Classic example I’ve seen regularly is TRTS being pushed for trains at Reading that haven’t even fully stopped in the platform yet - never mind any unforeseen crew change issues or similar.

I find this hard to believe. Is it because some platform staff don't understand what the TRTS button is actually for?

Also TRTS works even when the track circuits are NOT occupied by a train.

ajax103 in post 145757 said:

Also TRTS works even when the track circuits are NOT occupied by a train.

Whether thats prototypical will completely depend on the location I suspect.

Any feedback on this request from Geoff or developers?

Also TRTS works even when the track circuits are NOT occupied by a train.

Guts in post 145756 said:

Any feedback on this request from Geoff or developers?

It's not a feature we're looking to change, whether it reflects real life practice very much depends on the location, the rules in force at the time, and TOC/FOC instructions to staff.

I agree with Karl on both counts. There is so much variation on the railway that saying something is wrong at location X because location Y does it differently simply isn't reliable - both TRTS and delays.

Just a former driver adding two pennies worth.... (as you asked for a driver to contribute!!)

When I was driving if I had been delayed by say a fault or a disturbance I had to make contact with the signaller in charge before making any onward movement, why I may hear you say? Well to make sure that the relevant details were passed. Let us say that I had a passcomm operated, during the the initial radio call I would state that I was driving from unit 465800 coach 79000 and the passcomm was in the sixth coach from the front. From that initial phone call have I given everything my control needs to complete a fully comprehensive log entry for the incident, so do they know :-

The exact unit and coach number where the passcomm was operated?
Was the passcomm accidental? malicious? due to a customer collapsed?
Have I had to operate any safety system isolation equipment?

If the answer to any of these questions is unknown at the time of the time of the initial radio call (I'll give you a tiny hint.... The answer to all of these will be unknown prior to me investigating) then I will be needing to make a further call to provide all the above details following my investigation.

How do I know that you as the signaller are not going to need to give me a more restrictive aspect, for all I know you might have abandoned an attempt to contact me 5 seconds before I enter back into the cab. Now what I had as a green signal at the start of the incident is now a yellow and because I know you want me to just get on and go with no further communication, I fail to observe the new more restrictive aspect away I go, come round the corner and 10 yards in front of me at line speed (Remember the last thing of saw of that previous signal in my haste to keep you as the signaller happy by just getting going so you don't have an extra call to answer) is a nice big fat juicy red aspect. I now have a SPAD on my record (the red having been given in sufficient time before going past the yellow, not seen as I'm getting on with just going).

As a driver in the real world am I going to make a phone call, and await the signaller to answer (even if there are 15 other calls ahead of me) too right I am, be it the first train of my shift or the last station stop on the last train of my shift....

Ok this might be a fivers worth rather than pennies worth but you get the idea.

Paul

I've had a phone call from a driver telling me that he'd fixed a problem I never knew he had!

He was a little bit overtime in the section, nothing serious, though my barriers were down, and he just rang to say that he'd had a problem with his train computer but it was all fixed and he'd be on the move again shortly.

DriverCurran in post 145770 said:

Just a former driver adding two pennies worth.... (as you asked for a driver to contribute!!)

When I was driving if I had been delayed by say a fault or a disturbance I had to make contact with the signaller in charge before making any onward movement, why I may hear you say? Well to make sure that the relevant details were passed. Let us say that I had a passcomm operated, during the the initial radio call I would state that I was driving from unit 465800 coach 79000 and the passcomm was in the sixth coach from the front. From that initial phone call have I given everything my control needs to complete a fully comprehensive log entry for the incident, so do they know :-

The exact unit and coach number where the passcomm was operated?
Was the passcomm accidental? malicious? due to a customer collapsed?
Have I had to operate any safety system isolation equipment?

If the answer to any of these questions is unknown at the time of the time of the initial radio call (I'll give you a tiny hint.... The answer to all of these will be unknown prior to me investigating) then I will be needing to make a further call to provide all the above details following my investigation.

Agreed. The driver will tell you theres an issue and where (if known) in the initial call (as per the Sim). Which is the same as the further call we receive if there is extra delays.

My issue isn't the extra call, it's the train not departing until the call is answered.

I hope this is the message I'm trying to get across, it's not the call before departure, it's the train not departing until the call is answered.

DriverCurran in post 145770 said:

How do I know that you as the signaller are not going to need to give me a more restrictive aspect, for all I know you might have abandoned an attempt to contact me 5 seconds before I enter back into the cab. Now what I had as a green signal at the start of the incident is now a yellow and because I know you want me to just get on and go with no further communication, I fail to observe the new more restrictive aspect away I go, come round the corner and 10 yards in front of me at line speed (Remember the last thing of saw of that previous signal in my haste to keep you as the signaller happy by just getting going so you don't have an extra call to answer) is a nice big fat juicy red aspect. I now have a SPAD on my record (the red having been given in sufficient time before going past the yellow, not seen as I'm getting on with just going).

Whoa Whoa. I'm sorry but that's against the Rule Book to put the signal back on a train without speaking to the Driver first; I'd filling out a RT3185 form if I did that, plus a incident report for Control, then a talk from my manager regarding the incident.
We're just not allowed to do it unless in an emergency, which in any case would warrant a call to the signaller to find out why there is a change in aspect (as per the Sim).
If we need the signal back before you depart, then you'll get a Contact Signaller on the GSMR or a GSMR call or we'll contact your Control.

DriverCurran in post 145770 said:

As a driver in the real world am I going to make a phone call, and await the signaller to answer (even if there are 15 other calls ahead of me) too right I am, be it the first train of my shift or the last station stop on the last train of my shift....

Ok this might be a fivers worth rather than pennies worth but you get the idea.

Paul

Thanks for this though. You might be the only driver I know that specifically does that. I do get drivers call with all the details of an incident but that's it unless there is further problems, as long as the signal is proceed they move off once it's cleared, and that's DOO and Conductor staffed services.