On Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:25:33 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 11:22:34 on
Wed, 19 Jun 2013, Recliner remarked:
How often do train drivers go and visit the signalmen at work?

I don't know, but considering how long it takes to learn to be a driver,
I'd hope they spent a few days with a signalman to get a feel for how
the other half lives.

These days, aren't the signallers more likely to be people in a large
windowless centralised signalling centres which are much like
Swanwick?

Yes, they are. But even more important that drivers get a feeling for
what happens there.

I can't imagine many drivers visit such centres, or even if
they do, they won't spend a few days working in front of the array of
large computer monitors. At best, they may just be shown round once.

Then that's very sad. I'm a great believer in understanding what's going
on around you, and being interested in the jobs of people who affect you
directly, in the way signallers and ATC do (for drivers and pilots).

Equally, do signallers have cab rides (or sim sessions)? Or do
drivers spend any time in maintenance depots or train
factories/rebuilders? And how much time do pilots spend seeing how
their planes are built and maintained? Or do ATC officers have sim
sessions? I suspect the answer is a negative in each case.