PTS Critical Communications 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A worker receives a mandatory directive (MD) from the dispatcher. What must the worker do?
- Record the MD number and read back the key contents for verification (Correct answer)
- Simply write down the MD number and continue working
- Repeat the entire message word-for-word before acting
- Confirm only if the dispatcher asks for a read-back
Correct answer: Record the MD number and read back the key contents for verification
Mandatory directives require the worker to record the MD number and read back key information to confirm accuracy before acting on the directive.
Question 2: Which communication method has the LOWEST reliability for track safety warnings and should not be used as the sole means of protection?
- Two-way radio
- Hand signals
- Verbal shouts between workers (Correct answer)
- Blue signal flags
Correct answer: Verbal shouts between workers
Verbal shouting is unreliable due to ambient noise from equipment, wind, and train sound, and must not serve as the sole warning method.
Question 3: What action should a gang foreman take if radio contact with the dispatcher is lost during active track work?
- Continue work at reduced speed until contact is restored
- Immediately suspend work and move workers clear of the track (Correct answer)
- Send one worker to find a landline while others continue
- Rely on the train's horn as the primary warning
Correct answer: Immediately suspend work and move workers clear of the track
Loss of communication with the dispatcher during active track work requires immediate work stoppage and track clearance until communications are restored.
Question 4: What information must a roadway worker provide when calling the dispatcher to establish track and time authority?
- Worker ID and shift start time
- Location (milepost/subdivision), number of workers, equipment, and requested limits of authority (Correct answer)
- Only the milepost and estimated work duration
- Name of railroad division and track class
Correct answer: Location (milepost/subdivision), number of workers, equipment, and requested limits of authority
When requesting authority, workers must provide their location, the number of personnel and equipment, and the requested track limits so the dispatcher can grant precise protection.
Question 5: Under what circumstance may a roadway worker share their track authority with another worker?
- Any time, as long as they notify the dispatcher afterward
- Only when the other worker is within sight and has been briefed
- Authority may not be shared; each protected zone requires its own authority (Correct answer)
- When the other worker is a higher-ranking employee
Correct answer: Authority may not be shared; each protected zone requires its own authority
Track authority is granted to a specific individual or gang and cannot be shared with others who must obtain their own separate authority for protection.
Question 6: A worker believes they heard a train approach warning but is uncertain. What is the correct response?
- Continue working while scanning for the train visually
- Immediately clear the track and confirm with the lookout or dispatcher (Correct answer)
- Ask a nearby coworker if they also heard it before stopping
- Stop only if the sound repeats a second time
Correct answer: Immediately clear the track and confirm with the lookout or dispatcher
When in doubt, workers must treat any possible warning as real, clear the track immediately, and then verify — never remain on track while investigating.
Question 7: What is the correct phonetic pronunciation used in railroad radio communications for the number zero to avoid confusion?
- Zero is always called 'nought'
- Zero is spoken as 'oh' only in informal contexts
- Digits are spoken individually, with zero pronounced 'zero' to distinguish from the letter O (Correct answer)
- Numbers are never read digit-by-digit on railroad radio
Correct answer: Digits are spoken individually, with zero pronounced 'zero' to distinguish from the letter O
Railroad radio protocol requires reading numbers digit-by-digit and pronouncing zero as 'zero' (not 'oh') to prevent confusion with the letter O.
PTS Critical Communications 3
A worker receives a mandatory directive (MD) from the dispatcher.
What must the worker do?