Cotton Belt MP104 Got your attention, relax, it is just a rehash of something old Some time back there was a big fuss over the terms authority and permission as spoken by UP dispatchers. Note this just happened today, WEST of the Mississippi, CTC territory. Situation: a local was at an industry and was working the industry as mainline freight were proceeding West (actually South) via signal indication As the local wanted to obtain the main to return South to the depot, they sought authority to enter the main to proceed South and was granted AUTHORITY by the dispatcher. For whatever reason the local had to make a reverse move while on the mainline. Since they were authorized to proceed South, this move would have been contrary to that and thus the dispatcher gave them PERMISSION to make the move in reverse of authority boy, do I ever realize NOW there is a GCOR and the east coast guys w/NORAC simple eh endmw0612181926
Got your attention, relax, it is just a rehash of something old
Some time back there was a big fuss over the terms authority and permission as spoken by UP dispatchers. Note this just happened today, WEST of the Mississippi, CTC territory.
Situation: a local was at an industry and was working the industry as mainline freight were proceeding West (actually South) via signal indication
As the local wanted to obtain the main to return South to the depot, they sought authority to enter the main to proceed South and was granted AUTHORITY by the dispatcher.
For whatever reason the local had to make a reverse move while on the mainline. Since they were authorized to proceed South, this move would have been contrary to that and thus the dispatcher gave them PERMISSION to make the move in reverse of authority
boy, do I ever realize NOW there is a GCOR and the east coast guys w/NORAC
simple eh endmw0612181926
The Authority is to occupy the main/controlled track. Permission is to do something under the authority you already have.
Theorectically, under GCOR you can make a reverse move without permission has long has the movement doesn't exceed the limits of the block you occupy. That is, you can't shove past the block signal that protects your rear end. In reality, because there are rules for Reverse moves, Back Up moves and Shoving moves, etc. (not to mention the possibility of having to defend rules interpretations with a manager) everyone asks for permission first.
Jeff
Don't forget Canada.
Under the CROR you can be "authorized to enter [a main track] and proceed [in any direction]".
If the switch faces away from the direction you will be proceeding it is still ok to enter, that move is cover by the "enter main track" portion of your authority.
The bit about reversing direction and flagging yourself to the next signal is also still in the CROR, but I have never seen it used and would be hard-pressed to come up with a scenario where it would be needed in today's world.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Cotton Belt MP104boy, do I ever realize NOW there is a GCOR and the east coast guys w/NORAC simple eh endmw0612181926
There's also NS and CSX rulebooks.
Yeah, it is pretty simple.
PS. for me, if I have similar moves, we'd get permission to open up at M.P. Whatever... then if we have to go back the other way, we get permission to reverse from where we stand at M.P. whatever to CP-Whatever.
PPS. before the 251 was replaced, and we were controlled by an operator, you'd get permission to flag yourself west.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.