After securing a DPU train, are you required to secure the DP remote units?

After securing a DPU train, are you required to secure the DP remote units?

• A. No. When on an unattended train, distributed power remote locomotives do not require hand brakes to be applied or engine control switch to be placed in ISOLATE or START when train is otherwise properly secured.
• B. Yes; hand brakes must be applied to all remote locomotives.
• C. Only hand brakes required.
• D. Remote units must always be secured with hand brakes regardless.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how to secure a DPU train when it’s left unattended. When a distributed power train is properly secured, the remote DP locomotives do not need separate hand brakes or engine switches set to ISOLATE or START. The train’s overall securing, along with the DP control system coordinating braking and movement prevention, is considered sufficient to keep the remote units from moving. Requiring hand brakes on each remote unit or keeping them in a specific engine switch position isn’t necessary in this scenario because the security is already achieved by the train being properly secured as a whole. If the train isn’t properly secured, procedures would differ, but with proper securing, those additional steps on the remote units aren’t required.

The main idea here is how to secure a DPU train when it’s left unattended. When a distributed power train is properly secured, the remote DP locomotives do not need separate hand brakes or engine switches set to ISOLATE or START. The train’s overall securing, along with the DP control system coordinating braking and movement prevention, is considered sufficient to keep the remote units from moving. Requiring hand brakes on each remote unit or keeping them in a specific engine switch position isn’t necessary in this scenario because the security is already achieved by the train being properly secured as a whole. If the train isn’t properly secured, procedures would differ, but with proper securing, those additional steps on the remote units aren’t required.