General

Rules and Regulations Applicable to Shunting at Train Loading Points

Railroad cars (“cars”) may be moved within loading point boundaries subject to the conditions below provided that rail-mounted equipment and tractive vehicles as well as road/rail vehicles used for these operations have been approved.

Loading point operators must comply with requirements imposed by the State railroad authority, agreements with the Duisburger Hafen Group and the railroad company serving the loading point and manufacturer requirements and instructions. Further standards to be complied with include the accident prevention rules issued by the German streetcar, underground and railroad workmen’s compensation insurers for rail vehicles (VGB 11) and work in the vicinity of rail systems (VGB 38a), Verordnung über den Bau und Betrieb von Anschlussbahnen issued by the State of North-Rhine Westphalia and the rules published by the Duisburger Hafen Group for the safety of railroad operations in crane operating areas and the operation of track systems owned by the Duisburger Hafen Group.

I. I. Safety of Stationary Cars

1.	Cars moved to a loading point will be secured by the railroad company. Within the boundaries of the loading point and prior to collection by the railroad company, securing of cars is the responsibility of the loading point operator.
2.	Stationary cars must be blocked by pulling the handbrake or, if cars are not equipped with a handbrake, by placing drag-shoes on each rail in front of the first axle of the first car in the direction of rail inclination. Cars so secured must be coupled. If several groups of cars are parked, the cars of each group must be coupled and secured as described. Rocks, timber, metal parts or similar objects may not be used for blocking and securing cars. Drag-shoes may not be placed on or close to switches or rail crossovers (craneways) or between the axles of a car or between coupled cars.
3.	Track inclinations at each loading point and any additional requirements for securing cars are notified by the railroad company serving the loading point to the loading point operator.
4.	Drag-shoes required for securing cars must be provided by the loading point operator at a location agreed with the railroad company.

II. Moving Cars

1.	Cars may only be moved by the loading point operator within the boundaries of the loading point. Outside these boundaries, movements will require the approval of each adjacent loading point operator affected.
2.	The loading point operator moving the car(s) is responsible for the safety of the entire area in which the car(s) will be moved.
3.	Cars may at most be moved at walking speed and car movement must always be sufficiently slow to stop cars at the intended location or in front of other cars or obstacles.
4.	Cars may only be moved by men, tractive vehicles or approved equipment such as a car puller or a car pusher.
5.	Cars may only be moved by men, if the number of men is sufficient and the speed of movement is sufficiently slow to control the movement safely by human strength, car brakes or drag-shoes.
6.	Cars may only be moved during loading hours. Cars may not be moved while the loading point or adjacent loading points are being served.
7.	Cars moved together must be coupled.
8.	To prevent moving cars from overrunning intended stops, a drag-shoe must be placed on each rail in the direction of car movement. These drag-shoes must be removed after the end of operations.
9.	The front of the first car being moved must be manned during marshalling operations.
10.	Cars may not be fly shunted or allowed to run without connection to a car puller or a similar device.
11.	Requirements to be complied with when operating switches include the following:
	• Switches may not be operates while underneath cars. Switch lever weights must be pressed down completely to make sure that the switch moves into its end position. • Switches may not be operated by rolling stock. If they have been moved by rolling stock, they must be cleared in the direction in which they have moved. The railroad company must be notified promptly for an inspection of the switch. • Switches moved manually must be returned to their base position after the completion of work. • Switches fitted with switch locks must be locked in their base positions. The lever weight of switches featuring base positions is marked black and white. In the base position, the black part of the weight faces the ground. Switches without a base position are fitted with a yellow lever weight.
12.	Persons in or close to cars must be warned before these cars are moved or other cars are moved towards these cars.
13.	Before moving or shunting any car, the loading point operator must make sure that
	• drag-shoes have been removed from the tracks on which the car(s) will be moved (other than drag-shoes placed according to Section 2.8 above). • persons in the cars (incl. persons accompanying cargo) have been warned, • handbrakes have been manned and tested for effective operation, • brakes have been released, • loading has been stopped and persons who entered the cars for loading or unloading have disembarked, • loose parts such as stanchions have been secured and mobile parts such as doors, flaps, roofs, walls, tensioning devices and adjustable buffer beams have been locked in place, • car ceilings have been fixed and • minimum clearances are complied with (1.5m from nearest rail for straight tracks and 1.8m from nearest rail for bends and 4.8m above top of rail).
14.	During shunting and car movements, the loading point operator must make sure that
	• tracks are free, • switches have been set correctly, • merging tracks including craneways do not carry vehicles within the areas marked by yard boards, • no vehicle approaches in a dangerous manner, • no car moves beyond the yard board at the other end of the tracks, • highway rail crossings and access roads have been secured and • minimum clearances are complied with (1.5m from nearest rail for straight tracks and 1.8m from nearest rail for bends and 4.8m above top of rail).
15.	Derailed cars and cars which may be unsafe as a result of damage or loading may not be moved. These vehicles must be reported promptly to the operations supervisor of the railroad company.
16.	Following the end of operations,
	• switches must be cleared beyond yard boards and • cars must be parked for collection beyond yard boards.

Couplings not used must be fixed in the appropriate fittings. Cars parked for collection must be secured according to Section I.

Loading point operators are liable for any death, injury or property loss or damage suffered or incurred by any company of the Duisburger Hafen Group or any third party in connection with freight car movements or freight car parking and must indemnify the companies of the Duisburger Hafen Group against and save the companies of the Duisburger Hafen Group harmless from any third-party claims or the like, unless any death, injury, property loss or damage or any such other claim is shown to be attributable to any willful act, neglect or omission or any gross negligence on the part of any company of the Duisburger Hafen Group or any of their staff. Loasing point operators are solely liable for any loss or damage suffered by them in connection with securing or moving freight cars.

See railroad rules and regulations in Port Safety.

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