Alarms are notifications about unusual events detected by some means (usually circuitry from the grounds. CTC generates a message that is collected for you and you can view them hitting the “Alarms” button, where you can also take some action.
Alarms can be generated for the following reasons:
- Train collisions
- Switch damages due to trains running a misaligned switch
- Trains passing a red signal (unless authorized)
- Trains entering a block without authorization
- Reduction of maximum speed due to deteriorated tracks.
Some of the alarms indicate a situation that needs to be addressed by having a ground crew sent to the site to have a closer look and make necessary repairs. If that’s the case, an “Action” button allows you make a phone call right there to the maintenance supervisor to get things going – a message to him is already prepared to speed things up (you can do it later using the normal phone procedure, but you don’t have the help having a message already prepared).