What should an engineer do if a track obstruction is detected?

If a track obstruction is detected, initiating an emergency brake application is the appropriate response. This action is crucial for ensuring the safety of both the train and its passengers. An emergency brake application drastically reduces the speed of the train and is designed to stop the locomotive as quickly as possible to prevent collisions with the obstruction.

Speeding up to pass the obstruction quickly is unsafe and could lead to serious accidents, while notifying passengers about the delay does not address the immediate safety concerns. Seeking clearance from the dispatcher is important in many situations, but the top priority in the presence of a track obstruction is to immediately stop the train to ensure safety. Therefore, the correct action in this scenario is to apply the emergency brakes.