Duties of Control Staff: The main duties of control staff which are only guidelines to their day to day working and are not exhaustive are as under.
a) Chief Controller (In-charge)
The chief controller is in overall charge of control office and is responsible for the total transportation of the Division on day to day basis. His duties include –
i. A review of previous day’s performance to conform that all forecasts made have been fully met. For shortfalls, convincing reasons have to be pinpointed to prevent recurrence.
ii. Prepare current forecast indicating assistance needed from headquarters, adjoining Division, Railways.
iii. These will generally relate to interchange, loading and locomotive utilisation.
iv. Checking control chart and bringing to the notice of the Senior Divisional Operations Manager/Divisional Operational Manger all avoidable detention to trains.
v. Punctuality performance with particular reference to trains which lost punctuality.
vi. Maintaining statistics regarding the punctuality of passenger trains.
vii. Scrutiny of stock papers, Monitoring interchange obligation.
viii. Watching detention to stock at stations and terminals.
ix. Watching the work of Marshalling yards/Freight terminals.
x. Maintaining liaison with neighbouring Division.
xi. Watching utilisation of loco and their terminal detention.
xii. Checking duty hours of running staff and balancing of crews.
xiii. Granting engineering, power blocks etc.
xiv. Attending control office in cases of accident.
xv. Establishment work of control office.
b) Chief controller (Movement)/ Dy. Chief Controller / Shift duty:
He is responsible for:
i. Running of goods train, preparing interchange forecast, and monitoring the same, loco utilisation and passenger and goods train operations in general.
ii. Allotting empty stock/rakes to loading stations in accordance with current priority regulations along with Deputy Chief Controller (Stock), maintaining constant touch with adjacent Division through regular conference to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic.
iii. Dealing immediately with significant detention or transport bottleneck and other unusual.
iv. Keeping constant touch with the working of major terminals & Marshalling yards and taking timely action to deal with congestion.
v. Giving advice of serious accident to all concerned, and taking, charge of the affected sections.
vi. Supervising the running of oversized consignments.
vii. Maintaining liaison with Power controller.
viii. Coordinate the work of various section controllers.
ix. Maintain discipline among control staff in the absence of Chief controller.
x. Maintain coordination and liaison with various functionaries involved in train running.
c) Chief controller (stock) / Dy. Chief Controller:
He is responsible for:
i. Scrutinising the indent register in details with regard to the oldest date of registration, nature of goods and type of stock required for lifting goods as per the oldest date of registration.
ii. Checking Divisional stock report and position of empties.
iii. Checking of different stock reports received from the various points and Planning in advance the supply of stock, loading and clearance keeping in view interchange obligation and orders received.
iv. Checking transshipment activity.
v. Chasing movements of stock as per supply order issued on the previous day.
vi. Keeping a close watch over hot axle, special type and unconnected wagons.
vii. Cross checking the daily Restriction Bulletin with Restriction Messages received from HQ office and issuing the same.
viii. Assisting the Sr.DOM/ DOM in allotments.
ix. Keeping a close watch over the movements of seasonal perishable traffic and supply of suitable stock for its clearance.
x. Watching movements of damaged loaded stock in sick lines and yard on their Division.
xi. Informing all major customers about their inward trains’ expected arrival based on FOIS pipe line, Optimising loading, unloading, transshipment etc.
d) Duties of Dy. Chief Controller (Punctuality):
i. Ensuring punctuality of passenger trains in system.
ii. Ensuring punctuality at the start of the all outgoing passenger trains.
iii. Maintaining Detention Reports of Coaching trains.
iv. Ensure that late running trains make up time.
e) Section Controller:
The Section controller shall be responsible for:
i. Reporting for the duty at the prescribed time and ascertaining the position of the section from his reliever.
ii. Recording the movement of trains on the ‘Control’ graph including crossing, connections and shunting reasons for detention etc.
iii. Arranging for the supply and clearance of stock as ordered by Dy.Chief Controller.
iv. Advising stations in advance of the work to be done on trains on move.
v. Informing sheds and stations about the late running of the trains to avoid the calling of Crew and Guards earlier than necessary or to put back train wherever advisable.
vi. Informing major stations and concerned Section controller about the current running of trains on the section and their anticipated arrivals well in time.
vii. Keeping in close touch with Engineering –blocks and working of material Trains so as to give the maximum possible time with least detention to other traffic.
viii. Incident management to include adjusting movement of the trains in view of the likely impact of the incident, informing all concern.
ix. Keeping a watch over damaged vehicles detached at road side stations and arranging repair or transshipment of their contents and proper attention on the part of the train examining staff.
x. Arrangement of ART & M/Van in case of accident.
xi. Eliminating all possible detention to train and stock.
xii. Watching the working of Marshalling yards & major terminals.
xiii. Making timely arrangements for the relief of Guards/Loco pilots whose duty
Hours are likely to exceed enroute.
xiv. Recording stock report ( where stock clerks are not posted)
f) Power controller/Traction Loco controller:
i. Planning and directing engine movements so as to ensure efficient engine utilization and maintaining the prescribed charts, and regular statistics.
ii. Co-ordination with sheds and Dy. Chief Controllers (Movement) for sending overdue engines and obtaining time of engines coming out of shed.
iii. Making timely arrangement for the relief of crew whose duty hours are likely to be exceeded enroute.
iv. Taking timely action to balance crew so as to prevent cancellation or putting back of trains on account of shortage of crew.
v. Arranging relief in case of accidents as per Chapter iv to viii of accident manual.
vi. Maintaining charts indicating engine position/ utilisation.
vii. Rendering advice and assistance to locomotive running staff regarding trouble shooting.
viii. Carrying out any other duties allotted to him by the Sr.DME/DME or Sr. DEE /DEE from time to time.
ix. Monitoring day to day stock position of diesel fuel at RDIs and watching Movement of diesel fuel tank wagons (for power controllers only)
g) Traction Power Controller:
Traction power Controller shall be responsible for -
i. While taking over shift duty acquaint him self with the prevailing position of the entire section, including the working of the Remote Control equipment position of all transformers, current breaker’s interrupters and isolators, section under power block, position of tower wagons and breakdown vehicle etc.
ii. Maintaining continuous contact with the Traffic Section Controllers in regard to power supply affecting train movements, imposition of power blocks etc.
iii. Taking prompt action for restoration of supply in the event of power supply interruptions or other failure.
iv. Imposing and removing power blocks in consultation with Traffic Section controller.
v. Advising promptly the concerned officials in case of accident, OHE breakdown, failure of power supply and keeping them posted with all important developments.
Operating Discipline
i. Line Staff to obey orders of control:
Station staff, Shed staff, Crew and Guards etc must obey orders issued by the control as long as these orders are consistent with the General and Subsidiary Rules, extant instructions and the instructions contained in this Manual.
ii. Control order register:
Important instructions from control will first be recorded in a register maintained in the control office and serially numbered, commencing with number 1 after midnight each day. These will be issued as messages indicating the time of issue.
All such orders received by the Station Masters or Running staff and Guard’s lobby from Control should be entered in the control order register by the staff. Each entry must be initialed with time. At the end of each turn of duty the relieved as well as the relieving SM or Crew Controller must sign their name in full below the last entry in the register. On days when no orders are received from control, “Nil” Entry must be recorded and signed as prescribed above. When a Station Master or Crew Controller has received an order from the Controller and entered in his register, he may repeat it to the control in order to satisfy himself and the control that he has understood it correctly.
iii. No terminal Station should start a goods or unscheduled train or block the section without the permission of the controllers.
iv. Every station on the section must report the movement of every train passenger, goods, special, departmental, light engines, TTMs, Tower wagons, trolleys etc. to the controller.
v. When the control is in function, Line Clear must be asked from the station ahead for every train unless orders to stop it are given by the controller.
vi. The controller’s permission must be obtained before stopping a train that should run through except to avert an accident or dangerous condition.
vii. No station should allow a train, which has been stopped out of course, to proceed, without first informing the controller that the train has been so stopped and receiving his further orders.
viii. Station Master must advise the controller of any unauthorised or undue detention to trains at their station with full explanation.
ix. Whenever a train, either passenger or goods is detained at a station for longer than the booked halt without the orders of the controller, on its departure the Station Master must immediately inform the brief cause of the detention to the controller.
x. Whenever any damaged wagon is detached out of course at a station, the Station Master on duty should inform the controller.
xi. Station Master must promptly advise the controller of any defects of signals, points, interlocking apparatus and line clear instruments at their stations. Information should be given of any defects in any other station machinery such as cranes, wagon weigh bridges, turn tables, water columns, hydrants etc.
xii. Starting stations to report particulars of outgoing train: As soon as a train leaves a train starting station, the Station Master must intimate the following particulars to the control office: Number and description of train, Engine number and class, Loco pilot’s Name, Guard’s name, load of the train (in tonnes and vehicles) particulars of shunting to be done on the journey, time of departure, brief reasons of late start, time of S/O of crew, fuel balance etc.
xiii. Intermediate stations to report arrival and departure time of trains:
Station Master of intermediate station must communicate to the control as early as possible, the following information in regard to every train dealt with:
a. In case the train has run through, the time it passed the station.
b. If it is a stopping train, the time or arrival and departure along with the
explanation for every detention beyond the scheduled stoppage.
c. If any shunting has been performed, the number of vehicles attached and
detached.
d. If any extra time has been taken in loading and unloading of packages, the
number of such packages and name of the loading station.
xiv) Terminating stations to report the particulars of incoming trains:
Station master of terminal and engine changing station must, as soon as possible,after the arrival of a train, communicate to the control the time of arrival and the load of the train, particulars of loco detached / attached.
xv) Engine movement to and from sheds to be reported:
Loco foreman must communicate to control the time at which train engine leave from or returns to the shed ‘Bahar’ line. This in no way relieves the Station Master of the responsibility for issuing necessary all concerned messages regarding engine failures and engine trouble enroute. The Controller shall record the duration of such defects in his chart, diary and registers.
xvi) Time to be checked with Control:
Station Master, crew controller and lobbies must check their time with Control at appointed hours every day when control gives a general ring for setting their watches / clocks at 16.00 hrs. Staff must obtain Station Master’s permission before speaking to controller.
xvii) Mode of using the control phone:
The control telephone is to be used for operation purposes. The field staff wanting to talk to control will give their identity and wait for their turn to communicate. As this network is intensively used, the conversation should be brief, meaningful and polite. Discussions, disputes and arguments must be avoided.
a) Station master and others must not start to speak to control unless they have ascertained by lifting the receiver and listening in, that the line is free. They must then announce the name of the station, shed, lobby or site from where they are speaking and wait for its being repeated by the controller before beginning the conversation.
b) When, however an urgent message has to be conveyed and the line happens to be engaged, the station name must be called indicating Emergency. The controller will immediately attend to the Station having an emergency. Station Masters must attend Control call promptly.
