When requesting 3-Step Protection via radio, which three items must be designated?

Requesting 3-Step Protection is an essential safety procedure in railroad operations. When making this request via radio, it is crucial to specify certain key components that clearly communicate the necessary details about the work being performed.

Designating the occupation, job symbol, and engine number ensures that all parties involved understand who is performing the work, what specific job they are engaged in, and which engine is associated with that operation. The occupation indicates the personnel's role and responsibilities, the job symbol provides a unique identifier for the specific task or assignment, and the engine number identifies the locomotive involved. This combination of information is vital for coordinating safety measures and ensuring that tracks and operations can be managed effectively to prevent accidents and enhance operational efficiency.

In contrast, while location, speed, and direction are certainly important details for understanding train movements, they do not specifically pertain to the request for 3-Step Protection, which is focused on the specifics of the job being conducted. Similarly, time, distance, and weather may have significance in broader operational contexts but are not essential for the immediate request. Height, weight, and load would relate to cargo specifications rather than the communications required to establish protection for personnel on the tracks.