Final answer:
An engineer who exceeds authorized track speeds must immediately reduce speed and report the breach. Potential consequences include an investigation and other safety measures to prevent future violations.
Step-by-step explanation:
If an engineer exceeds authorized track speeds, immediate action is required for safety and compliance with regulations. Typically, the engineer must slow down to a safe speed as soon as possible. Furthermore, the incident likely needs to be reported to the appropriate authorities, which could include railway management, and in certain systems, automatically triggers an alert to railway control centers. Dependent on the circumstances and the degree of the speed violation, further actions such as an investigation, disciplinary measures, or retraining might also be mandated in order to prevent future occurrences.