Restricted Speed in Fog with a Fouled Track
At 02:15 in fog, engineer L. Petrov is operating a light locomotive in a yard under restricted speed. Visibility is about 350 feet. The locomotive is traveling 18 mph. The yard's braking table shows: 8 mph = 60 ft, 12 mph = 110 ft, 15 mph = 150 ft, 18 mph = 210 ft, 20 mph = 260 ft. At 300 feet ahead, Petrov sees a cut of cars fouling the track at a switch. He applies the independent brake but does not go to emergency. The locomotive stops 40 feet short of the cars. The conductor later says 'you stopped, so no harm.' Petrov's speed recorder shows 18 mph until the brake application. The yard limit sign is 1,000 feet behind him. What should have been done, and what does restricted speed require?
1. Was 18 mph compliant with restricted speed?
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No. Restricted speed requires proceeding at a speed that allows stopping within one-half the range of vision short of a train, car, obstruction, or switch not properly lined, and not exceeding 20 mph. Half of 350 feet is 175 feet. The braking table shows 210 feet at 18 mph, so Petrov needed to be at 12 mph or less (110 feet) before the obstruction appeared. Stopping 40 feet short does not cure the violation; it was luck and the cars were at 300 feet, not at the limit of visibility.
2. What should Petrov have done when he saw the cut of cars?
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He should have made an immediate full service or emergency application as conditions required and stopped short. Under restricted speed, the engineer must be prepared to stop for any obstruction, and the brake application should be made as soon as the obstruction is visible. Applying only the independent brake may not provide enough stopping force, especially with a light locomotive and wet or foggy rail. After stopping, he should report the incident to the yardmaster and dispatcher, preserve the speed recorder data, and not move until authorized.
3. How should Petrov respond to the conductor's 'no harm' reasoning?
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He should explain that restricted speed is a distance standard, not a collision standard. The requirement is to stop within half the range of vision, so 18 mph was too fast even though the locomotive stopped short. The speed recorder will show the speed and brake application, and the incident should be reported because it is a rule violation, not a near miss to be forgotten. Petrov should document the visibility, the obstruction distance, the speed, and the braking action, and he should not accept a 'no harm' release that could later be used to minimize the event.