This comes down to the individual operator’s instructions. Where I’ve worked the instruction is that you should put the reverser into neutral at each stop, but in reality - particularly on stopping services with frequent stops with 30 sec dwell times - most Drivers don’t. It’s just another task in a very short dwell time which you could really do without, and there’s no real safety risk in leaving it in forward.
Interesting. Thanks for that. I'd imagine the doors interlocking with the traction motors provides a level of safety. But like with most things railway related, I know enough to know that I don't know anything at all.
It's technically good practise, but in reality it's not uncommon for drivers to just not do it when they're only at a station for less than a minute. Safety isn't an issue also because the doors being open cuts out traction motors and applies brakes until the interlock is active again, so the only practical benefit to leaving it in neutral is that (depending on class) it semi-isolates the safety systems so you don't have the DSD/Vigilance going off at you while you're sitting still, and of course that only even applies in the first place if you're stopped for more than a minute.
From what I remember of the very helpful thread a London Overground Driver wrote about the Class 710 units, it’s common practice to not put them in neutral. I think it’s called “secure” or something, and only used when you have to leave the cab for any reason. Edit: link to the forum post https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/the-class-710-from-a-real-710-driver.79882/
