ELIMINATION OF LINE BOX SYSTEM:

Railway board is planning to eliminate century old system of Line Box and Box boys to Loco Pilots and Guards. 

Let us discus the merit and demerits. 

Equipments available in the Present Line Boxes: 

Rule Books: 

1. General and Subsidiary Rules (G& SR): with correction memos(optional) 

2. Accident Manual with correction memos 

3. Block Working Manual 

Trouble Shooting Directories of Diesel-(Conventional, WDP4 etc) and Electrical, (Conventional, WAP 7 etc) DEMU, EMU, Air brake, LHB Coach etc 

Working Time Table: For SBC Mail/Exp LP: WTT of SBC, SA, MAS, MYS, and GTL divisions. 

Tools: Supplied tool kit: 

Tools kit consisting EM contactor wedge – 2, Flat chisel – 1, Screw driver – 1, adjustable spanner – 1, DE spanner – 2, Ring Spanner-2, Screw Spanner with Bits, SS scale/flat tyre gauge – 1, electric pliers – 1, hammer with handle – 1, wooden relay wedges, wooden dummy set , LHB coaches ICC resetting key, CBC operating handle key etc 

Red and Green flags with sticks, Tri Colour torch, A box containing of 10 Detonators. 

Rough Journal, Performance book, Competency certificate of DSL, AC etc, Message Book. 

Walkie Talkie set (many are keeping in personnel bag) with spare battery. 

PERSONNEL ITEMS: 

Many links are of 3 days trip 

# Bed Sheet: 2 , Lungie, spare dress, Towel, Soap, Tooth Brush, Paste, Tablets required, Bathroom Chapels, etc 

# Sweater/ Jerkin/ Rain coat, Cap and an Umbrella. 

# Spectacles 2, Spare torch. Mobile Charger, Books for reading. 

# Drinking Water (some are carrying up to 5 Lts), Thermo Flask with tea, (with 2 glass) Food for two times. Water for washing glass Tiffin box etc 

Many LP Mail are suffering from back pain, shoulder pain, knee pain and joint pain. They are not able to carry more luggages. Many are staying 5 to 10 kms away from crew booking and plying by public transport or by two wheeler. Because of this people are restricting even their personnel baggage to minimum. 

Once the system of line box is abolished LP has to carry the following items along with personnel items as per the RB letter. 

* Trouble Shooting Directories of Diesel (Conventional, WDP4 etc) and Electrical, (Conventional, WAP 7 etc) DEMU, MEMU, Air brake, LHB Coach etc 

* Working Time Table: For SBC Mail/Exp LP : WTT of SBC, SA, MAS, MYS, GTL ( in one trip minimum 2) 

* Red and Green flags, Tri Colour torch, Rough Journal, Performance book, Competency certificate of DSL, AC etc, Message Book, Walkie Talkie set with spare battery. 

Asking Staff to carry Departmental items is unjustified: 

It will be a tedious task for Loco Pilots to carry departmental supplied items along with their personnel baggage. This will lower their dignity in front of public and leads to health hazard. 

No other employees asked to carry their work related equipments to their work spot or to their rest rooms, the equipments will be available in the work spot. An ECRC work in reservation office or an SM working in RRI or a TXR working in coaching yard are not carrying anything related to their work along with them. Since running staff is going to out station unlike these employees we need to carry extra luggage for these trip. Costly and damageable equipments like walkie Talkie sets, personnel chargeable torch, etc are carrying along with the personnel baggage since it may get break during transshipment of line boxes. 

Common Mini Line Box(CML) is introduced in SCR & NR as a trail measure. 

Advantage as per administration: 

Ø No detention of coaching and freight trains on account of arrival of individual line box. 

Ø Frequent daily loading & unloading of boxes will be reduced. 

Ø Requires less manpower for handling of boxes i.e. immediate reduction of box boys. 

Ø No loading and unloading of boxes at crew change points and also during power interception at en-routes. 

Ø Universal lock & key to be procured by divisions so that key will be handed over to each LP as personnel equipment. With one key, any lock of CML box can be opened 

Disadvantages: 

1. CML boxes provided with universal lock & Key system. With one key any box at any place can be opened. There is a possibility of misusing this facility as making duplicate key is not a big task at present. Chances of theft of tools are more. 

2. While taking over if the one time lock is broken, then the crew has to ensure that all the items as per list are intact. If found missing message to be given and train likely to be detained. 

3. In case of Personnel Line Box LP will start the train as soon as box arrived even without opening box. Since individual lock and key system LP has the responsibility to secure and update the items. 

4. Box boy cannot be abolished as CML also required to be loaded and unloaded in major stations. Presently Box boys are assigned with filling of sand in locos at different crew changing points. 

There was a unconfirmed proposal for supply of TAB in place of all rule books. It may be useful for management to get more commission in the name of TAB. But maintaining TAB is another headache for LP’s in running room and even working. At present there is strict instruction regarding usage of mobile phone while on duty, railway can monitor it. But usage of TAB while on duty cannot be monitored unless it has an internet connection. 

In one Power Point Presentation management projects 1 Crore saving in case of elimination of Box Boys. On the other hand 20 crore is required to procure 20000 TAB. Which is a bad idea. 

Hence AILRSA demand to continue exciting practice of Personnel Line Box with Box boy. Or else all the above mentioned and supplied items to be made available in work spot during duty hours. 

This issue is represented before CRB on 23.02.2018 during our Central leaders met CRB at New Delhi. 

Prepared by C. Sunish for a detailed discussion.