If a crew loses communications and cannot reach the dispatcher, what should they do?

• A. Re-establish contact, follow the last valid warrant parameters, and stop if unable to confirm, awaiting dispatcher instructions.
• B. Continue moving at normal speed using the last known authority without confirmation.
• C. Stop immediately and wait for instructions from the nearest supervisor.
• D. Attempt to re-establish contact and proceed using the last read-back regardless of status.

Answer: (A)

When communications are lost, safety hinges on using only the authority you already have and getting new instructions from the dispatcher. The correct approach is to first try to re-establish contact. If you can re-contact, proceed under the last valid warrant parameters that were confirmed, and be prepared to stop if you can’t confirm the current status or you’re unable to obtain updated instructions. If you cannot re-establish contact or cannot confirm that the warrant is still valid, you must stop and await dispatcher instructions before moving again. Continuing at normal speed without confirmation could lead to unsafe track occupancy or conflicts with other movements, so you don’t rely on the last read-back alone unless it is still valid and you have been able to verify it with the dispatcher.