Mickey is a Fort Worth locomotive engineer and Fort Worth Service Unit's Rules Instructor. Do you have a rules question you would like discussed in this column? If so, please e-mail it to Mickey Cowling at cowling@flash.net
I. If you are on a piece of on-track equipment, such as a spray truck, can you depend on this equipment to actuate block signals, thereby giving you the protection of those signals?
A. Yes.
B. No.
II. We are in ABS/TWC Territory and we have entered a siding to meet another train. We have established communication with the train we are meeting and they are going to stop and restore our entering switch to the normal position. Can we call the dispatcher and release our track warrant at this time even though the switch is still open?
A. Yes.
B. No.
III. Same situation as in Question II, except we have not established communication with the other train. But, we will as soon as they get closer. Can we release our track warrant now and get that chore out of the way?
A. Yes.
B. No.
IV. We are still in ABS/TWC and we are working with Box 4 (work between) checked. That is all, no other box is checked. Does Box 4 in itself require Restricted Speed?
A. Yes.
B No.
V. We are still in ABS/TWC and we are still working with only Box 4 checked. We are having signal trouble and everything is red. The question is, do we have to stop at Stop and Proceed Signals when we are moving under Box 4 authority?
A. Yes.
B. No.
When not teaching rules classes, Mickey works the 0700 Hump Job in Fort Worth.