If 2 trains arrive at a junction at the same time, are there specific rules on who goes first? Laws etc?

Question

I'm interested in rules in any country. Who determines the rules in the US - AAR, STB, the railroad owners? Who in the UK - Office of the rail regulator?

Answer 1

The train with the meanest engineer gets to go first.

Answer 2

It takes a train a really long time to stop (a mile or more when they are travelling at normal speeds), so two trains actually arriving at the junction at the same time will inevitably collide.

The flow of traffic is regulated by the owners of the track. They have to schedule trains well in advance...just so they can avoid two arriving at the same place at the same time.

Answer 3

When two trains arrive at a junction at the same time, this is called a 'train wreck'.

In the US, the FRA is the ruling body as far as operating and air brake rules are concerned.  The AAR and what used to be the Interstate Commerce Commission (I think it's now the Surface Transportation Board) also have a hand in rules development, but the locomotive engineers are FRA certified.

But, the kind of territory one is operating on has a large part to play in how and when trains are allowed to operate on the main track.

In Centralized Traffic Control and within what is called 'Interlocking' Limits, the train movements, including who goes first, who stops, who holds the main, who takes the siding, is controlled by a Train Dispatcher, in CTC, or an Interlocking Operator, within an interlocking system.

In 'dark territory', where there are no signals, trains receive their authority to move on the main track in the form of either 'Track Warrants', when in TWC (Track Warrant Control) or by direct radio authorization in DTC (Direct Traffic Control) Territory.  But these types of dispatching are also used in ABS (Automatic Block Signal) territory.

In both instances, trains are instructed where to run to and, if necessary, where to take the siding for an opposing move.  In TWC, these instructions are issued before the train departs, as a rule, and in DTC, when a train is instructed to take a siding, or receive 'Block Authority', this information is written down on the prescribed forms for the crews to keep until the completion of their trip.

When your 'junction' is a railroad crossing another railroad's tracks in 'dark territory', they are usually protected by what is called an 'Automatic Interlocking'.  There will be a signal at the crossing in each direction.  So that the engineer doesn't get surprised by a red stop signal, there is a signal displayed in advance, called a "Distant Signal".  These are idtentified by a number with the letter "D" preceeding the number, such as D-1234.  This signal is only to govern the approach to the signal at the junction, and does not indicate 'track occupancy'.  This is important to know because there could be a freight car right on the other side of it and you'll still see nothing but a yellow or green signal.

Answer 4

The two trains declare war and battle to the death, then and only then can a true victor pass.

Answer 5

Well, one would have stopped by the time it reaches the junction. Usually, priority trains go first. If both trains have the same priority, then the earlier scheduled (or incredibly late) one will go. It might also be determined by which train is going faster.