Explanation of Change. Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations

Transcription

1 Explanation of Change Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations Date: December 2012 Title: Review of the Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Current Working Manual sections: Title: Glossary of Terms Reference: GO/RM3056, Issue 2 Title: Introduction and Classification of Freight Trains Reference: GO/RT3056/A, Issue 2 Title: Marshalling and Composition of Freight Trains Reference: GO/RT3056/B, Issue 2 Title: Principles of Safe Freight Train Operation Reference: GO/RT3056/C, Issue 2 Title: Defective Vehicles Reference: GO/RT3056/D, Issue 2 Title: Movement of Freight Trains Reference: GO/RT3056/E, Issue 2 Title: Incidents Reference: GO/RT3056/F, Issue 2 Title: Safe Loading of Freight Reference: GO/RT3056/G, Issue 2 Title: International Traffic Reference: GO/RT3056/H, Issue 1 Title: Intermodal Traffic Reference: GO/RT3056/J, Issue 1 Title: Vehicles Requiring Special Conditions of Travel Reference: GO/RT3056/K, Issue 1 Title: Conversion Chart: SLU s Metres - Feet Reference: GO/RT3056/App A, Issue 1 EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 1

2 Title: Exceptional Load Code Words Reference: GO/RT3056/App B, Issue 1 Details of new / revised Working Manual sections: Title: White Pages Contents and Glossary Reference: GO/RT3056 Issue 3 Title: NOT USED Reference: GO/RT3056/A, Issue 3 Title: Marshalling and Composition of Freight Trains Reference: GO/RT3056/B, Issue 3 Title: Principles of Safe Freight Train Operation Reference: GO/RT3056/C, Issue 3 Title: Defective Vehicles Reference: GO/RT3056/D, Issue 3 Title: Movement of Freight Trains Reference: GO/RT3056/E, Issue 3 Title: NOT USED Reference: GO/RT3056/F, Issue 3 Title: NOT USED Reference: GO/RT3056/G, Issue 3 Title: NOT USED Reference: GO/RT3056/H, Issue 2 Title: Intermodal Traffic Reference: GO/RT3056/J, Issue 2 Title: Vehicles Requiring Special Conditions of Travel Reference: GO/RT3056/K, Issue 2 Title: Appendix 1 - Conversion Chart: SLU s Metres - Feet Reference: GO/RT3056/1, Issue 2 Title: Appendix 2 - Exceptional Load Code Words Reference: GO/RT3056/2, Issue 2 EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 2

3 Title: Appendix 3 - Exceptional Load RT3973 Forms Reference: GO/RT3056/3, Issue 1 Synopsis: This manual is for the use of all staff concerned with the acceptance, planning, handling, conveyance, marshalling and movement of freight traffic. Period of consultation: 18/10/2012 to 14/11/2012 Publication date: 02 March 2013 In force date: 01 June 2013 EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 3

4 Contents Page 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INITIATORS OF CHANGE KEY CHANGES SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL IMPACTS COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS DECISION FRAMEWORK EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 4

5 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A review of the current requirements in GO/RM3056, Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (referred to as the White Pages in this document), has been undertaken. The White Pages were last published in December 2003 and the rail freight industry have learnt many positive lessons during this time. Derogations, which have been granted, have resulted in the changes being published to the rail freight industry via the periodical operating notice (PON). It has become imperative to review the current requirements within the White Pages, to ensure they are a true reflection of today s freight operations and that they continue to deliver the safe working of freight trains on today s GB mainline network. A number of requirements that support the Fundamental Operational Principles have been redrafted for clarity. For consistency, a number of requirements which currently appear in the PON are incorporated into the new issue of the White Pages. As a result of this update, rail freight staff are not required to do anything differently. The following requirements are to be revised and taken forward to the new issue of the White Pages: Section B, B1.3: Automatic brake to be operative Section C3 Certificate of readiness Table K3 List of locations where standard W6A loading gauge does not apply and Section K3.4 Use of Table K4 The revisions allow operational benefits and have a positive or neutral impact on safety. Their introduction in the White Pages promotes the long term best interest of the mainline railway as a whole and is justified. A number of requirements set out in the current issue of the White Pages are to be withdrawn. Although they are in scope of the White Pages, the scenarios in which they are applied are no longer applicable due to technical or procedural change or they impose unnecessary constraints on the industry if they are nationally mandated. Section E7 Working instructions for Merry-go-Round (MGR) trains and Table E2 Loads permitted for train loads of HMA and HNA wagons Section G Safe loading of freight EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 5

6 The requirements set out in the White Pages that do support the Fundamental Operational Principles that are duplicated in other Railway Group Standards (RGSs) are proposed to be withdrawn. Section F incidents The remaining rules are in scope of the White Pages and considered to promote the long term best interest of the mainline railway as a whole. They are therefore to be retained in the White Pages and transferred to the new issue. EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 6

7 2 INITIATORS OF CHANGE The current issue of the White Pages was last published in December 2003, and any subsequent changes have been published to the rail freight industry via the periodical operation notice (PON). It has become imperative to review the current requirements within the White Pages, to ensure they are a true reflection of today s freight operations and that they continue to deliver safe working of freight trains on today s GB mainline network. A number of requirements that support the Fundamental Operational Principles have been redrafted for clarity and duty holders are not required to do anything differently as a result of the redrafting. For consistency, a number of other requirements that currently appear in the PON and support the Fundamental Operational Principles, are proposed to be transferred to issue 3 of the White Pages. The rail freight industry is not required to do anything differently as a result of this transfer. A number of requirements are withdrawn on the basis that they are out of scope as they do not support the Fundamental Operational Principles. The withdrawal of these requirements does not of itself, cause users to alter the way they control the risk to which these instructions relate, though duty holders may wish to transfer these requirements into their company management system and decide to change them if they wish to do so. There are therefore no implications for White Pages users as far as these changes are concerned. A number of requirements, although in scope of the Fundamental Operational Principles, do not deliver its intention and impose unnecessary constraints on the industry if they are nationally mandated. A number of requirements are withdrawn from the new issue of the White Pages as they are duplicated in other RGSs. Transport undertakings are not required to do anything differently as users of the White Pages will still have to comply with those requirements. EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 7

8 3 KEY CHANGES 3.1 Revised requirements Section B, B1.3 Automatic brake to be operative The current requirement is for the automatic brake to be operative on the last three vehicles of every freight train. In the re-issue of the White Pages the requirement is to be revised for the brake to be operative on the last vehicle only. Additionally, the brake force on that vehicle must not be less than the brake force required (as shown in Table E1) for a train of the weight equivalent to the one fitted vehicle and any piped-only vehicles marshalled immediately ahead of it. Section C3 Certificate of readiness When any vehicle, loaded or empty, is formed in a train intended for movement from an engineering work site, the current requirements in section C3 necessitate the competent person responsible for loading or unloading recording the status for each vehicle on a certificate of readiness. The engineering supervisor who is responsible for the work site is then required to sign and retain a copy of the completed certificate. With the re-issue of the White Pages, the engineering supervisor (ES) will no longer be required to sign a copy of the completed certificate to indicate that the wagons are properly loaded and fit to travel. This is now the responsibility of the person responsible for loading or unloading. However, the ES will still be required to sign the certificate if on-track machines are to be conveyed from site in a freight train to indicate that they are fit to travel. Section K3.4 Use of Table K4 and Table K3 Lines of Route not Meeting the Network Rail Standard W6A (W6) Loading Gauge In the current issue of the White Pages Table K3 sets out a number of routes over which the Network Rail standard W6A vehicles gauge does not apply, therefore conditions of travel must be obtained for vehicles to travel over those lines. Section K3.4 sets out a number of routes over which the normal permitted width of any load below 1050 mm above rail level does not apply, and therefore conditions of travel must be obtained for vehicles moving over those lines. With the re-issue of the White Pages the two lists of route sections currently published in the White Pages have been removed. EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 8

9 3.2 Withdrawn requirements In scope requirements but withdrawn A number of requirements set out in the current issue of the White Pages are to be withdrawn. Although they are in scope of the White Pages, the scenario in which they are applied is no longer encountered in practice, because of technical or procedural change or they impose unnecessary constraints on the industry if they are nationally mandated. Section E7 Working instructions for Merry-go-Round (MGR) trains and Table E2 Loads permitted for train loads of HMA and HNA wagons The current requirements in section E7 detail the arrangements for MGR trains formed of the original MGR wagon type based on the HAA wagon. With the re-issue of the White Pages the requirements for the wagon types in question that no longer operate on the GB main line railway are withdrawn. The current requirements in Table E2 detail the loads permitted for train loads of HMA and HNA wagons. With the re-issue of the White Pages the requirements in Table E2 for the wagon types in question that no longer operate on the GB main line railway are withdrawn. Section G Safe loading of freight trains In issue 2 of the White Pages, section G sets out the requirements for those involved in the safe loading of freight trains. The instructions in the existing section G of the White Pages concerning the Safe Loading of Freight are to be withdrawn. This has become possible by transferring some relevant content to GO/GN3653 Guidance for Safe Freight Train Operation and enhancing the existing content of the Guidance Note. It has been identified that the Freight Operator community prefer to use guidance material as a basis of company instructions relevant which relate to their own range of traffic Other withdrawn requirements Other requirements are to be withdrawn from the new issue of the White Pages as they are duplicated in other RGSs and in specific GE/RT8000 Rule Book modules. Duty holders and users of the White Pages will still have to comply with the requirements which are duplicated in these modules. EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 9

10 Section F Incidents The current requirements in section F detail what train crew or, any person assisting the driver on a train operated under driver only (DO) conditions must do, in the event of an incident involving a train. The requirements in section F are to be withdrawn in their entirety from the White Pages, as these requirements are currently mandated in the Rule Book module G1 for general regulations and the Pink Pages for transport undertakings who convey dangerous or hazardous goods. 4 SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL IMPACTS 4.1 Revised requirements Section B, B1.3 automatic brake to be operative The current requirements in section B, B1.3 require three fitted vehicles with operative brakes on the rear of the train, and no more than three vehicles that are piped-only, or have the brakes isolated formed immediately ahead of those three vehicles. The requirement is for the train preparer to confirm with a visual check that the last three vehicles are shown to have operative brakes, but to only physically check that the brakes on the last wagon is operational. This change realises a positive safety impact in two respects. At present the train preparer only confirms the operation of the brake on the rearmost vehicle, there is no check that the brake that is being relied upon is actually operating on the remaining two vehicles. There is currently no confirmation that the brake force available would be sufficient to bring the divided rear portion of the train to a standstill if this were formed of the fitted wagons on the rear and the piped-only wagons ahead. A rule of thumb is thus being replaced by an actual calculation which would be performed by TOPS when a train document is produced. Section C3 Certificate of readiness When any vehicle, loaded or empty, is formed in a train intended for movement from an engineering work site, the current requirements in section C3 necessitate the competent person responsible for loading or unloading recording the status for each vehicle on a certificate of readiness. The engineering supervisor who is responsible for the work site is then required to sign and retain a copy of the completed certificate. EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 10

11 With the re-issue of the White Pages, the engineering supervisor (ES) will no longer be required to sign or retain a copy of the completed certificate to indicate that the wagons are properly loaded and fit to travel. However, the ES will still be required to sign the certificate if on-track machines are to be conveyed from site in a freight train to indicate that they are fit to travel. The change realises a neutral safety benefit by removing the responsibility from a person that might well not have been competent to discharge it, and confines responsibility to the person responsible for loading or unloading. Section K3.4 Use of Table K4 and Table K3 Lines of Route not Meeting the Network Rail Standard W6A (W6) Loading Gauge In the current issue of the White Pages Table K3 sets out a number of routes over which the Network Rail standard W6A vehicles gauge does not apply, therefore conditions of travel must be obtained for vehicles to travel over those lines. Section K3.4 sets out a number of routes over which the normal permitted width of any load below 1050 mm above rail level does not apply, and therefore conditions of travel must be obtained for vehicles moving over those lines. With the re-issue of the White Pages, the two lists of route sections currently published in the White Pages and refer the user to information as to vehicle acceptability that is published in the Sectional Appendix will be removed. The present instructions provide no information as the dimensions of vehicles or loads that are acceptable over the routes listed. The present description is not correct, in that limitations would apply to wagons passing over those routes, as well as being destined to them. The proposed alternative would result in reference to information that shows positively what might be permitted to pass. The Sectional Appendix is more frequently updated than the White Pages and accurate current information would be more readily available. 4.2 Withdrawn requirements In scope requirements but withdrawn A number of requirements are withdrawn because, although they support the Fundamental Operational Principles, the scenarios in which they are applied is no longer encountered in practice because of technical or procedural change or impose unnecessary constraints on the industry if they are nationally mandated. EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 11

12 Section E7 Working instructions for Merry-go-Round (MGR) trains and Table E2 Loads permitted for train loads of HMA and HNA wagons The current requirements in section E7 detail the arrangements for MGR trains formed of the original MGR wagon type based on the HAA wagon. These requirements are to be withdrawn as the wagon types in question no longer operate on the GB main line railway. The current requirements in Table E2 detail the loads permitted for train loads of HMA and HNA wagons. These requirements are to be withdraw in Table E2 as the wagon types in question no longer operate on the GB main line railway. Section G Safe loading of freight trains The requirements in section G of the White Pages detail the general loading and securing requirements for staff involved in the preparation of freight loads. The requirements assist in loading and securing of particular products (bulk, commodities or intermodal), and what actions must be taken when identifying any or actual hazards dependant on the load carried. These requirements although in scope of the Fundamental Operational Principles, impose unnecessary constraints on the Rail Freight Industry, as they do not deliver its intention. The withdrawal of these requirements has a positive impact on safety as each Freight Operator will be able to issue specific loading instructions for their traffic flows based on the general principles contained in GO/GN3653. Consequently, there is no need for front line staff to be in receipt of the general principles of loading Other requirements Other requirements are withdrawn from the new issue of the White Pages as they are duplicated in other RGSs and in specific other National Operations Publications. Section F Incidents The requirements concerning the reporting of incidents are to be withdrawn in its entirety from the White Pages, as these requirements are already mandated in the Rule Book and / or Pink Pages. Duty Holders and users of the White Pages, will already be possession of the Rule Book modules will not be required to do anything differently. This has a positive operational impact on the industry in that any future changes to the reporting of incidents are mandated in one national operational document which is module G1 for general regulations, and the EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 12

13 Pink Pages for those transport undertakings who convey dangerous or hazardous goods, which avoids unnecessary duplication. 5 COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS Instructions in the White Pages contain instructions that are applicable to the infrastructure manager and railway undertakings. The updated sections have been developed and are to be published in March 2013, coming into force in June DECISION FRAMEWORK Under the application of the Operational Concept for the GB main line railway, there are instructions that are in scope of the White Pages and support the Fundamental Operational Principles, but the scenarios in which they are applied, are no longer applicable. They are therefore to be withdrawn from the White Pages. The remaining requirements are in scope of the White Pages and considered to promote the long term best interest of the main line railways as a whole. They are therefore to be retained in the White Pages. The proposed revision of requirements set out in section 3 of this document are in scope and support the following Fundamental Operational Principles 5 and 6. The revisions allow operational benefits and have a positive or neutral impact on safety. EOC 11/004 Working Manual for Rail Staff: Freight Train Operations (White Pages) Page 13