Bison on Track Caution Order (14)

Note : Railway Diaries follows the Number on the Post Title

What is a Caution Order? Caution order is a document which gives the rules and signals to be followed from the departing station to the destination station. It’s specific to the individual route and keeps changing depending on the maintenance of the track and the weather of the section.

On the railway lines you have bridges that are being constructed, ballast that are refilled, track tamping, rail welding, a new level crossing for which you have to blow whistle freely or worst case like what happens in the Londa-Castle Rock section : it’s migratory season for the herd of bison’s for which you have to be cautious.

You are asked to be cautious not to protect the bison but to protect the train, the driver, assistant driver and the guard. To quote an incident it was my friend Debjit Roy’s train to Castle Rock and midsection they ran over a Bison whose horns got jammed between the cattle guard and the rail and the cattle guard which is a 15mm wrought iron was bent out of shape. They had to stop the train, clear the carcass and then proceed to Castle Rock. There are incidents in the past where the herd or one of them have injured the staff fatally.

Hence during those days where the herd of bison’s are seen a special caution order is mentioned about bison on track and when you approach that kilometer number you slow down the speed of your train and watch out to see if you can spot any bison.

I’m sure we have all seen the herds on National Geographic or Discovery Channel and its no different here. They run in hundreds and when they cross the track the scene is a stampede of the worst order. Every herd has a leader who is huge than the rest and carries that look at his stance, he who would be watching the way and only when he signals the rest of the herd follow. I was lucky to have watched this once and I shall always remember that I was a part of that wildlife adventure.

Save WILDLIFE , the Planet also belongs to them.