The best action for a train operator who cannot stop at the station correctly is to sound a warning signal and apply emergency brakes to ensure passenger safety and prevent overshooting the platform.
If a train operator realizes that a train will not stop with several cars beyond the station using normal braking, the best action is to sound the appropriate signal to warn the conductor and then apply emergency brakes. This measure is crucial for safety and assists in preventing the train from overshooting the platform, which could potentially lead to accidents or injuries.
The emergency brake system was designed for situations like this, where additional stopping power is needed immediately. Using the air brake system, invented by George Westinghouse, the train engineer can apply brakes from the locomotive, which is significantly safer than previous manual methods that involved workers moving between train cars.
So, when timely stopping at the station cannot be achieved through normal braking, utilizing the emergency brakes is an essential procedure to ensure the safety of passengers and the adherence to operational protocols.