Section 200 in The Dedicated Freight Corridor Railway General Rules, 2018
200. Working of Track Maintenance Machine.
(1)Track maintenance machine shall run in the charge of a competent railway servant called incharge appointed in this behalf by the Dedicated Freight Corridor Railway administration who shall be personally responsible for all safety aspect regarding its movement and shall be responsible for taking the block, clearing the block etc.(2)Track maintenance machine shall be driven by a qualified person called the track maintenance machine operator who should possess a valid competency certificate to drive the vehicles on rails issued by the competent authority appointed in this behalf by the Dedicated Freight Corridor Railway administration.(3)The details of training and its schedule, as also the tests prescribed for possessing competency certificate and its validity, shall be in accordance with the special instructions.(4)Track maintenance machines shall be treated as trains when moving under their own power between block stations to block station. Relevant provisions for working, failure or accident to a train, action to be taken during break-down, etc. as provided for in these rules shall also apply in case of track maintenance machine. For the purpose of through movement maximum of five machines can be permitted to run in a convoy, if they cannot be coupled for some reason. In that case,-(a)the first machine will move on a proper authority and the others on the authority of the machine following issued to each of the operators;(b)as a token of acknowledgement of moving in convoy, the machine operator will endorse on the permit that they are aware of number of machines in front and rear, as the case may be;(c)caution order will be given to all the five operators in which number of machines following shall also be mentioned;(d)machine operator will ensure that a minimum distance of one hundred twenty meters is kept between the successive machines;(e)gateman at level crossings will be specifically advised as to the number of machines in the convoy so as not to open the gate till whole of the convoy has passed;(f)when moving in convoy, the speed shall be restricted to forty kilometre per hour; and(g)the permit shall be deposited with the station master at the station in advance who shall close the line only when last of the permit has been received.(5)The track machine shall not carry out any work without the prior permission of station master on duty and unless the line or lines that will be obstructed are blocked,-(a) the supervisor in-charge of the track machine shall notify the station master on duty in writing the line that will be occupied by the said machine and line or lines likely to be infringed other than the one occupied by the machine, if any, during the period of operation, and time required for the work; Relevant provisions contained in Chapter-X shall also apply;(b)in case of working of track machine in station section the lines for which block is taken, shall be treated as deemed `obstructions' for the purpose of taking 'OFF' signals or train working or shunting. The affected line shall be protected by setting the points against such line and stop plugs placed over the relevant point switches or buttons. Buzzer where provided shall also be switched 'on';(c)In case of working of track machine in block section,-(i)the machine shall be dispatched from the station after blocking back or blocking forward the block section along with necessary authority for shunting or obstruction as in the rule 103 and the requisite caution order is given;(ii)if the work necessitates stopping of trains on any of the adjacent line, block for the same shall be asked for by the supervisor and the affected section shall also be blocked back or blocked forward by the station master despatching the train;(iii)if the nature of work is such that train movement need not be stopped on the adjoining line but infringement is apprehended during operation of the machine, the supervisor shall arrange to show signals in accordance with the rule 242 and loco pilot of trains proceeding into the section shall be issued caution order by station master at either end of the section.(d)when neither the block has been taken nor signal to warn the loco pilots as in sub-clause (iii) of clause (c) of sub-rule (5) of the rule 200 have been ensured on the adjoining line, the supervisor in charge shall see that during operation of the machine adjacent lines are kept clear.(e)after the work is completed, the supervisor incharge shall issue a memo to the station master on duty to the effect that the work is over and other lines blocked and/or fouled are clear of obstructions and are safe for the passage of trains.Provided further that written memo may follow the advice given on secured voice communication where provided for early commencement of train operation on line under the system of working.(6)The supervisor-in-charge shall ensure, as far as possible, that the time for which the block has been asked for is not exceeded.(7)When the machine is ready to return, - (a) the supervisor-in-charge before leaving the site shall take permission of the station master of station in advance or in rear where the machine is to arrive as per authority through the approved means of communication;(b)on getting the information from the Supervisor in-charge of the machine, the station master on duty shall arrange for reception of the machine;(c)the Supervisor on arrival of the train at the station shall confirm to the station master in writing against the relevant entries in train signal register that the section has been cleared of the obstruction after completion of work and all the machine or machines have arrived; and(d)normal working of trains on the line for which block was taken, shall commence only after obtaining assurance from the Supervisor as in clause (c) of this sub-rule (7) of the rule 200.(8)The working instruction to ensure safety of men and material as also to avoid escaping of vehicle from the work site for different grades, curvatures, type of vehicles and machines shall be prescribed under special instructions.
