The Following Trains System

(Extract from IR General Rules : Chapter 10)




      10.01 Essentials of the following Trains system

            (1) Where trains are worked on the Following Trains System,
            they may be dispatched from one station to the next, following
            each other in succession in the same direction on the same line
            in such manner and at such intervals of time as may be
            prescribed by special instructions.

            (2) Trains shall not be worked on the Following Trains System
            unless the Station Master of the block station in advance has
            exchanged messages regarding his readiness to receive the
            trains and has, in addition, given his assurance that no train
            will be allowed to leave his station for the station from which
            the following trains are to be dispatched, until the latter
            have all arrived at his station and until he has received
            permission to dispatch trains in the opposite direction.

      10.02 Report to the Commissioner of Railway Safety

            When the Following Trains System is introduced on any portion
            of a railway under Rule 7.01, a report shall be sent by
            telegram to the Commissioner of Railway Safety.

      10.03 Conditions to be observed in working trains on the Following
      Trains System

            When the Following Trains System is adopted, the following
            conditions shall be observed, namely:

                  (a) no train shall start until the Driver has been given
                  a written authority to proceed in the form prescribed for
                  the purpose and a written acknowledgment thereof has been
                  obtained from him, the train being stopped for the
                  purpose, if not booked to stop.

                  (b) the authority to proceed shall state the station at
                  which the train is next to stop. The speed at which it is
                  to run and the actual time of departure of the preceding
                  train.

                  (c) the Driver and Guard of each preceding train shall
                  have been informed of the fact that a train will
                  follow. And of the probable period which will elapse
                  before the following trains shall start,

                  (d) a train shall not follow another from a station
                  unless there has elapsed since the departure of the
                  previous train, an interval of not less than 15 minutes,
                  or such shorter interval as may be fixed by special
                  instructions,

                  (e) all the trains following the first train shall be
                  timed to run at the same speed and such speed shall not
                  exceed 25 kilometres an hour except under special
                  instructions,

                  (f) the actual time of the departure of each train shall
                  at once be intimated to the block station in advance and
                  the actual time of arrival of each train shall at once be
                  intimated to the block station in rear, and

                  (g) the number of following trains running at the same
                  time between any two block stations shall not be more
                  than one for each 5 kilometres of station interval; and
                  unless permitted by special instructions, shall never
                  exceed four, whatever may be the length of the station
                  interval.

      10.04. Delivery of authority to proceed to Driver or Guard on the
      Following Trains System

                  (1) Every authority to proceed shall be delivered to the
                  Guard or Driver by the Station Master, or by some
                  railways servant appointed in this behalf under special
                  instructions,

                  (2) When such authority to proceed is delivered to the
                  Driver under sub-rule (1), a duplicate shall be given to
                  the Guard.

                  (3) When an authority to proceed is delivered to the
                  Guard under sub-rule (1), it shall be either

                        (a) handed personally by the Guard to the Driver; or

                        (b) countersigned by the Guard and then handed to
                        the Driver either by the Station Master or by some
                        railway servant appointed in this behalf by special
                        instructions.

                  (4) An authority to proceed shall not be handed to the
                  Driver under sub-rule (2) or (3)

                        (a) until the train is ready to start, and

                        (b) if the train is waiting to pass another train,
                        until the whole of the latter train has come in and
                        is clear of the running line for the former train.

      10.05. Authority to proceed on the Following Trains System

            The written authority to proceed for use on the Following
            Trains System shall be in the following form-

            S.No..................... Railway.............................

            THE FOLLOWING TRAINS SYSTEM

                AUTHORITY TO PROCEED 
                UP (OR DOWN) 
                Time No........Up ( or Down ) Date........................ 
                Time ...................... Hours.................Minutes. 
                From ..............................................Station 
                to.................................................Station. 
                To Drive and Guard. 
                (1) You are hereby authorized to proceed with your train 
                from.............................................. station 
                to.................................................station
                (2) Train No..........ahead of your train left the station 
                at.................hours...........................minutes. 
                *(3)Train No...................... shall follow your train 
                from this station at ...........hours..............minutes. 
                (4) You are required to observe a speed restriction 
                of ............. kilometres an hour.
                Signed......................... 
                Station Master at...................... 

                (Station stamp) 


                Signature of Guard at .............................station. 
            

    This tickets shall be given up by the Driver immediately on arrival to
    the Station Master or other person authorized to receive it and such
    person shall immediately cancel it and place it on record.

    10.06. Responsibility as to proper preparation of authority to proceed
    on the Following Trains System.-

                (1) When an authority to proceed is delivered to the Driver
                under sub-rule (1) of Rule 10.4. the Station Master shall
                see

                      (a) that it is properly filled up in the form
                      pescribed for the purpose, and

                      (b) that it is signed in full and in ink

                (2) When the authority to proceed is delivered to the
                Driver under sub-rule (1) of Rule 10.04, he shall satisfy
                himself that the authority to proceed delivered to him has
                been correctly and completely prepared in the form
                prescribed for the purpose and he shall not proceed with
                his train until he has done so and the mistake or omission,
                if any, has been rectified.

                (3) When an authority to proceed is delivered to the Guard
                of the train under sub-rule (3) of Rule 10.04, he shall,
                before it is handed to the Driver, satisfy himself
                similarly.

    10.07. Obstruction in face of approaching train or train on the
    Following Trains System Trains System

          The line shall not be obstructed out side the outer most facing
          points in face of an approaching train as long as this system of
          working is in force.

    10.08. Cessation of working on the following train system

          When it is intended that no more following trains shall be
          dispatched in the same direction, the Station Master shall
          intimate such intention by a message to the block station in
          advance, after which no more trains in either direction shall be
          dispatched between the two stations until the last train has
          arrived at the block station in advance and the line has been
          cleared between the two stations.

    10.09. Protection of Trains on the Following Trains System

          (1) When a train is stopped between station and if the detention
          exceeds or is likely to exceed five minutes, it shall be
          protected in accordance with the provisions of Rule 6.03, except
          that the Guard going back to protect the train shall place one
          detonator, at 250 meters from the trains on the way out, and two
          detonators, 10 meters apart, at 500 meters from the train,
          irrespective of gauge.

          (2) In case the train, stopped between stations, is unable to
          proceed on account of accident, failure, obstruction or any other
          exceptional cause, the Driver shall also arrange to protect the
          train in the front in the manner laid down for the Guard.