Breakdown Checklist, Tower Car T&P List & Pantograph Entanglement Investigation

Types of Breakdown — A Broader Classification

How to Handle Breakdowns — Three Phases

Phase 1: Pre-Breakdown Preparation

• Attitude to proceed to site even if a line is blocked; a road map of the Division kept in the Control Office (TPC, depots, vehicles, highways/roads leading to stations, level crossings).
• Road sign boards on diversions leading to stations, and driver familiarization with them.
• Adequacy of communication — working emergency sockets, mobile/walkie-talkie sets with supervisors and vehicles, satellite phones in ARTs.
• Reliability of road vehicles; availability of ready, adequate, TESTED fittings and T&P in the Emergency van and ARTs.
• Training of supervisors/staff WITH EVALUATION; nomination of staff for specific jobs; rapport with other departments (within and outside Railways).

Phase 2: Management & Monitoring the Restoration

• Quick finalization of the action plan: additional resources needed, restoration target with break-up, communication with Control/HQrs/Railway Board/press, parallel measurements by the joint supervisors' team.
• Specific directions to supervisors/staff: sequence of actions, vehicle movement, gang work distribution, specific officer/supervisor jobs, inter-supervisor communication.
• Monitoring: timely completion of activity break-up, planning changes needed, coordination among supervisors, safety being observed during restoration.
• Approaching completion: planning clearance of men/material/blocks, clearance of ART/tower wagons, sequence of traffic resumption.

Phase 3: Post-Breakdown Review

• Analyse time taken per activity: getting first-hand information, staff/vehicle (ART/tower wagon/road) readiness, reaching site, slewing/restoring OHE, taking/clearing blocks.
• Analyse failure TYPE: repeated location/season/fitting, after a particular type of work, due to under/over maintenance.
• Investigate the failed equipment/fitting: under warranty? from an approved supplier? overdue maintenance?
• Identify good/bad T&P items (was the testing schedule followed?); identify good/bad supervisors/artisans (is training input required?); share the experience within and outside the division.

MISSION: restore traffic in the least possible time at barest minimum speed, observing the safety of railway personnel and running trains — postponing final adjustments to when the held-up traffic eases out.

Checklist for OHE Breakdowns — 13-Point Field Procedure

1. Collect all information about the nature and location of breakdown.
2. Alert the staff.
3. If possible, send a competent person to the breakdown spot to assess damage.
4. Collect necessary material/equipment/tools to restore the breakdown.
5. Proceed to the spot with material and staff by the quickest available means.
6. If moving by breakdown vehicle/lorry, refer to the road map available.
7. After reaching the spot, assess: extent of damage, restoration time, the elementary section requiring power block (per sectioning diagram), and power-block duration.
8. If circumstances warrant, ask TPC for additional gangs/breakdown equipment.
9. Maintain continuous communication with TPC.
10. Briefly inform TPC how you intend to attend the breakdown — gives scope for guidance and helps TPC plan power-block requirements.
11. After taking the power block, provide discharge rods and take necessary safety precautions — ONLY THEN direct staff for restoration work.
12. Take precautions for other involved departments too — e.g. providing rail jumpers in case of rail breakage.
13. After breakdown restoration, check 500 METRES EITHER SIDE OF THE BD SPOT, per ACTM.

Tools & Plants to Be Available in Tower Car — Complete List (8-Wheeler vs 4-Wheeler)

The genuine, complete quantity table — organized by category, showing exact quantities differing between 8-wheeler and 4-wheeler tower cars:

Panto Entanglements — Pantograph Checks & OHE Investigation Proforma

Items to Be Checked on the Pantograph

1. Check that pantograph wearing strips are properly fastened to the panto pan — no loose fasteners, bent strip, or deep grooves; strip joints must be smooth so as not to hinder contact-wire gliding.
2. Check the grease plate is properly fastened.
3. Check the bow plunger slides freely under pressing; check split pins are intact.
4. Check pan horizontality and vertical-movement force. Check transverse flexibility: pull transversely at the middle cross member with a force of 50 KGF — the pan's displacement at the middle cross member should be 36 ± 5MM. Check the positioning link is not bent/cracked/dislocated; check split pins intact.
5. Check the pantograph frame for bending/cracks; check springs for cracks.
6. Take pan measurements as per the reference figure, if possible.
7. Check broken/cracked fittings, and note whether cracks are OLD or FRESH.

Proforma for OHE Measurement/Observation in Panto Entanglement — 14 Points

1. Location.
2. Height of contact wire of main line above rail level.
3. Height of contact wire of turnout/crossover above rail level.
4. Stagger of contact wire of main line.
5. Stagger of contact wire of turnout/crossover.
6. Length of steady arm holding main line contact wire.
7. Length of steady arm holding turnout/crossover contact wire.
8. Position of Registration tube and register-arm dropper clip.
9. Track separation at obligatory point.
10. Position at which the pantograph's horn jumped above the contact wire.
11. Vertical height of steady arm clamp from register arm.
12. Hitting marks on the steady/registration arm tube, PG clamps, droppers, contact wire, dropper clip, splices, jumpers, if any.
13. Condition of cracked/broken OHE fittings (clamps, splices, clips) — check whether cracks are FRESH or OLD.
14. Check free vertical movement of the steady arm.