PILOT --II

 PILOT –II

A major concern for Pilots has always been relatively ill-defined work hours. There is an agreed pattern on hours of work; but, the lapse of time on any given day cannot be a reason for leaving the engine. The crew has to hand over duty to the official team, on arrival at a place defined for duty change. Any delay due to engine failure or traffic mismanagement by way of unforeseen goods traffic can never be a source of complaint by staff. Sometimes, if the next person to have reported does not turn up for work, the earlier pilot proceeds further at least until the next junction hoping for duty change there. In all such ‘duty change centres’ railways have facilities for stay, rest and relaxation until the same crew performs a return travel as pilots and get back to the head quarter. In all key places, railways operate their own hospitals where all treatments are available as needed for a person. Fitness rules are very rigid especially for loco pilots. The pilots are thoroughly assessed for perfect vision / hearing every year under the annual schedule; railways do not accept certificates from outside agencies and insist on the check up only by railway medical team. If some driver is found defective in vision, he has to revert to non-passenger loco no matter how senior he is. Equally, auditory alertness is also considered crucial for pilot. 

SAFEGUARDS

There is intercom link between the Pilot’s cabin and the train guard; the latter signals the train to move or halt by waving a flag [by day] or light [at night]. Fine co-ordination prevails between the two and they exchange notes even as the train is on its journey. Whenever the ‘alarm’ is pulled in a compartment it reaches the driver cabin and the vacuum link gets snapped with the compartment. Also, a shaft protrudes from the roof of the compartment to pinpoint the coach from which alarm chain was pulled; the crew would identify the place and the person for interrogation. Only after appropriate restoration of vacuum link, the train can resume its journey. The last compartment on every train has a bold ‘X’ PAINTED AT THE REAR IN VISIBLY CLEAR SIZE AND IN YELLOW COLOUR to signify the last compartment and the train is moving intact with all compartments in the assembly. ’Such functional safeguards keep the system reliable.

What has changed

From the days of steam engine, substantial improvement is noticeable in the way of life of crew. Earlier pilots used to wear the handkerchief tied over the forehead, to shield from burning heat in the furnace and also to protect the ear from the soot deposit liberally ejected all the way. It was a common sight along small rail stations for women requesting the pilot to release water from the engine tank. The loco drivers used to oblige to some extent --say one vessel per person. Some used to request for hot water and that too was provided to an extent. A TRAIN ON A LONG RUN WOULD HAVE ENOUGH HOT WATER AND STEAM. The villagers know that and try to avail of hot water from the engine outlet. Two other irksome jobs for steam loco crew were dumping off the ash and letting off the steam from the engine. Unless the boiler pressure is lowered, risk of explosion has to be faced. Generally steam release is from static engine and not while running. So, pilots used to choose junctions for releasing steam as generally women do not congregate near engines in junctions. Moreover, steam escape would be a noisy gush and a cloud of white vapour surrounds the front of engine. The driver has to also monitor the drop in steam pressure to just sufficient levels so that further journey can continue unaffected.

Releasing of ash is another story. There are select zones near some junctions where ash can be  evacuated from the engine. As there is a potential risk of fire hazard, from burning coal getting out with ash, dump yards were created.  Those places have metal bottom to avoid incidences of fire on the track. People of Madurai are familiar with the name ‘Kari medu’ which refers to heap of ‘kari’ [coal] from dumped ash. So, it was a routine for steam engines to ply to dump yard and unload the ash clogging the furnace. With Diesel locomotives and also Electric engines these exercises have become redundant.

There was another requirement for steam loco engines to be re-oriented to keep the front forward and the rear backwards as the ‘reverse hauls’ by those engines were slow. But, with the advent of technology engines are named ‘dual’ machines capable running alike in both directions and the design shows no difference in looks. So, time spent in re-orienting at specific places is no longer needed. For re-orienting, the steam engine used to be ‘stood on the rails over a shallow well; by lever the engine and the rails together turned through 180^o,such that from east face, the engine comes to west face. Such wells were available in select junctions alone. Cumbersome repositioning has been given a go-by now-a-days.

Even greater refinements are in place with electric locomotives. These are quite efficient in hauling long stretches of coaches and also are non-polluting. Unlike their predecessors, the electric locomotives are tidy in cabin space; a seat is available for the pilot. The pilots are free from the prospects of grease, oil, dust, soot and smoke. Because of such refined arrangement, no need to make use of muscle power. Most such locomotives on short trips are handled by women and they also serve the railways.

In all, the Indian railway is a massive network divided into 9 zones serving the whole nation. Being of Pan India presence, all rules of service and operation are common to all zones. Further, every zone sends trains to other zones; Some service cadres of employees are transferable and so, all zones adopt uniform rules. Without hitch, people travel to all regions through a booking facility well connected by network.                          

Prof. K. Raman