by SnoozerZ49
I'd like to relate an actual experience to you. It may help some people understand how the operations of a railroad are woven together. This past Monday as Train No. 233 left Lawrence headed towards Bradford a passenger jumped up and hopped out the door of the moving train. He obviously forgot to get off and made a run for it. The Conductor immediately stopped the train and the crew searched the area to try and find the "jumper". If this person was hurt in his fall it would be up to the crew to get him that medical attention. In the event of a fatality it would also be important to locate the body. Well, the crew searched in vain. Luckily there appeared to be no fatality. The individual however seemed to have fled the scene.
As this is happening all the passengers on the train are forced to sit there and endure a delay caused by one person. It does not end there however. An east bound "Downeaster" was just coming off the "Wildcat" Branch behind No. 233. It was forced to sit behind the stopped No. 233 while the crew conducted its search. A third train No. 235 which is a 6:15 departure from Boston caught less than favorable indications on its signals and ended up operating at restricted speed until it came to a stop behind the Amtrak train.
Now we have three trainloads of passengers sitting because of the stupidity of just one person. Even after No. 233 resumed its journey it had to operate at restricted speed until it reached the next way side signal. The two trains behind it never really received any signals more favorable than "Approach" so they meandered along behind No. 233 until it was out of the way after crossing over through the hand thrown cross overs at Hall which is east of Haverhill.
This is an example of one of the "real" reasons why not just one but several trains can be delayed. A problem effecting one train compunded itself into a problem that effected several trains and over a thousand commuters. Amazing huh?
As this is happening all the passengers on the train are forced to sit there and endure a delay caused by one person. It does not end there however. An east bound "Downeaster" was just coming off the "Wildcat" Branch behind No. 233. It was forced to sit behind the stopped No. 233 while the crew conducted its search. A third train No. 235 which is a 6:15 departure from Boston caught less than favorable indications on its signals and ended up operating at restricted speed until it came to a stop behind the Amtrak train.
Now we have three trainloads of passengers sitting because of the stupidity of just one person. Even after No. 233 resumed its journey it had to operate at restricted speed until it reached the next way side signal. The two trains behind it never really received any signals more favorable than "Approach" so they meandered along behind No. 233 until it was out of the way after crossing over through the hand thrown cross overs at Hall which is east of Haverhill.
This is an example of one of the "real" reasons why not just one but several trains can be delayed. A problem effecting one train compunded itself into a problem that effected several trains and over a thousand commuters. Amazing huh?
