Gregg posted:Speaking of sidings back in the days (train order territory,) I ran across a form Z in my old rule book.
FormZ---SIDING TO BE USED AS MAIN TRACK.
(1) Main track out of service between switches at Cold Water(needed a name). Switches lined and secured for siding. Trains will move through siding at restricted speed.
This form of order to be used when necessary to use a siding for main track movements.
Having said that you're the a crew member on a switcher type job that has work to do on spurs off the siding with no place to clear and you're now on a hot shot passengers time (first class train) coming from the rear.
Question..... Are you going to send out the flag for outside ABS territory.??
Unnecessary to flag when track speed is restricted speed for any reason. The definition of restricted speed from my old employer's AMT-1 Book of Operating Rules (effective 4/29/79), "Restricted Speed - Proceed prepared to stop short of train, obstruction, or switch not properly lined, looking out for broken rail, not exceeding 15 miles per hour." That puts responsibility for safe movement squarely on the crew operating under restricted speed, regardless of whether that speed is authorized by signal indication, train order, or special instruction portion of the timetable. The "not exceeding" portion of the rule was always interpreted by our Rules Examiners to mean that a train could do less than 15 if weather, curves, or other conditions prevented 15 from being a safe speed.
