Pointing and Calling?

[paxman]

Hello everyone

I was recently offered a job driving intercity express trains. Since I'm off the street with no railway experience, I must first complete an 18-month induction program.

I've heard of pointing and calling as an effective safety technique. It's widely employed on Japanese railways, but apparently never used here.

Can anyone help me with an online, English-language resource that discusses pointing and calling in depth? While there's a smattering of YouTube videos on the topic, they are superficial and not terribly helpful. I want to understand and master the technique.

Many thanks.

 

[ComUtoR]

I've heard of pointing and calling as an effective safety technique. It's widely employed on Japanese railways, but apparently never used here.

Whatever you heard its wrong. It is a technique employed over here.

My advice is to step away from the keyboard, clear your mind of any preconceptions and then listen, listen and listen more. Speak to your Trainers and Instructors first before hitting the forums.

 

[Johncleesefan]

It goes by the name of press &call and risk triggered commentary.
Only difference here is tocs don't issue company standard white gloves for pointing your pinkies

 

[EM2]

Is this similar to the 'running commentary' technique that the police use to train pursuit driving?

 

[MartinB1]

Whatever you heard its wrong. It is a technique employed over here.

My advice is to step away from the keyboard, clear your mind of any preconceptions and then listen, listen and listen more. Speak to your Trainers and Instructors first before hitting the forums.

I agree. 'Pointing and calling' , or risk trigger commentary is not something I recommend getting hung up on just before you start your training. There is so much to learn, not least the rules, traction, and how to drive. I really think it's best to focus on the training as you progress through it, continually revising everything you have previously learnt.

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

 

[paxman]

Many thanks for all your useful replies. I should have mentioned that I'm not in the UK.

I agree that there's no point putting the cart before the horse. I'm quite excited about the new career. Since I'm well into middle age and from a corporate background, my first instinct is to make everything as systematic as possible.

Training doesn't start for another few weeks, so I'll wait and see how things go. My earlier observation about the apparent lack of pointing and calling (or risk trigger commentary) comes from informal discussions with current drivers, not from a review of the curriculum.

Again, much appreciated.

 

[321446]

When it comes to the point of actually driving a train, you'll be taught in the style of your trainer and the style the company want you to learn & continue that onward when you pass out. You'll add and modify this as you go on. Press'n'Call, Risk Triggered Comentary, Comentary Driving. All have their place. They will be added to and modified as time goes on I'm sure.

Not everything works for everyone. Also, something which you didn't pick up at first, you may decide works for you.

Hope it works out for you. You'll be alright.

 

[E&W Lucas]

Please disregard

 

[SpacePhoenix]

paxman is the job with GWR? From a driver's eye/cab view video that I've seen on the Thames Branches, the driver of the Windsor branch was using Risk Triggered Commentary, it was things like AWS warnings, speed limit changes, etc they had to say out aloud what the risk was

 

[rob12]

Hello everyone

I was recently offered a job driving intercity express trains. Since I'm off the street with no railway experience, I must first complete an 18-month induction program.

I've heard of pointing and calling as an effective safety technique. It's widely employed on Japanese railways, but apparently never used here.

Can anyone help me with an online, English-language resource that discusses pointing and calling in depth? While there's a smattering of YouTube videos on the topic, they are superficial and not terribly helpful. I want to understand and master the technique.

Many thanks.

It's a personal thing, I stopped doing it afor 100 hours with my di. .. and only brought it back for my final assessment. You will soon just be calling the signals in your head and the pointing thing looks like exactly what it is. .. ridiculous. .. over kill isn't in it. As previously said just listen to your trainers and don't try to jump the gun. Driving is the easy part it's remembering what to do when it all goes wrong that's when you earn your coin , remembering all them rules

 

[Flying_Turtle]

It's a personal thing, I stopped doing it afor 100 hours with my di. .. and only brought it back for my final assessment. You will soon just be calling the signals in your head and the pointing thing looks like exactly what it is. .. ridiculous. .. over kill isn't in it. As previously said just listen to your trainers and don't try to jump the gun. Driving is the easy part it's remembering what to do when it all goes wrong that's when you earn your coin , remembering all them rules

I personally don't find it ridiculous when starting from stations and getting restrictive aspects... but then, that's just me!

 

[Johncleesefan]

I find it can be very useful to point. I very rarely do and usually just r t c but sometimes either a situation can require an extra tool (ie pointing) or if concentration levels are suffering for whatever reason pointing and calling together helps.

Again wont work for everyone but definitely there fir me when I need to

 

[JonathanP]

paxman is the job with GWR?

He said that he is not in the UK. Given that he mentioned looking for "english language" resources, and driving "intercity express" trains I would assume he is in Germany.