postercommon
The role that you currently do does not exist in the same sense in the UK. The duties are split between a variety of different posts, usually located in different locations.
Network Rail control the Infrastructure, e.g. track, signalling and electric traction power supplies. Trains are operated by a Train Operating Company - TOC (Passenger) or a Freight Operating Company - FOC (Freight).
TOCs operate their services under a franchise arrangement with the Government and lease-in the Rolling stock.
Freight rolling stock is either owned by the FOC, leased by them or owned/leased by the freight customer. Network Rail now lease/own some freight vehicles and trains associated with the maintenance of the railway. Locomotives are eitrher owned or leased. FOCs exist as long as there is a freight market that they can serve and there is a continuing movement of traffic flows between the various FOCs as they re-price traffic when the tenders are re-issued by the customer.
Firstly control of the signalling of trains is undertaken by a Signaller (this is Network Rail-speak for the proper title of Signalman) who operates the signals and is responsible for the operational safety of trains and operations within his individual area. He also has certain but occasionally limited authority over train Regulation, mostly logistical.
Strategic control is exercised by the Control Office, who hold the final say in pretty much everything EXCEPT the application of the signalling rules. This remains with the Signaller.
Strategy over the trains with respect to locomotives and changes to their running times, loads etc rest with the Company who operates the train. They are also responsible for arranging for any locomotive changes, loading weights and lengths and manning.
All trains have to be timetabled in one manner or another as they attract charges from Network Rail when they run. Network Rail accepts the train path from each operator either by means of the agreed timetable, or through a short term planning system, which the train operators use to work out a train path and then they "buy" this train path from Network Rail.
Delays are chargeable to the organisation who creates them, so there is a constant stream of claims and counter-claims betweem Network Rail and the TOCs/FOCs.
Ultimately all these delays are put in a pot and used to cancel one another off, until eventually only the balance above is charged/paid.
For example if there are two train operators and Operator A causes 120 mins delay to Operator Bs trains, whilst Operator B causes 100 mins of delys to Operators A trains, then the excess, which is 20 minutes is paid to Operator A by Operator B. Of course both Operators will in turn have to pay Network Rail so much of this money is actually just "virtual" money.
Unlike the US, track maintenance is planned within track blockages outside the normal timetable. Whilst work may be carried out US-style between trains, any delays are reimbursable to any affected TOC/FOC.
The whole system is as mad as it sounds and has created a blame and claim culture where innovation and free-thinking is stifled. You certainly will not see things here running anything like the US. It will be like working in a strait-jacket.
Similar to the US will be the overseeing eye of Big Brother where everything is watched over and any incident or mistake is discovered and in many cases penalised far away and beyond its actual significance.
The sorts of comments and stories in Yard Limits appear here but are more guarded, such is the paranoia that now infects many people within the Industry.
