How can you determine a RCL Zone is active?

• A. Through the RCO, other authorized employee, or special instructions
• B. By checking the locomotive horn colors
• C. By looking at the timetable
• D. By listening for a whistle from the engineer

Answer: (A)

When a Remote Control Locomotive (RCL) zone is active, the official way to know it is by confirmation from the Remote Control Operator (RCO) or from another person who is authorized to authorize RCL operations, or by following any posted special instructions for that zone. The RCO is the single source of truth for real-time RCL status, ensuring clear, authoritative communication. Visual cues like horn colors, timetable entries, or an engineer’s whistle aren’t reliable indicators of whether the RCL is active, so you shouldn’t rely on them. If you need to work in or around an RCL zone, verify with the RCO or an authorized supervisor or consult the special instructions to determine if active status is in effect.