A driver's reminder appliance (DRA) is a manual switch in the driving cab of a passenger train. When operated it glows bright red and prevents the driver from being able to apply power. It was introduced in the design and operation of United Kingdom

passenger trains In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and transport people or freight. Trains are typically pulled or pushed by locomotives (often know ...

in the 1990s in response to a series of railway accidents where train drivers had

passed a signal at danger A signal passed at danger (SPAD), known in the United States as a stop signal overrun and in Canada as passing a stop signal, is an event on a railway where a train passes a stop signal without authority. In the United States and Canada, this ...

when starting away from a station.http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_pdf/2001/crr01334.pdf accident investigations including evaluation of DRA

Operation

Use of the DRA is mandatoryDriver's Rulebook: Module TW1 - Section 10.1
at

Rail Safety and Standards Board The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) is a British independent company limited by guarantee. Interested parties include various rail industry organisations, including Network Rail, train operating companies (TOCs), and rolling stock comp ...

for drivers of British passenger trains and they are required by the Drivers' Rule Book to set it: * When closing down, entering or leaving the cab * When the train is stopped at a red signal * When the train is stopped after passing a signal displaying a single yellow (caution) aspect. The DRA serves as a reminder that the driver may be approaching a stop signal. The DRA must only be reset: * If there is no signal ahead, when the driver has authority to start the train. * When the signal ahead has cleared to a proceed aspect. * When the driver has authority to pass the signal ahead at danger.

Advantages

A passenger train driver can easily become distracted by station duties and forget that the next signal is at danger. This signal might be hidden from view until the train is close to it and there is insufficient braking distance. The DRA helps prevent this problem because resetting the DRA is the last action the driver will take before powering away from the station.

References

External links

Railway Group Standards - 1997

Halcrow report on SPADs and DRAs
Railway safety {{UK-rail-transport-stub