Control and Working of Stations
(Extract from IR General Rules : Chapter 5)
5.01 Responsibility of the Station Master for working
(1) The Station Master shall be responsible for the efficient
discharge of the duties devolving upon the staff employed,
either permanently or temporarily, under his orders at the
station or within the station limits and such staff shall be
subject to his authority and direction in the working of the
station.
(2) The Station Master shall see that all signals, points,
gates and level crossings and the whole machinery of his
station are in proper working order and shall immediately
report all defects therein to the proper authority.
(3) The Station Master shall also be responsible to see that
the working of the station is carried out in strict accordance
with the rules and regulations for the time being in force.
(4) No person other than the Station Master shall ask for or
give Line Clear, or give authority to proceed.
5.02 Supply of copies of the rules and distribution or exhibition of other documents
The Station Master shall see -
(1) that every railway servant subordinate to him who should be
supplied a copy of authorized translation of these rules under
Rule 2.01 duly receives the same ;
(2) that the Working Time Table in force together with all
correction slips and appendices, if any, working rules and
instructions, and other notices having reference to the working
of the line, are properly distributed or exhibited in such
manner as may be prescribed under special instructions ;
(3) that both the sheet time tables and fare lists are
correctly exhibited at the station if it is open for the
booking of traffic ; and
(4) that copies of the Act, and the Goods and Coaching Tariffs
are available for inspection by the public.
5.03 Obedience to orders and keeping of books and returns
The Station Master shall see that all orders and instructions
are duly conveyed to the staff concerned and are properly
carried out, and that all books and returns are regularly
written up and neatly kept.
5.04 Special Cabins
(1) The Station Master shall make himself thoroughly acquainted
with the duties of the staff employed in the signal cabins, if
any, at his station and shall satisfy himself that they perform
their duties correctly, and in order to maintain an effective
supervision over the said staff, frequently visit the signal
cabins.
(2) The Station Master shall ensure that the prescribed
equipment is readily available in signal cabins and maintained
in good working order.
(3) Signal cabins shall be kept neat and clean and no
unauthorized person shall be permitted to enter such cabins.
5.05 Report of neglect of duty
The Station Master shall report, without delay, to his
superior, all neglect of duty on the part of any railway
servant who is under his orders.
5.06 Station Working Rules
(1) In addition to the General Rules for Indian Railways and
Subsidiary Rules of a Railway, each station shall be provided
with Station Working Rules applicable to the station, issued
under special instructions.
(2) A copy of the Station Working Rules or relevant extracts
thereof shall be kept at cabins and level crossings concerned.
5. 07 Forms
(1) All messages and written authorities mentioned in these
rules shall be prepared on prescribed forms laid down in these
rules or prescribed under special instructions and shall be
stamped with the station stamp.
(2) If the authorized printed form is not available for any
reason or in exceptional circumstances a manuscript form
containing all the particulars as contained in the prescribed
form is issued as an emergency measure, reasons therefor shall
be recorded in the station diary.
5.08 Access to and operation of equipment
No unauthorized person shall be permitted to have access to or
operate signals, points, electrical block instruments and
electrical communication instruments or any other appliances
connected with working of the railway.
5.09 Reception of a train on an obstructed line
(1) In case of reception of a train on an obstructed line, the
Station Master shall -
(a) whenever possible, intimate the Driver through the
Station Master of the station in rear that the train is
to be received on an obstructed line;
(b) ensure that the signal or signals controlling the
reception of the train are not taken 'off'; and
(c) ensure that all the points over which the train has
to pass are correctly set and the facing points locked.
(2) After the train has been brought to a stand at the relevant
Stop signal, it may be received on the obstructed line by -
(a) authorizing the Driver to pass the Stop signal at
'on' by taking 'off' the Calling-on signal, where
provided; or
(b) authorizing the Driver on the signal post telephone,
where provided, to pass the Stop signal at 'on', in
accordance with special instructions; or
(c) authorizing the Driver to pass the relevant signal or
signals at 'on' through a written authority to be
delivered by a competent railway servant who shall pilot
the train past such signal or signals.
(3) The train shall be brought to a stand at the facing points
leading to the reception line until hand-signaled forward by a
competent railway servant.
(4) A Stop hand signal shall be exhibited at a distance of not
less than 45 meters from the point of obstruction to indicate
to the Driver as to where the train shall be brought to a
stand.
(5) The Driver shall keep his train well under his control and
be prepared to stop short of any obstruction.
5.10 Reception of a train on a non-signaled line
(1) Should it be necessary, in an emergency, to receive a
train on a line which is not signaled for reception, the
Station Master shall ensure that -
(a) the train is brought to a stand at the first Stop
signal;
(b) the line on which it is intended to receive the
train is clear upto the place at which the train is
required to come to a stand;
(c) all the points over which the train has to pass
are correctly set and the facing points locked; and
(d) the Driver is authorized to pass the approach
Stop signal at 'on' through a written authority to be
delivered by a competent railway servant who shall
pilot the train on to the non-signaled line.
(2) The Driver, while entering a non-signaled line, shall
proceed cautiously and be prepared to stop short of any
obstruction.
5.11 Departure of a train from a non-signaled line
(1) In the event of a train having to be started from a line
not provided with a Starter signal, the Driver shall be given a
written permission to start : Provided that such permission may
be dispensed with where a tangible authority to proceed is
given to the Driver.
(2) The written permission or the tangible authority to proceed
referred to in sub-rule(1) shall not be given unless all the
points for the departure of the train have been set and the
facing points locked.
5.12 Departure of a train from a line provided with a common departure signal
(1) In the event of a train having to be started from a line
out of a group of lines provided with a common departure
signal, the Driver shall be given a written permission to start
in addition to the authority to proceed under the system of
working.
(2) The written permission and the authority to proceed
referred to in sub-rule (I) shall not be given unless all the
points for the departure of the train have been set and the
facing points locked.
5.13 Control of shunting
(1) Shunting operations shall be controlled by fixed signals or
hand signals or by verbal directions.
(2) The Driver shall not, however, depend entirely on signals
and shall always be vigilant and cautious.
(3) The speed during shunting operations shall not exceed 15
kilometers an hour unless otherwise authorized by special
instructions.
5.14 Resposibility for Shunting
The station master shall see that the shunting of train or
vehicles is carried on only at such times and in such manner as
will not involve danger.
5.15 Shunting at stations under Centralised Traffic Control
(1) No shunting shall be performed at a station under
Centralised Traffic Control without the permission of the
Centralised Traffic Control Operator or when Centralised
Traffic Control is not in operation, without the permission of
the Station Master.
(2) For the purpose of shunting, the Centralised Traffic
Control Operator may, when required, hand over the local
control of working of traffic at a station or part of a station
to the Station Master who shall thereafter be responsible for
the shunting at the station of that part of the station for
which the local control has been made over to him in the manner
prescribed under special instructions.
5.16 Shunting during reception of trains
When signals have been taken 'off' for an incoming train on to
a line which is not isolated, no shunting movement shall be
carried out towards points over which the incoming train is to
pass.
5.17 Shunting near level crossing
The railway servant in charge of shunting near or across a
level crossing, before giving permission to the Driver to move
his train across it, shall ensure that the level crossing gates
have been closed and locked against road traffic.
5.18 Drawing of a train to an advanced position at night or in thick,
foggy or tempestuous weather impairing visibility
At night or in thick, foggy or tempestuous weather impairing
visibility, a train waiting for an authority to proceed shall
not be allowed to draw out to a Starter in an advanced
position, or upto an Advanced Starter except where track
circuits indicate the presence of the train in the advanced
position.
5.19 Obstruction of running line
(1) No railway servant shall commence any loading, shunting or
any other operation by which a running line may be fouled or
obstructed without obtaining the previous sanction of the
Station Master or of other railway servant nominated in this
behalf under special instructions, who shall see that all
necessary steps are taken for the protection of traffic while
such operation is being carried on and the necessary signals
are kept at 'on' until the obstruction is removed.
(2) A sand hump or snag dead end shall not be obstructed for
any purpose and when it has become obstructed, it shall cease
to be a substitute for the adequate distance for the purpose of
taking 'off' signals.
5.20 Shunting on gradients
When shunting is being performed on a gradient, the railway
servant in charge of the shunting shall ensure that -
(a) sufficient number of brakes are put on, sprags are
used, where necessary, slip siding points or traps, where
provided, are set to ensure safety and that all
precautions are taken to prevent vehicles getting out of
control, and
(b) in case of shunting over a portion of line on steep
gradients, neither isolated nor protected by slip
sidings, an engine is also attached towards the falling
side of the gradient.
Note: For purposes of this rule a steep gradient shall be
1 in 260 or steeper except in case of vehicles fitted
with roller bearings, when it shall be 1 in 400 or
steeper.
5.21 Loose shunting
Cranes, vehicles containing passengers, workers, explosives,
dangerous goods or live-stock or any other vehicle that may be
specified under special instructions, shall not be loose
shunted and no loose shunting shall be made against them.
5.22 Leaving vehicles in sidings outside station limits
No railway servant shall leave any vehicle in a siding outside
station limits, unless the vehicle is clear of all running
lines and, except under special instructions, unless the
vehicless thereof are properly secured.
5.23 Securing of vehicles at stations
The Station Master shall see that vehicles standing at the
station are properly secured in accordance with special
instructions.