There's a difference between a malicious act and someone acting in good faith
Whilst many passcomms are now not so much brakes as intercom
No
Anyone needs to be able to stop the train immediately if it starts with someone trapped in the doors / leaning against the side / etc
Indeed. UK trains use green for the emergency door release which just seems like an invitation and is more prominent than the door release buttons on some units, with predictable results if the cover ever gets knocked off!Germany has long had two separate ones - the "Notbremse" (emergency brake) in red to stop the train immediately, and the "Notruf" (emergency call) in green for things that are emergencies but don't require the train to stop, e.g. an assault or medical emergency. I always thought this a very good idea.
On a bus, what do you do if you want to know something about the running of the service? You ask the driver (though admittedly once the vehicle has stopped). So if he's a regular bus user and not a regular train user, the difference may genuinely not be understood.
I'd rather it was pulled than not pulled (as the driver can always cancel it if there's not an emergency) and I would suggest that those who think otherwise should reacquaint themselves with the Eschede disaster and how that might have been avoided.
To be fair, pulling the alarm was a causal factor, but the direct cause of the accident was the driver not following correct procedure when resetting the brake system.And some people should reacquaint themselves with the 1988 Gare de Lyon disaster and how that might have been avoided if a passenger had not pulled the emergency alarm.
Charges were brought, but subsequently dismissed, iirc.Indeed. But one should never eliminate any causes. The person that pulled the alarm was prosecuted.
According to Wikipedia, fined 1000 Francs. By that account, the accident would not have happened if she hadn’t pulled the cord, which she did because she didn’t know that the new timetable had removed the stop from that service.Charges were brought, but subsequently dismissed, iirc.
Wasn't that just the maximum fine for pulling the chord though? My understanding was they initially considered charges that assigned her some portion of blame for the accident but they later withdrew them/were dismissed.According to Wikipedia, fined 1000 Francs.
Germany has long had two separate ones - the "Notbremse" (emergency brake) in red to stop the train immediately, and the "Notruf" (emergency call) in green for things that are emergencies but don't require the train to stop, e.g. an assault or medical emergency. I always thought this a very good idea.
And on the new class 700 trains, as you have to break the glass to press the button to speak to the only member of staff on the train, it is easier to pull the emergency handle for the doors.
On most newer stock, pulling the passcom would have no effect since ti simply sets off an alarm in the cab.It’s not for passengers to guess whether it’s an emergency or not. I’d activate the passcomm. I’m not complacent about a previously-unused method of delivering mass casualties
On most newer stock, pulling the passcom would have no effect since ti simply sets off an alarm in the cab.
Which any half-competent terrorist would easily do.And then kicks the brakes in unless the driver overrides it, no?
someone on here said the over-riding of the brakes cannot be done for an indefinite time?
I don't know how widespread this is, but TPWS magnets approaching terminus bufferstops will activate the brake if the train is going over 5mph. Might not completely stop if going very fast, but will surely mitigate the effects.A train fails to make a booked call at the last station before a large city-centre terminus. It not only fails to call but begins to pick up speed....
There will likely be TPWS sensors (edited: not magnets) at earlier signals as well.I don't know how widespread this is, but TPWS magnets approaching terminus bufferstops will activate the brake if the train is going over 5mph. Might not completely stop if going very fast, but will surely mitigate the effects.
Loops/grids, rather than magnets! Unless the TPWS has been isolated, of course...I don't know how widespread this is, but TPWS magnets approaching terminus bufferstops will activate the brake if the train is going over 5mph. Might not completely stop if going very fast, but will surely mitigate the effects.
10mph5mph