UK: The Rail Safety & Standards Board has updated industry standards and the Rule Book to include requirements and guidance for locations where multi-mode trains switch between external electric power and internal sources such as diesel or battery.
‘As there is now much more experience of multi-mode trains than when the more general rules about these were first written, it has been possible to update those and provide more accurate and helpful instructions’, Principal Operations Specialist Gerald Riley said on April 4.
The update introduces comprehensive requirements and guidance for assessing power changeover locations, and the selection of appropriate trackside signage to aid drivers in ensuring the train is in the correct mode for the route ahead. This includes provisions for temporary power changeovers due to overhead line damage or engineering work.
The updates aim to reduce the incidence of failed changeovers, improving operational performance and reducing pantograph-related incidents.
