The Role of a Trackman in Ensuring Railway Safety

Responsibilities of a Trackman

A trackman plays a crucial role in maintaining the safety and integrity of railway tracks. They are responsible for inspecting, maintaining, and ensuring the clearance of obstacles on sections of track that are not regularly used by passenger trains.

1) Inspect the track regularly for any defects: A trackman should regularly inspect the track for any signs of defects or damage that could pose a safety hazard. By identifying and addressing these issues early, they help prevent accidents and ensure the smooth operation of trains.

2) Perform maintenance work on the track: In addition to inspections, trackmen are also tasked with performing maintenance work on the track. This includes tasks such as repairing or replacing damaged rails, adjusting track alignment, and ensuring proper ballast levels.

3) Ensure that the track is clear of any obstacles: Trackmen also need to ensure that the track is clear of any obstacles that could obstruct the passage of trains. This could include removing debris, vegetation, or any other obstructions along the track.

Final answer:

On sections of track not regularly used, a trackman should perform all of: track inspection, maintenance, and obstacle clearance. The variation in frequency observed by someone beside the tracks is due to the Doppler effect, with no frequency shift for the train's engineer.

Explanation:

On sections of track not used for regular passenger trains, a trackman should inspect the track regularly for any defects, perform maintenance work on the track, and ensure that the track is clear of any obstacles. Hence, the correct answer to the student's question is all of the above. This comprehensive approach helps to prevent accidents and ensures the safe transit of any trains that might need to use the track, even if it is not frequently used by passenger trains.

When considering the question related to the frequencies observed by someone beside the tracks and the train's engineer, we're dealing with a phenomenon known as the Doppler effect. A stationary person at the side of the tracks would observe a higher frequency as the train approaches and a lower frequency after it passes, due to the sound waves being compressed as the source approaches and then stretched as it moves away.

The train's engineer, traveling on the train, would not experience this shift and would hear the actual frequency of the train's sounds, because the source of the sound (the train) and the observer (the engineer) are moving together.