REC Emergency Procedures & Accident Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When hazardous materials are involved in a railroad accident, the engineer's immediate notification must include:
- The number of passengers on board the train
- The nature of the hazmat, car initials and numbers, and the exact location (Correct answer)
- Only the name of the railroad company dispatcher
- The nearest hospital and local police department phone numbers
Correct answer: The nature of the hazmat, car initials and numbers, and the exact location
Emergency responders need hazmat placard information, car identification, and exact location to approach and handle the scene safely.
Question 2: An engineer discovers the train's air brakes are not releasing properly after an emergency application. The correct action is:
- Increase throttle to power through the braked wheels
- Notify the dispatcher and await instructions without moving the train (Correct answer)
- Manually release the brakes from the locomotive controls alone
- Set out only the car with the stuck brake at the next siding
Correct answer: Notify the dispatcher and await instructions without moving the train
The engineer should not attempt to move a train with improperly functioning brakes; the dispatcher must be notified and instructions received before any movement.
Question 3: What does 'fouling the main track' mean in an emergency context?
- A locomotive spilling fuel or oil on the rail surface
- Equipment positioned close enough to be struck by a passing train (Correct answer)
- Operating a train against the normal direction of traffic
- Running a train without a valid track authority
Correct answer: Equipment positioned close enough to be struck by a passing train
Fouling the main track means equipment is positioned within the clearance envelope where it can be struck by a passing train, creating an immediate emergency condition.
Question 4: When an engineer is uncertain about a signal indication, operating rules require the engineer to:
- Proceed at reduced speed until the next signal
- Stop and treat the signal as the most restrictive (stop) indication (Correct answer)
- Radio dispatch to ask for the signal's meaning before proceeding
- Proceed at restricted speed while continuously sounding the horn
Correct answer: Stop and treat the signal as the most restrictive (stop) indication
When in doubt about a signal indication, the engineer must treat it as the most restrictive indication (stop) to ensure safety.
Question 5: In an emergency involving a train running away on a descending grade, what brake application should the engineer use?
- Minimum service reduction to preserve brake shoe life
- Full service brake application
- Emergency brake application (Correct answer)
- Independent (locomotive) brake only
Correct answer: Emergency brake application
A runaway situation requires the maximum braking force immediately, which is only achieved with an emergency brake application.
Question 6: Under FRA Part 225, an initial telephone notification of an accident involving a fatality must be made within:
- 24 hours of the accident
- 4 hours of the accident (Correct answer)
- 30 days by written report only
- 8 hours of the accident
Correct answer: 4 hours of the accident
FRA Part 225 requires railroads to notify the FRA Operations Center within 4 hours when an accident results in a fatality or certain injuries.
Question 7: A 'Form B' (track and time) authority is primarily used to:
- Grant permission to operate at maximum authorized track speed
- Protect workers and equipment occupying the track for a specified time period (Correct answer)
- Allow the engineer to bypass a red signal with dispatcher approval
- Designate the alternate route to use during a detour
Correct answer: Protect workers and equipment occupying the track for a specified time period
Form B authority establishes a protected time window for maintenance-of-way workers and equipment, prohibiting train movement on the specified section.
REC Emergency Procedures & Accident Response 2
When hazardous materials are involved in a railroad accident, the engineer's immediate notification must include: