Can train drivers view the interior CCTV cameras on the train?

[railwaytrack]

I was on a DOO train in South London today and there was a group of six youths in on one of the carriages having a fight. I have no idea what it was about but they were all fighting over something. I very quickly moved to another carriage. Maybe it was gang related perhaps.

However it was clear that the driver had not noticed the fight and carried on as normal and did not make any announcements or call anyone.

So it made me wonder are train drivers able to view the interior CCTV on the train? Do they have monitors in the cab that they are able to view the CCTV on to check for problems with passengers? I know that they have DOO monitors on most trains but can these be switched to interior CCTV cameras? Obviously i know that they have to concentrate on the line ahead but do they ever quickly glance at the interior CCTV to check for passengers causing trouble onboard?

 

[baz962]

I was on a DOO train in South London today and there was a group of six youths in on one of the carriages having a fight. I have no idea what it was about but they were all fighting over something. I very quickly moved to another carriage. Maybe it was gang related perhaps.

However it was clear that the driver had not noticed the fight and carried on as normal and did not make any announcements or call anyone.

So it made me wonder are train drivers able to view the interior CCTV on the train? Do they have monitors in the cab that they are able to view the CCTV on to check for problems with passengers? I know that they have DOO monitors on most trains but can these be switched to interior CCTV cameras? Obviously i know that they have to concentrate on the line ahead but do they ever quickly glance at the interior CCTV to check for passengers causing trouble onboard?

On some trains yes , but the driver won't be watching while driving. The monitors go off including doo at a Certain mph.

 

[Watershed]

It's entirely stock dependent. On some stock, especially the modern units, drivers can view any camera fitted to the train (and so can conductors if they're in the back cab).

However, on many older trains, the CCTV system was either retrofitted and simply records to an internal "hard drive", or works independently of any DOO cameras.

The driver wouldn't be expected or indeed able to view any cameras once they reach more than about 5mph.

 

[Starmill]

Obviously i know that they have to concentrate on the line ahead but do they ever quickly glance at the interior CCTV to check for passengers causing trouble onboard?

I don't think this ever really happens onboard trains to be honest. Given CCTV on most trains is either rubbish or not fitted (most CrossCountry trains don't have it for example), and nowhere has sound, you can't really tell much of what's going on from it even if your whole job is just to sit and watch it!

Issues will be vastly more likely to be picked up by onboard staff if they're patrolling the train.

 

[20atthemagnet]

I was on a DOO train in South London today and there was a group of six youths in on one of the carriages having a fight. I have no idea what it was about but they were all fighting over something. I very quickly moved to another carriage. Maybe it was gang related perhaps.

However it was clear that the driver had not noticed the fight and carried on as normal and did not make any announcements or call anyone.

So it made me wonder are train drivers able to view the interior CCTV on the train? Do they have monitors in the cab that they are able to view the CCTV on to check for problems with passengers? I know that they have DOO monitors on most trains but can these be switched to interior CCTV cameras? Obviously i know that they have to concentrate on the line ahead but do they ever quickly glance at the interior CCTV to check for passengers causing trouble onboard?

Stock dependant. On mine at a stand yes. I can view any CCTV on the train live but the Menu it is in disappears after 4mph. If you are viewing live CCTV and pull away the TCMS (Train Control Management System) will revert to its default page. Its not something you have to do but I know alot of people who look sometimes purely out of curiousty. Each carriage has 4 cameras that I can either select or run automatically on a sequential mode where it goes through them all. There are also cameras for forward facing on each cab end and pantograph cameras all selectable. However these are buried within menus and are not visible unless I go in and select the on train CCTV. In your situation somebody would need to pull the Passcom for it come to our attention. At which point along with an audible alarm, the CCTV image (which points handily points to the passcomm) would populate the TCMS Screen even with the train moving. From then all cameras become available and we would then assess how to deal with the situation, which would invariably mean overriding and taking the situation to a station. We can also mark/timestamp CCTV so should there be a serious incident so the location of the footage can be found more easily. Modern trains are pretty good when it comes to these situations. We can even talk to and select different passcomms should there be multiple.

On older units not so great. You'd know absolutely nothing until someone pulled an alarm which couldn't be overridden, had no comms and you'd have to physically go back into the melee and see what was going on, then reset the alarm at the location it was pulled. Dont miss doing that one bit!

 

[boiledbeans2]

On the Class 707s, I'm sure it's a yes.

Some time last year, I was on an SWR 707, and the very active guard was making multiple repeated announcements... "Can the lady in the purple dress on coach 4, please put on a face covering. It is mandatory.... blah blah blah... otherwise a fine will be issued ...blah blah..."

 

[Skoodle]

On my units when at a stand, I can select any internal CCTV camera to look at. Quite easy to get to. I'll often bring it up if I have a longer dwell time, and mostly I'll have it on closest to door that passengers are most likely to board on. Some platforms I'll pop on the rear facing CCTV so I can see if people are running for the train, which is out of view of the DOO camera, but I can see clearly with others. If I think I can smell that someone's smoking or whatnot, I'll have a look on CCTV etc. There is literally nowhere to hide from CCTV on our trains. Once the train goes above 4mph, if I haven't already turned that screen off, it will automatically turn off.

However it was clear that the driver had not noticed the fight and carried on as normal and did not make any announcements or call anyone.

If the driver can't hear it happening, and noone has activated the PASSCOM, the driver has no way of knowing.

 

[dk1]

I can view live CCTV throughout the train & pantographs from the driving cab but only when stationary. This will disappear at 3mph or when ‘close doors’ is selected & camera switch to outside the train.

To add to that. If a pass com or emergency alarm is activated then the camera opposite or outside the toilet door if it’s in there appears on the in cab screen regardless of whether the train is on motion or not.

 

[Brooke]

Is this a situation as a passenger to pull the emergency handle, or not? If I was in that situation, I’d wait til the next station and try to tell someone then? (And personally, I also wouldn’t try to intervene)