How do train drivers know when to start braking for a train station?

Question

I always wonder this when on a train. Trains take so long to slow down, sometimes a mile away from the station, how do they know the point to pick so they get into the station without over-shooting? Has anyone known a train to overshoot its station? What happens then, surely it cannot reverse!

Answer 1

Part of the training a train driver undertakes is called route learning. The trainee will travel in the cab with an experienced driver, and must learn the route in great detail, including the correct location to begin applying the brake for stations, speed restrictions etc., as well as signal details, gradients and other items.

Before a driver is allowed over a route on his own, he will have to pass an exam on the route, as well as a practical ride-out with a driver manager.

The driver then has to sign a legally binding document called a route card, to certify that he is competent to drive over that particular route. If a period of six months or more elapses between drives over that route, the driver must have a route-refresher to maintain familiarity.

Occasionally, trains overshoot stations, usually because low rail adhesion causes poor brake performance. There are strict procedures for dealing with this. In some cases, the train can be driven back to the station, but only when certain conditions are met, including permission from the signaller, subject to distance involved and whether local features such as level crossings are present.

Such events are very rare, because driver training is of a very high standard.

Answer 2

By knowing the road. Like others have said, when you drive home, how do you know when to stop at your house?

Overshooting the station is not unheard of, they're not usually allowed to reverse - usually the passengers have to be escorted back if the train has gone past the station altogether (not so common now with corridors, as they can walk through the train).

You sometimes see, above the platform, signs like "3 cars", "4 cars", and so on - they tell the driver where to stop for different lengths of train, to get the highest number of passengers nearest to the station exit, but that's a different thing.

Answer 3

Its very simular to driving a car - the driver knows how far the station is away and puts the bhrakes on when he needs to.

So how does he know that? Well every driver learns the route and tend to only drive that route. They dont just turn up on the day for their boss to say "Can you take the Birmingham train" and the next day "Can you take the York Train" - there would be one driver who only drives each route. When they are being taught the route the experienced driver showing them will point out driving aids along the route (level crossings, bridges, lights and things) and these driving aids can help the driver know where he is, the speed he needs to go and when to slow down or speed up

Thats all there is too it - pretty mjuch like you driving to work every morning, you know the parts of the road where you have to slow down and where you can speed up from your surroundings, same with train drivers.


Trains can reverse. If not then the end of the line would get very congested with trains unable to reverse! Most trains will happily 'reverse' for the whole length of the jouney and country!

Answer 4

I can't answer for passenger service but the same principals apply in freight service.
It is totally experience, there are probably markers that say somethign like station one mile (or KM) but only the person at the controls knows how long it will take to slow or stop. Before an engineer is allowed to operate a train, he/she is required to know the physical charectaristics of the line they are operating on.
There are things we can do to make the train stop where we want them to, for instance, if the train is slowing down too fast release the brakes and re-apply them, use a little more or less power, cross your fingers, etc etc.
But inthe end, it is all "seat of the pants" that puts you where you need to be.
The only electronic stop devices are in case of serious emergencies or if the engine crew is incapacatated some way. Normal day to day stops are strictly up to the engineer.
If a train does miss it's stop, backing up is an option but only for short distances without contacting the dispatcher for authority and so it can be quite time consuming as well as embarassing.
If an engineer misses a stop that is for a signal or other mandatory stop, he can be "decertified" immediatly which is an engineers license to operate an engine and without it he does not work. As you might guess, missing a stop, even for a very short distance can be a very very serious infraction.
No two trains handle or brake the same, it is a constant challenge to make a smooth controlled stop every time, but that is part of the job requirements.
Good question, thanks for asking.

Answer 5

This is a big deal to train drivers, at least the train drivers I knew who worked for the transit agency in LA. There are markers, but a lot of it is just training and experience. They pride themselves on coming to a complete, smooth stop at just the right spot. Also, they could stop the train a lot more quickly, but one of the reasons it seems to take so long to stop is because they start slowing well before the station. Again, they know when the station is coming up because of markers, and simply from having driven the route hundreds or thousands of times.

However, there certainly is reverse. I've seen them overshoot the mark and have to back it up a bit before being able to open the doors.

Answer 6

I think you'll find there are signs beside the track indicating the maximum speed at any given point.
A train overshot at Sheringham in Norfolk yesterday. Evidently it hit the buffers at 5mph, slightly injuring some of the passengers on board the train.

Answer 7

Trains are usually traveling so slowly by the time they hit the station they could easily stop completely in 20-30ft. It's an art form, how do you know when to start braking to stop your car before the intersection?

Answer 8

Trains these days are all computerized, there are points in the track that tell the trains computers when to start the stopping procedure, If the computers failed, then the engineer would know, and have to manually stop it. In the event they overshot a station, they would back the train up i would imagine.

Answer 9

i knew it happen once didnt over shoot that far went about 40 feet... the passengers just got of and were escorted to the station exit.. when people went on again they loaded from the back cabin towards the front.. bit of a f*** up though i must say

Answer 10

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