For RailFans, seeing RAC-1/2/3 in Mumbai-UP Trains is more exciting than Election Results - rdb

Guys! Had an awesome 3-hr detailed discussion with The on-duty Gaurd of a Full AC LHB Duronto today (I am not mentioning the train name or his name in order to prevent identification)... He was very friendly, vocal and open in his discussions.. A veteran with 37 yrs of Gaurd experience, counting days for his superannuation - 1 yr 11 mnths 17 days to be precise. Discussion points / processes witnessed included: -
a) Exchange of communication between LP/ALP, Gaurd himself & passing-by station masters
b) Key job responsibilities of a Gaurd...
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- Passenger as well as freight trains (he started his career as freights' gaurd - like his all other colleagues
c) Got chance to read his routine paperwork involved, forms filled, and reports prepared by him on every duty, keeping record of actual vs scheduled time of arrival / departure / non-stop passing through all stations en-route
d) Also got a chance to read his route's caution order, PSR / TSR details, ongoing engineering / track repair work
e) Advancements in automatic signalling & interlocking systems - how they have made lives of Section controllers relatively easy - though introducing new trains every year is taking a huge toll
f) Discussion over economics of fare vs cost disparity - how subsidizing passenger fares is damaging the overall health of IR - and also making goods movement expensive - all this for vote bank politics
g) Duty hours, roster scheduling, gap between two duties, what do they do during that gap (normally 20-30 hour gap they get) holidays available, extra payment for working on public holidays
h) how he wouldn't like his son to be a Gaurd in IR
Friends, if you have any questions, i would be happy to address those, based on today's discussion...