The Following Trains System
(Extract from IR General Rules : Chapter 10)
10.01 Essentials of the following Trains system
(1) Where trains are worked on the Following Trains System,
they may be dispatched from one station to the next, following
each other in succession in the same direction on the same line
in such manner and at such intervals of time as may be
prescribed by special instructions.
(2) Trains shall not be worked on the Following Trains System
unless the Station Master of the block station in advance has
exchanged messages regarding his readiness to receive the
trains and has, in addition, given his assurance that no train
will be allowed to leave his station for the station from which
the following trains are to be dispatched, until the latter
have all arrived at his station and until he has received
permission to dispatch trains in the opposite direction.
10.02 Report to the Commissioner of Railway Safety
When the Following Trains System is introduced on any portion
of a railway under Rule 7.01, a report shall be sent by
telegram to the Commissioner of Railway Safety.
10.03 Conditions to be observed in working trains on the Following
Trains System
When the Following Trains System is adopted, the following
conditions shall be observed, namely:
(a) no train shall start until the Driver has been given
a written authority to proceed in the form prescribed for
the purpose and a written acknowledgment thereof has been
obtained from him, the train being stopped for the
purpose, if not booked to stop.
(b) the authority to proceed shall state the station at
which the train is next to stop. The speed at which it is
to run and the actual time of departure of the preceding
train.
(c) the Driver and Guard of each preceding train shall
have been informed of the fact that a train will
follow. And of the probable period which will elapse
before the following trains shall start,
(d) a train shall not follow another from a station
unless there has elapsed since the departure of the
previous train, an interval of not less than 15 minutes,
or such shorter interval as may be fixed by special
instructions,
(e) all the trains following the first train shall be
timed to run at the same speed and such speed shall not
exceed 25 kilometres an hour except under special
instructions,
(f) the actual time of the departure of each train shall
at once be intimated to the block station in advance and
the actual time of arrival of each train shall at once be
intimated to the block station in rear, and
(g) the number of following trains running at the same
time between any two block stations shall not be more
than one for each 5 kilometres of station interval; and
unless permitted by special instructions, shall never
exceed four, whatever may be the length of the station
interval.
10.04. Delivery of authority to proceed to Driver or Guard on the
Following Trains System
(1) Every authority to proceed shall be delivered to the
Guard or Driver by the Station Master, or by some
railways servant appointed in this behalf under special
instructions,
(2) When such authority to proceed is delivered to the
Driver under sub-rule (1), a duplicate shall be given to
the Guard.
(3) When an authority to proceed is delivered to the
Guard under sub-rule (1), it shall be either
(a) handed personally by the Guard to the Driver; or
(b) countersigned by the Guard and then handed to
the Driver either by the Station Master or by some
railway servant appointed in this behalf by special
instructions.
(4) An authority to proceed shall not be handed to the
Driver under sub-rule (2) or (3)
(a) until the train is ready to start, and
(b) if the train is waiting to pass another train,
until the whole of the latter train has come in and
is clear of the running line for the former train.
10.05. Authority to proceed on the Following Trains System
The written authority to proceed for use on the Following
Trains System shall be in the following form-
S.No..................... Railway.............................
THE FOLLOWING TRAINS SYSTEM
AUTHORITY TO PROCEED
UP (OR DOWN)
Time No........Up ( or Down ) Date........................
Time ...................... Hours.................Minutes.
From ..............................................Station
to.................................................Station.
To Drive and Guard.
(1) You are hereby authorized to proceed with your train
from.............................................. station
to.................................................station
(2) Train No..........ahead of your train left the station
at.................hours...........................minutes.
*(3)Train No...................... shall follow your train
from this station at ...........hours..............minutes.
(4) You are required to observe a speed restriction
of ............. kilometres an hour.
Signed.........................
Station Master at......................
(Station stamp)
Signature of Guard at .............................station.
This tickets shall be given up by the Driver immediately on arrival to
the Station Master or other person authorized to receive it and such
person shall immediately cancel it and place it on record.
10.06. Responsibility as to proper preparation of authority to proceed
on the Following Trains System.-
(1) When an authority to proceed is delivered to the Driver
under sub-rule (1) of Rule 10.4. the Station Master shall
see
(a) that it is properly filled up in the form
pescribed for the purpose, and
(b) that it is signed in full and in ink
(2) When the authority to proceed is delivered to the
Driver under sub-rule (1) of Rule 10.04, he shall satisfy
himself that the authority to proceed delivered to him has
been correctly and completely prepared in the form
prescribed for the purpose and he shall not proceed with
his train until he has done so and the mistake or omission,
if any, has been rectified.
(3) When an authority to proceed is delivered to the Guard
of the train under sub-rule (3) of Rule 10.04, he shall,
before it is handed to the Driver, satisfy himself
similarly.
10.07. Obstruction in face of approaching train or train on the
Following Trains System Trains System
The line shall not be obstructed out side the outer most facing
points in face of an approaching train as long as this system of
working is in force.
10.08. Cessation of working on the following train system
When it is intended that no more following trains shall be
dispatched in the same direction, the Station Master shall
intimate such intention by a message to the block station in
advance, after which no more trains in either direction shall be
dispatched between the two stations until the last train has
arrived at the block station in advance and the line has been
cleared between the two stations.
10.09. Protection of Trains on the Following Trains System
(1) When a train is stopped between station and if the detention
exceeds or is likely to exceed five minutes, it shall be
protected in accordance with the provisions of Rule 6.03, except
that the Guard going back to protect the train shall place one
detonator, at 250 meters from the trains on the way out, and two
detonators, 10 meters apart, at 500 meters from the train,
irrespective of gauge.
(2) In case the train, stopped between stations, is unable to
proceed on account of accident, failure, obstruction or any other
exceptional cause, the Driver shall also arrange to protect the
train in the front in the manner laid down for the Guard.
