Due to ignoring the three-tier security standards in the railway manual, a goods train reached Punjab from Jammu without a driver and guard on Sunday.
Being loaded with thousands of tonnes of goods, the goods train reached a maximum speed of 51 kilometers per hour while running on the slope.
Due to this the railway administration became helpless. With great effort, railway officials were successful in stopping this goods train, which had traveled a distance of 70 kilometers between Kathua (Jammu) and Hoshiarpur (Punjab), by placing sand bags.
No action has been taken against anyone yet for this gross negligence, but the Railways has ordered an investigation into the matter.
A senior railway official said that at the end of duty at 6 am in Kathua, Jammu, a DMR goods train laden with chip stones was stopped at the station.
Both the engines of the goods train were also stopped. According to the railway manual, in such a situation, four-six wooden blocks are placed in the wheels of the engine and the coach, so that the goods train does not start moving forward on the slope.
Along with this, the wheels are restrained from the tracks by safety chains and the brakes are locked by dropping the adapter of the engine, due to which the brakes of the goods train remain engaged.
no one followed the rules
The three-tier safety cycle of the Railway Manual was not followed by the Assistant Loco Pilot, Loco Pilot, Guard and security personnel of the railway station.
Due to this, at 7.25 in the morning the goods train started moving on its own due to the slope. Powered by two diesel engines and 53 coaches loaded with chip stones, the goods train covered the distance of 70 kilometers in one hour and 35 minutes. That means the goods train kept running at a speed of 53.85 kilometers per hour.
This section of Jammu-Jalandhar is sloping and a major accident could have happened during this period. The goods train was stopped by placing sandbags at a steep place near Bassi railway station in Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
Railway spokesperson said that investigation has been started to find out the exact incident. There has been no loss of life or property.
Trains are run by applying brakes on Kalka-Chandigarh railway line.
On the Kalka-Chandigarh section of the Railways, train drivers run by applying brakes instead of accelerator. Because the track goes down by two meters just 200 meters between Kalka-Chandi temple (40 kilometers).
Drivers start applying brakes after traveling seven kilometres. During this time the train is run at 90 kilometers per hour. This trend continued till Chandigarh.