What would your answer be?

[387star]

This is from the opc site and simply an example question so to be clear I am not trying to cheat my way through an application



You are driving as a train driver. You stop at a station and a customer comes running up to your cab and tells you that the back engine of the train is on fire. The engine you have been driving is prone to fires and recently another engine caught fire causing extensive damage to the train and the track with injuries to customers who were travelling on the train. What do you do?

Make a PA announcement to the customers telling them to leave the train and station immediately, you then call the emergency services.

You call the emergency services and then make a PA announcement telling customers to leave the train and station immediately.

You go to the back engine to check out if it is on fire and if it is then you go back to the front cab and you make a PA announcement to customers telling them to leave the train and station immediately.

You ask a station assistant on the station to go through the train and evacuate customers from the train and station whilst you call emergency services.

 

[red2005]

This is from the opc site and simply an example question so to be clear I am not trying to chest my way through an application



You are driving as a train driver. You stop at a station and a customer comes running up to your cab and tells you that the back engine of the train is on fire. The engine you have been driving is prone to fires and recently another engine caught fire causing extensive damage to the train and the track with injuries to customers who were travelling on the train. What do you do?

Make a PA announcement to the customers telling them to leave the train and station immediately, you then call the emergency services.

You call the emergency services and then make a PA announcement telling customers to leave the train and station immediately.

You go to the back engine to check out if it is on fire and if it is then you go back to the front cab and you make a PA announcement to customers telling them to leave the train and station immediately.

You ask a station assistant on the station to go through the train and evacuate customers from the train and station whilst you call emergency services.

i'd go for the first one personally........simply because if you went for B it sounds like you aren't putting your passengers first!......C......you are simply wasting time and putting people at risk.........and D.......what if there is no station assistant??

that's just what i'd do personally though

 

[387star]

Thanks actually it makes perfect sense. Just had a blank moment

I guess knowing about the the engine being prone to fires means you would not think twice

 

[red2005]

it's one of those tricky ones mate as it's all down to opinion i suppose!.......i've just gone down the lines of the passengers are most important even if it means leaving the train to burn in the platform lol

 

[causton]

Thanks actually it makes perfect sense. Just had a blank moment

I guess knowing about the the engine being prone to fires means you would not think twice

Even if it wasn't prone, if I was told something I was in charge of was on fire, and it had an enclosed space with possibly hundreds of people inside, I would get everyone out immediately!

Definitely the first :P

 

[theironroad]

In an ideal world, I'd like to see for myself that there is a fire ( and how big it is) and that a evacuation is needed before making a Pa announcement to evacuate.

However, especially with longer trains, a lot of time would be wasted doing this ( unless you see smoke from the front cab), it is necessary to start the evacuation immediately. While people start leaving the train, you could ask a sensible passenger to call 999 while you hit the red button (assuming it may effect other trains) on the gsmr and tell the signaller who would also call 999 and network control. I may well call 999 myself after that just to cover myself that the call has definitely been made. If other staff and competent persons like cops are available, I'd certainly utilise them to help evacuate as long as they don't endanger themselves. The perils of doo are 1 person ( driver) or even 2 people trying to coordinate an emergency evacuation of a busy commuter train with maybe 700 odd people on is a bit daunting.

In today's railway, a passenger has probably tweeted the toc control demanding to know why they are being evacuated as there is no fire, the toc will apologise and offer vouchers, while the driver will be handed a tin for the delay and the person who thought shouting fire will walk away scot free.

 

[E&W Lucas]

I get the feeling that whoever wrote that, has never been near a train in their lives.

I've seen a major station evacuated, after a shiny new "manager" saw a train come in "on fire".
It actually had a case of dragging brakes.
In real life, take a few seconds to evaluate the situation for yourself, before being pushed into action by others. I wouldn't like to say what the author to the question is looking for, as there has been no mention of automatic fire suppression systems or fire bells.

 

[Dave1987]

I get the feeling that whoever wrote that, has never been near a train in their lives.

I've seen a major station evacuated, after a shiny new "manager" saw a train come in "on fire".
It actually had a case of dragging brakes.
In real life, take a few seconds to evaluate the situation for yourself, before being pushed into action by others. I wouldn't like to say what the author to the question is looking for, as there has been no mention of automatic fire suppression systems or fire bells.

Indeed no mention of shutting the engines down at all which is the first thing I would do.

 

[theironroad]

I agree the dragging. brakes scenario can be an issue, but the driver is going to know that via the bc gauge (and on some trains the tms) .so can discount fire.While taking a few seconds may be ok, fire spreads rapidly and if it is fire, an evacuation needs to be started ASAP.

While I appreciate the question says engine on fire, it could mean the rear carriage of an emu where the traction motors are on fire, and there is no fire suppression or alarm bells on the emus I've ever driven. Certainly isolating the Juice supply is a good start.

 

[amateur]

when you do online applications do you not click an agreement which says you will answer the questions yourself without aid (they may get you to do a retest), and that you will not copy disseminate publish etc. any of the questions information publicly in any format. be it electronic or hard copy

 

[MichaelAMW]

when you do online applications do you not click an agreement which says you will answer the questions yourself without aid (they may get you to do a retest), and that you will not copy disseminate publish etc. any of the questions information publicly in any format. be it electronic or hard copy

As the OP pointed out, and I took 10 seconds to locate, it's an example:

http://www.theopc.co.uk/tests/transport/detail.jsp?gfx1=&id=142

so no need to be like that.

 

[Ploughman]

And no option mentions contact to Signalling centre or Electrical Control.

 

[tlionhart]

What about a hot axle box? That gives off lots of smoke.
Passengers see smoke and assume fire which isn't always the case. You say what you see.
Also drivers get a fire alarm in the cab and secondly it doesn't state severity of the fire. If it's an engine fire, it's a call to the signaller then down to the engine fire. Pulling the emergency fire lever on the outside and using a fire extinguisher.
Also with dragging brakes, we get the dragging brake light come on. (Dunno if every traction has it?)
The scenario is very ambiguous and each one can be interperated.
I'd say investigate it before making a decision/taking action. You won't need to walk far to see your train engulfed in fire. Then we have other situation, curvature of the track (to look down your train)...
I'm going with C

 

[Jydo]

After reading the answers I was more swayed to C if im honest, the customer could be telling lies and this could be a hoax for all we know??? I'd probably want to see it for myself to be honest before raising the alarm.

Lets just say you evacuate the train & the station going by this customers word alone, then you discover its a hoax, is your toc going to be ok with the fact that there are delays on the network which could have been avoided had I gone and checked first?

 

[red2005]

After reading the answers I was more swayed to C if im honest, the customer could be telling lies and this could be a hoax for all we know??? I'd probably want to see it for myself to be honest before raising the alarm.

Lets just say you evacuate the train & the station going by this customers word alone, then you discover its a hoax, is your toc going to be ok with the fact that there are delays on the network which could have been avoided had I gone and checked first?

i'd still always air on the right side of caution personally whether it was a man in a suit or a throbber in a hoody!........time checking is time wasted

 

[Jydo]

Would the toc be as understanding if this scenario did turn out to be a hoax?

 

[Bertie the bus]

As the OP pointed out, and I took 10 seconds to locate, it's an example:

http://www.theopc.co.uk/tests/transport/detail.jsp?gfx1=&id=142

so no need to be like that.

That page also clearly states the following:

For each scenario the candidate is presented with four options and has to put them in priority order with the best option first, then the next best option and so on. This allows you to objectively assess how your candidates are likely to respond in a given work situation.

So the OP isn't going to get very far if he can't understand and folow simple instructions regardless of how much help he gets.

 

[andyg83]

I've just literally passed all the opc tests and been offered the train drivers job and some of the questions are open to interpretation. This question could be seen as the whole rear carriage is alight or as small as a bit of smoke. In an ideal world you would get everyone off as quick as you can but it's not practical. I mean how many unattended bags are left at Liverpool steel station every day. If you evacuated it every time it would be mayhem. Plus in reality if the case was to evacuate straight away you would be having people doing it all the time as they think it's funny. Much like the hoax 999 calls

 

[donpoku]

No right or wrong answer here however in any safety critical work, confirmation(dials, eyes) before action is the best approach.

 

[MichaelAMW]

That page also clearly states the following:

Quote:
For each scenario the candidate is presented with four options and has to put them in priority order with the best option first, then the next best option and so on. This allows you to objectively assess how your candidates are likely to respond in a given work situation.

So the OP isn't going to get very far if he can't understand and folow (sic) simple instructions regardless of how much help he gets.

What?! The post that I criticised used a rhetorical device to imply the OP had broken some kind of confidence regarding OPC. That had not happened because the example was on an open web site. Whether it happens to be an issue, as you are clearly raising, that he has come here seeking some advice is another matter. There's no evidence "he can't understand and folow simple instructions regardless of how much help he gets."

 

[theironroad]

I'd rather answer a toc please explain for delay caused due to an evacuation that was a hoax than to a coroners court or public inquiry as to why I hasn't acted on the information provided. If it turns out there is no fire after inspection, all the passengers who wish to can get back on the train and if the train is ok, we can all continue on our merry way...

 

[tlionhart]

Not saying your wrong, just my interpretation is;
When someone says fire, what's the severity? Are they saying fire when they can actually see thick smoke? What type of smoke- dark smoke or white steam type smoke/density?
A driver must ALWAYS contact the signaller in an emergency, lines blocked, emergency services, electric switch off, etc!
Secondly, drivers have a procedure when it comes to dealing with engine fires.
Lastly, unless you can blatantly see the fire and sheer panic of everyone running off and pass comms being pulled, then you need to be wary on just 'one persons' word. Judgement on the day.

 

[TDK]

This is from the opc site and simply an example question so to be clear I am not trying to cheat my way through an application



You are driving as a train driver. You stop at a station and a customer comes running up to your cab and tells you that the back engine of the train is on fire. The engine you have been driving is prone to fires and recently another engine caught fire causing extensive damage to the train and the track with injuries to customers who were travelling on the train. What do you do?

Make a PA announcement to the customers telling them to leave the train and station immediately, you then call the emergency services.

You call the emergency services and then make a PA announcement telling customers to leave the train and station immediately.

You go to the back engine to check out if it is on fire and if it is then you go back to the front cab and you make a PA announcement to customers telling them to leave the train and station immediately.

You ask a station assistant on the station to go through the train and evacuate customers from the train and station whilst you call emergency services.

Unfortunately these questions have not been structured by someone from the driving grade or have been in the driving grade before.

1. safety of passengers PA announcement and shut down engines if necessary fire of the AFFF bottles (depending on traction type and location of the fire)
2. emergency call to signaller getting a block and emergency services attendance
3. ensure passengers are away from train
4. investigate only if safe to do so the fire (if there is one) and only if it is safe to do so tackle the fire
5. Get assistance from a competent person to direct the emergency services to the location of the train.

Sorry but I feel sorry for any of those having to answer these type of questions as they are un-professional and inaccurate on the real world!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Not saying your wrong, just my interpretation is;
When someone says fire, what's the severity? Are they saying fire when they can actually see thick smoke? What type of smoke- dark smoke or white steam type smoke/density?
A driver must ALWAYS contact the signaller in an emergency, lines blocked, emergency services, electric switch off, etc!
Secondly, drivers have a procedure when it comes to dealing with engine fires.
Lastly, unless you can blatantly see the fire and sheer panic of everyone running off and pass comms being pulled, then you need to be wary on just 'one persons' word. Judgement on the day.

Sorry but if someone shouts fire you get the passengers to safety as a priority even if it is blue, green, yellow or pink smoke or no smoke because if you don't and someone is injured you will take the can.

 

[andyg83]

As I said in real world and ideal world it's totally different.can you imagine someone saying fire in canary wharf and them evacuating on that info only. Ideal world yes but practically it doesn't work

 

[tlionhart]

Judgement call on the day...
Checking down the side of your train would be a natural instinct if someone came running up to you and saying fire especially on a platform.

 

[Ray90]

If a customer is available to alert you to a possible fire it's probably likely that a passenger at the rear of the train would have pulled the emergency alarm which would require the driver to check the reason for this anyway? So with this in mind I would choose to check over causing unnecessary panic.

I am not a driver by the way, and the above reasoning may well be why I am not...

 

[387star]

I find it slightly laughable your engine is prone to fires hardly safe is it

 

[DarloRich]

I am not sure these are driver/safety critical specific questions - they seem like the standard questions designed to test a candidates ability to process and logically explain their responses to a particular scenario. They are designed to be "gray" to allow for different approaches and responses. The important thing is to be able to clearly & logically explain why you think your course of action is correct.

I had a similar question in an interview for an office job. Substitute train for building and you get the idea.

 

[MartinG]

d. (providing that competent person is present)
No good making a PA to evacuate as you can't be sure if the message is audibly reaching all carriages. Lots of people have headphones in, some might be deaf. A physical presence using voice and whistle and giving clear directions for the evacuation route is what you want. The driver can assist once the emergency calls have been made.

 

[andyg83]

the OPC are not expecting you to know the actual procedure(obviously the train drivers here will know) but they are testing how you would react and your thought process. obviously being a train driver they would know about the dials and alerts etc but the OPC are not expecting you know that if there was a fire you would check a certain dial they just want to see how you would react. with these questions its important to not other think them and go with gut instinct.