(1) Tower wagon shall run in the charge of a competent railway servant called incharge appointed in this behalf by the Dedicated Freight Corridor Railway administration who shall be personally responsible for all safety aspect regarding its movement and shall be responsible for taking the block, clearing the block etc.
(2) Tower wagon shall be driven by a qualified person called the tower wagon operator who should possess a valid competency certificate to drive the vehicles on rails issued by the competent authority appointed in this behalf by the Dedicated Freight Corridor Railway administration.
(3) The details of training and its schedule, as also the tests prescribed for possessing competency certificate and its validity, shall be in accordance with the special instructions.
(4) Tower wagon shall be treated as a train when moving from one block station to another block station. Relevant provisions for working, failure or accident to a train, action to be taken during break-down, etc. as provided for in these rules shall also apply in case of tower wagons.
(5) The tower wagon shall not carry out any work without the prior permission of station master on duty and unless the line or lines that will be obstructed are blocked,-(a) the supervisor in-charge of the tower wagon shall notify the station master on duty in writing the line that will be occupied by the said tower wagon and line or lines likely to be infringed other than the one occupied by the tower wagon, if any, during the period of operation, and time required for the work; relevant provisions contained in Chapter-X shall also apply;
(b) in case of working of tower wagon in station section the lines for which block is taken, shall be treated as deemed ‘obstructions’ for the purpose of taking 'off' signals or train working or shunting. The affected line shall be protected by setting the points against such line and Stop plugs placed over the relevant point switches or buttons. Buzzer where provided shall also be switched;
(c) in case of working of tower wagon in block section,-
(i) The tower wagon shall be despatched from the station in rear only after blocking back or blocking forward the block section along with necessary authority for shunting or obstruction as in rule 103 and the requisite caution order is given;
252 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)]
(ii) if the work necessitates stopping of trains on any of the adjacent line, block for the same shall be asked for by the supervisor and the affected section shall also be blocked back or blocked forward by the station master despatching the train; and
(iii) if the nature of work is such that train movement need not be stopped on the adjoining line but infringement is apprehended during operation of the machine, the supervisor shall arrange to show signals in accordance with the rule 242 and loco pilot of trains proceeding into the section shall be issued caution order by station master at either end of the section.
(d) when neither the block has been taken nor signal to warn the loco pilots as in subclause (iii) of clause (c ) of the sub-rule (5) of the rule 201 have been ensured on the adjoining line, the supervisor in charge shall see that during working adjacent lines are kept clear.
(e) after the work is completed, the supervisor in charge shall issue a memo to the station master on duty to the effect that the work is over and other lines blocked or fouled are clear of obstructions and are safe for the passage of trains. Provided further that written memo may follow the advice given on secured voice communication where provided for early commencement of train operation on line under the system of working.
(6) The supervisor-in-charge shall ensure, as far as possible, that the time for which the block has been asked for is not exceeded.
(7) When the tower wagon is ready to return,-
(a) the supervisor-in-charge before leaving the site shall take permission of the station master of station in advance or in rear where the tower wagon is to arrive as per authority through the approved means of communication;
(b) on getting the information from the supervisor in-charge of the tower wagon, the station master on duty shall arrange for reception of the tower wagon;
(c ) the supervisor on arrival of the tower wagon at the station shall confirm to the station master in writing against the relevant entries in train signal register that the section has been cleared of the obstruction after completion of work and the tower wagon or wagons have arrived; and
(d) normal working of trains on the line for which block was taken, shall commence only after obtaining assurance from the supervisor as in clause (c) of the sub-rule (7) of the rule 201.
(8) The working instruction to ensure safety of men and material shall be prescribed under special instructions.
202 Working of multiple material or departmental trains and or other maintenance vehicles or machines.- (1) More than one material or departmental train or track maintenance machine or tower wagon may be allowed to work in the same block section in the shadow of block taken by one of them or during corridor block.
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(2) Such maintenance vehicle or train shall be despatched matching with the sequence of location at which they have to work and in accordance with the following,-
(a) such vehicle or train may be despatched into the blocked section either as one train to be separated at the site or singly one after another by issuing a shunting order 103 to the operators or loco pilot of first vehicle or train, and written authority to proceed without line clear 'authority to proceed without line clear’ to the operators or loco pilots of subsequent vehicle or trains;
(b) the 'authority to proceed without line clear’ given to the operator or loco pilot shall be the authority, to proceed up to the assigned location. The kilometers up to which he must proceed into the obstructed block section, shall be recorded on this authority; and
(c) the 'authority to proceed without line clear’ may confirm whether the vehicle or train is to return after completion of the work or proceed ahead to the next block station or wait at the place of assigned location for clearance of line by the vehicle or train in the rear or front as may be applicable. The 'authority to proceed without line clear’ shall also mention, if any, vehicle or train has gone ahead or shall be following it.
(3) While proceeding into the obstructed section, the speed of the vehicles or train shall be restricted to twenty five kilometre per hour in clear visibility over the straight, otherwise to ten kilometre per hour when approaching or passing any portion of the line when the view ahead is not clear, or obstructed, or during bad weather impairing visibility. A caution order to this effect shall be issued to the loco pilot of the relief train.
(4) Where more than one such vehicle or train is required to be sent, successive vehicles or trains shall maintain a minimum distance of one hundred twenty metre from each other.
The operator or loco pilot of each of them shall protect his vehicle or train in the rear in case his vehicle or train is stopped in between before reaching their assigned location.
(5) The incharge of individual vehicles shall be responsible for protection of their vehicles in front and rear by showing hand danger signals and maintaining a safe distance from each other in accordance with special instructions.