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Our brake pipe continuity tests performed after any shunt and or loco exchange are fairly stringent.
But, people in a hurry will sometimes overlook facets.
YES, the old timer mandated "tail pull" by the guard would have quickly discovered this problem.
I do think that the 61 pin electric communication connector seems a tad awkward.
We have the Scharfenberg coupling system here on modern emu and dmu trains.
All of the electric connections being in the top part of the coupler, not a separate socket.
And, the adapter is required to permit coupling with weasels for emergency working.
But, crews can be confronted with an awkward situation.
One such was when our Silver Streak failed on the Big Hill (1 in 33) and a following train was arranged to shove it.
The lead loco on the freighter being an 82 class, having a top lift knuckle uncoupler.
The linkage from that fouling the diaphragm plate on the rear Silver Streak car.
That preventing the loco for being able to lock shut the auto knuckle jaw.
The assisting train did break away a couple of times causing the brake pipe air to dump stopping both trains.
Naturally, in emergency situations, people will attempt to resolve things as quickly as possible.
Management were going to issue DCMs to the freighter crew.
Stating that they should have got the tools and removed that front auto knuckle coupler chain link from the lift bar.
Until this event, nobody had known that this would be the situation when attempting to couple an 82 class thing to the Silver Streak cars.
We in the union stepped in and told management that not a single train would percolate in the state the following day if that crew were given the DCM.
A GENL (general order) was quickly issued to instruct how to couple up an 82 class to the Silver Streak should this ever occur again.
Steve.
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