Who is responsible for granting permission to enter after a stop indication at a manual interlocking, provided the route is properly lined and no conflicts exist?

• A. The train crew
• B. The control operator
• C. The dispatcher
• D. The station master

Answer: (B)

The permission to enter after a stop indication at a manual interlocking is given by the person operating the interlocking—the control operator. This role is responsible for the routing and signal status at the interlocking, and they verify that the route is properly lined (points set correctly) and that there are no conflicting movements before authorizing entry. Once the control operator confirms the route is clear and safe, they clear the movement and the train crew may proceed.

The train crew themselves cannot grant entry, and while dispatchers have overall control of movements, the immediate clearance through a manual interlocking comes from the interlocking operator (the control operator). A station master isn’t the authority for this specific interlocking clearance in typical UP operations.