Under the operating rules most western railroads follow, restricted speed means moving slowly enough to stop within half the distance you can see short of another train, equipment, a stop signal, a derail or a switch lined wrong, while watching for broken rail, and never faster than 20 mph. Crews get it from a restricting signal, when entering certain yards, or after passing a stop signal on the dispatcher's authority. A rear-end collision at restricted speed is treated as a rule violation, because by definition the crew should have stopped.
Restricting on the next signal, so we'll creep it at restricted speed till we see the rear of the coal train.
Also heard as
- restricting
- restricted
Do not mix it up with
- Slow order: A slow order sets a fixed speed for a track condition; restricted speed is defined by sight distance and the chance of an obstruction.
Related terms
Yellow board
An approach signal showing yellow, warning the engineer to be ready to stop at the next signal.
CTC
Centralized traffic control: signals and switches controlled remotely by a dispatcher who routes every train.
PTC
Positive train control: an onboard and wayside system that stops a train before it breaks a speed limit or authority.
Slow order
A temporary speed restriction on a stretch of track because of its condition, heat or work in progress.