Trenord Lugano-Milan Despatch Procedure

[wellhouse]

I recently travelled from Lugano to Milan on a Trenord service. I have travelled with Trenord (and elsewhere in Italy) before, but this time we were in the front carriage and I observed the rather unusual despatch process, which I have never noticed previously.

The guard travelled in the cab with the driver.

When the train stopped, he emerged, the driver opened the doors, and the guard stepped onto the platform after all the arriving passengers.

He stood aside while departing passengers boarded, blew his whistle, and signalled the driver, who closed all the doors, leaving him on the platform.

He then opened an external flap to access a control reopening the local door, boarded the train, closed the door, and rejoined the driver in the cab.

Is this routine widespread?

 

[Planesandtrain]

the riding in the cab sounds normal by itallian standards. But the dispatch sounds rather odd given that the Flirts heading to Lugano would have light barriers (and therefore would allow DOO). The most we would do in Germany is key the local door open but the rest is down to the driver.

 

[StephenHunter]

the riding in the cab sounds normal by itallian standards. But the dispatch sounds rather odd given that the Flirts heading to Lugano would have light barriers (and therefore would allow DOO). The most we would do in Germany is key the local door open but the rest is down to the driver.

I saw a case (and have video to prove it) in 2016 with the Moscow-Paris sleeper at Berlin Hbf where the guard closed all the doors bar the local one and then stood at the open door as the train started moving before it closed.

 

[superalbs]

I saw a case (and have video to prove it) in 2016 with the Moscow-Paris sleeper at Berlin Hbf where the guard closed all the doors bar the local one and then stood at the open door as the train started moving before it closed.

This is standard operating procedure in all former Soviet states. Even when travelling outside of this region.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I saw a case (and have video to prove it) in 2016 with the Moscow-Paris sleeper at Berlin Hbf where the guard closed all the doors bar the local one and then stood at the open door as the train started moving before it closed.

That was standard across most of Europe until very recently when some countries started moving to a UK style requirement to close local door before moving. I've lost track of who is where now. Even Eurostar used to do it.

 

[Fragezeichnen]

In my experience the driving cab is not treated as "hallowed ground" as it seems to be in the UK. It's common for the front cab to be used by the on train staff depending on comfort/practicality/social reasons.
On German double deck regional push-pull trains the cab has a traditional layout with a secondman's seat and the alternative is a miniscule "office" with glass walls and no blinds so it's very common for the ticket inspector to ride with the driver.
On ICEs the conductors are rarely found in the cab as they have a spacious office, but even the catering staff have free access to the cab, in case the driver would like a cup of coffee etc. during the journey.

Driver Control of doors is also standard in continental Europe, regardless of whether the authority to close the doors lies with the conductor or the driver. Hauled Coaching Stock has a lock out enabling the conductor to keep a door open. The train can also depart with the door still open, but then an alarm will sound even with the lockout active.

What I haven't heard of before is a procedure of closing all the doors and then reopening one. Sounds like a recipe for an embarrassing mistake soon or later!