Functions of Operating

Department
All of the actions involved in keeping a railway functioning are referred to as railway
operation. However, the Operating department in particular contributes to the creation of
the Transportation service.
In this activity, the operating department coordinates the activities of all railway
departments to maximise the use of operational resources, including track, fixed
installations for signals, and rolling stock. Broadly, the functions can be categorized as
under:

Planning of Transport Service:

Planning is required here, both long-term and short-term. To keep trains running on a daily basis, a
lot of labour is required. Once a year, a detailed timetable for passenger trains is planned to be
released. To accommodate the anticipated demand, arrangements are made for rolling equipment
and locomotives. Although the organisation of the Railways participates in this planning process, the
Operation department establishes the fundamental framework into which the plans of other
departments in charge of providing and maintaining operational assets are integrated.

Running of trains and continuous watch:

Ordering trains, scheduling crew, ensuring that the conditions are safe for it to run, and
setting up numerous requirements on the run are all part of running trains. The
effectiveness of planning, whether it be short-term or long-term, determines how efficiently
trains operate. To guarantee that trains run on time and safely, transportation employees
are always active at originating, terminating, and roadside stations. Passenger trains run
according to a set timetable; changes in traffic rarely affect how they operate.

Safety:
The most important feature of any transportation system is safety. No user would choose to
use a transportation system that did not offer an acceptable level of safety for their person,
person's life, and person's property. Therefore, safety is an essential component of
operations, and it is the Operating Department's job to make sure that trains are run safely.
This necessitates strict adherence to the guidelines and practises for safe train operating.

Economy and efficiency:

The operating department is in charge of making the most effective use of the assets while
maintenance departments are responsible for making sure they are available to them in
good condition. Therefore, the operating department is in charge of the system's
productivity. Operating indices like tonne kilometres and passenger kilometres are used to
quantify this.
Passenger Train Operation
Human movement is a crucial economic and social need. The vast majority of rail users base
their assessment of the effectiveness of the railway system on a single, infrequent trip.
Therefore, passenger train operation plays a very significant role in the overall railways
system. The railways have planned for passenger trains to run frequently. Periodically, their
timetables are altered to accommodate seasonal demands. The public is informed about
these schedules, and the personnel is familiar with them. The use of personnel and
infrastructure is also meticulously planned so that everything runs like a clock and becomes
regular. As a result, running a passenger operation is rather easy, basic, and requires little
effort on a daily basis.

Time Tables
A time table is a schedule that displays information on the arrival and departure times of all
passenger trains at each station. Every year, each zonal railway releases these timetables,
which usually take effect on July 1. On the Indian Railways, there is a different timetable
called "Trains at a Glance" that is published by the Railway Board and lists just important
train stops at important stations nationwide, as opposed to the Zonal Time Table that lists
all scheduled train stops at each station. The following are the goals of the passenger
timetable:
(1) Details for prospective passengers on arrival and departure times, links between
sectional and suburban trains, connections at various stops, and amenities and facilities
offered to passengers at stations.
(2) A manual for railroad employees that outlines how to arrange trains, crossings,
precedences, receive and dispatch at terminals, and provide motive power, crew,
maintenance, and other facilities.
(3) A manual for postal services used in mail delivery.
(4) A database for estimating the needs for locomotives, running staff, and rolling stock
(5) To fulfil legal criteria. According to Section 65 of the Indian Railway Act, railroads must
display timetables for the benefit of the general public.

Types of Time Tables:

Timetables can be categorised into two groups:
(1) Regarding clients
Each of the zone railways releases this timetable each year. Zonal Time Table and Guide
There is other information that is helpful to travellers in addition to the train schedules. This
largely concerns the regulations governing reservations, refunds, cancellations of confirmed
reservations, fare tables, and other services offered by railway administrations for the
benefit of customers. At the ticket offices and book kiosks, copies of these timetables can be
purchased.
(a) Trains at a Glance offers an overview of all Indian Railways' timetables. From the
starting station to the concluding station, just one table is used to display essential
trains together with the times of their arrivals and departures at significant stops.
Therefore, users do not need to consult numerous tables to determine the schedule
of a specific train. Additionally, key pieces of information for travellers are provided.

b) Military Time Table – The general public cannot access this timetable. Defence is
one of the major users of the rail network, and Railways operates a number of
special trains specifically for the Defence. We have carefully planned out the
scheduling of these trains in order for them to run on short notice. These timings are
periodically altered, along with the public time tables. These times are not disclosed.
(2) For railway personnel
(a) Staff copy of public timetable - Train timings section of zonal time table is bound and
copies are handed to staff dealing with passengers for their help, without the additional
pages for guidance of passengers and advertisements.
(b) Working Time Table - The railway employees must be given a lot of information
regarding the operation of trains and the upkeep of the infrastructure on the railways. The
staff is informed of this information through the working time tables. They are required to
know not just the train schedules but also a great deal of information regarding the track,
signals, and other facilities. It is advisable for all railroad officers to become familiar with
these division-by-division printed time tables.
(c) Graphic Time Tables - These timetables, which are in the form of graphs, are created for
the Control staff's use. These timetables are constructed section by section, showing on a
graph not only the mail, express, and passenger trains but also the goods trains that can
operate around-the-clock. They are also referred to as "Master Charts." In order for the
Section Controllers to continually connect the actual running of the trains to the
predetermined schedules outlined in the time tables, these are typically posted in front of
them in their cabins.
Operating Control Organization & Functions:
The purpose of Control
The requirement for coordination between an organization's many parts becomes more
critical as it grows and gets more complicated. One of the key methods for achieving this
crucial cooperation in railroad operating is the Control organisation. The Control officer's
role in the railway organisation is comparable to that of the brain in a person. It directs all
railway activities, just like the brain does.

The Functions of Control

1. The Control is in charge of the entire operation—passengers and goods—on a division or
portion of a division in all respects. This entails the precise timing, operation, and loading of
all trains—both freight and passenger—in all directions.
2. the proper locomotive ordering and use to keep losses due to unused haulage capacity on
trains, as well as the productive time of power and personnel, to a minimum, and to make
the "turn round" as low as feasible.
3. to distribute coaching and goods stock and to direct its loading, despatch, and movement
in a manner that will result in the quickest "turn around," especially through intermediate
marshalling yards.
4. To stay well informed on how continuously operating sections and divisions are operating
in order to prevent congestion and a lack of fluidity.
5. To use experience to suggest improvements and get rid of problems that cause
congestion.
6. To resolve questions about irregularities as soon as possible without using
correspondence, and to instruct and support stations in proper procedures;
7. To ensure that the entire operation is continuously supervised by a centrally located
competent authority, including: (a) the running and operation of all train and shunting
engines; (b) the general operation of all trains; (c) the distribution and movement of rolling
stock; (d) the arrangement, imposition, and removal of engineering blocks and related
restrictions; (e) the running staff's duty hours; and (f) the operation of terminals and
junctions, including yard shunting.
(g) The timely and cost-effective movement of rakes and component stock.

8. To provide the section a boost of brainpower and human vitality while coordinating and
directing traffic to guarantee that it moves freely and get the most out of each unit involved
at the lowest possible cost to the administration.
Although in actuality all three operations would, of course, be occurring at once, the
function of the Control office may conveniently be categorised under the headings of
planning, execution, and review for the purposes of comprehension.

Planning
1. Interchange forecast;
2. Section-by-section train forecast
3. Supply projections for empty containers for bulk loading, transhipment, etc.;
4. The anticipated offloading
5. Making special moves and engineering blocks in advance.
The plan is made by CTNL daily at 0800 hrs. and reviewed by Sr.DOM and HQ is informed by
1000 hrs. both immediate and antecedent, for taking remedial action to prevent their
recurrence.

Execution
The day's plan must be shared with yards, loco sheds, TXR depots, transhipment
supervisors, area controllers, and SMs as soon as it is finalised because these entities are
responsible for carrying it out. During the morning session, instructions are presented, and
after consulting with the HQ, any required modifications are made. The performance is
briefly assessed at night and once at 1600 hours.
Role of Headquarter:
The division's operations necessitate close collaboration with and support from other
divisions and railways. The primary method of achieving coordination, particularly with
regard to: 1. The level of interchange between divisions and adjacent railways; 2. The loco
holdings on different divisions; 3. The identification of excessive balances, holdups,
assistance in clearing extra power, regulation, imposition of quotas and restrictions; and 4.
The advice of traffic in sight from other railways/divisions.
Control is largely a tool for operations, but it may and should also be extremely useful to
other departments, such as:
Commercial department –
Assuring sufficient labour at goods sheds and transhipment points for prompt release of
waggons, expediting the quick disposal of waggons detached out of course for reasons such
as broken seals, hot axle, etc., speeding up the release of waggons, and balancing the supply
of tarpaulins (waggon sheets) when loading general goods in open waggons are all possible
uses for this information. Additionally, it can be used to count passenger trains to guarantee
a high level of customer care.
Engineering department –
By controlling and organising the operation of ballast trains and engineering blocks, it is
possible to significantly reduce labour waste and ballast train time, while also ensuring
worker safety and minimising traffic disruption by promptly informing those affected about
any patches of track that require immediate attention. It is also observed that departmental
users release waggons promptly and load them.
Loco department –
It can accomplish a lot by efficiently managing the fuel distribution to different sheds and by
making efficient use of locomotive power. It can accomplish a lot by efficiently managing the
fuel distribution to different sheds and by making efficient use of locomotive power.
C&W department –
Coach and waggon maintenance is the responsibility of the C&W department. Sick lines and
carriage depots are available on the division for this reason. The Divisional Office's Control
office keeps an eye on their performance and issues. C&W Controller informs the Sr. DME of
any maintenance issues that occasionally arise so that prompt decisions can be made at the
proper level.
Signal & Telecommunication department –
Failures of signals, block instruments, etc., can reduce the railway's punctuality and
effectiveness. Control office keeps a close eye on these developments. Although there isn't a
special controller posted in the Control offices for this reason, one of the Signal Inspectors in
the divisional office serves as the Control's liaison. Control officers keep a registry of signal
deficiencies identified by drivers so that quick action to correct them can be taken.
Security –
In Control offices, law and order violations and indiscriminate usage of alarm chain
equipment are thoroughly monitored. We also have RPF personnel stationed in the Control
offices in areas with such issues to maintain contact with their outposts.
Stores –
Rapid transportation of railroad supplies is necessary for the smooth operation of all
departments. Therefore, we have stores chasers at some control offices who keep tabs on
the movement of stores delivery vans while maintaining communication with both their
staff and the consignee for whom stuff is transported in these vans.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

APPLICATIONS IN TRAIN OPERATIONS

FOIS - FREIGHT OPERATIONS INFORMATION SYSTEM

Freight trains are referred to as the railways' main source of income because they account
for two thirds of their earnings in India. Coal, iron ore, foodgrains, iron & steel, cement,
petroleum products, fertiliser, and containerized traffic are the main goods transported by
Indian Railways. To address the transportation requirements of the various types of
commodities, there exist specialised waggons. Since freight trains do not operate on a set
timetable like passenger trains do, freight operations require a lot of information.
The first project that CRIS undertook was the Freight Operations Information System (FOIS).
In reality, this mid-eighties endeavour led to the development of CRIS. FOIS was initially
developed as a tool for tracking and observing the motion of waggons, locomotives, and
unit trains. The freight train management module now includes a complete invoicing and
revenue collection section. It has significantly increased the efficiency of waggons on Indian
Railways, and the goal is to use the information to further increase productivity and
customer service and so fulfil the demands of a quickly expanding economy.

CONTROL OFFICE APPLICATION:

The Regulate Rooms in each of the seventy seven divisional offices oversee and control train
operations on the Indian Railways. The hub of the division is the control room. The
effectiveness of the Control Room operations determines how smoothly trains run across
the division's authority.
The Control Office Application is the most recent IT application to train operations. All
information on train operations is now computer produced thanks to COA and the Freight
Operations Information System (FOIS). The National Train Enquiry System (NTES), which
gives passengers the most recent information on train operations, receives its information
from this application.

INTEGRATED COACH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM:

Every day, millions of travellers plan their trips in the knowledge that their train will arrive
on time with a coach that has room for them. Over 50,000 carriages must be tracked by
Indian Railways in order to consistently satisfy this expectation. Railways are able to offer
more services for the benefit of their customers while reducing the likelihood of disruption
and dissatisfaction by effectively deploying their fleet. Additionally, IR must guarantee that
these assets get timely servicing and upkeep. The technology can transmit current
information on an official's cell phone or historical records from previous years in printed
reports, depending on the situation.

SOFTWARE AIDED TRAIN SCHEDULING:

Every day, millions of travellers plan their trips with the assurance that a coach would be
available for them when their train arrives on time. Indian Railways must track more than
50,000 carriages in order to consistently satisfy this expectation. Railways can offer more
services for their customers' benefit while reducing the likelihood of disruption and
dissatisfaction by effectively deploying their fleet. The timely service and upkeep of these
assets must also be ensured through IR. The technology can provide current information on
an official's cell phone or printed reports with historical data from previous years,
depending on the situation.

Rolling Assets Module (RoAM):

All mobile resources, rakes, locomotives, and running crew will be managed via the rolling
assets resources module. This module will cover the guidelines for using these resources.
Scheduling Module for Allocation of Resources to Trains (SMART):
The Time Tabling software's key component is the Scheduling Module. All resource
assignments will be completed in this module. The resources will be allocated to the training
services so that no competing demands for the same resource exist and that the overall
distribution is uniform across all resources. System for Publishing Reports and Exchange
(PRESS) All of the output from the scheduling module will be contained in the publishing
module, which will then publish it to other programmes like COA, ICMS, PRS, NTES, and
CMS. Additionally, this module will be used to print time tables in the user-specified format
on paper.

Capacity Module :
The capacity module will take all passenger train schedules as fixed and can be
used to identify potential freight paths. Further this module will have the capability of
building in “what if” scenarios.

Simulation Module and Run Time Estimation Reports (SMaRTER) :

The simulation module will contain three elements; the train performance or run time
calculator, the sectional simulation tool and the terminal simulation tool.

Demand Evaluation Module to Assist in New Design of Services (DEMANDS)

The Demands Module will contain analysis of the data from the Passenger Reservation
System (PRS) and Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS).