Train Derailed

Derailed! Train goes off track at City station

Hundreds of passengers on board the Chennai Express, which was leaving the City Railway Station for Chennai, had a miraculous escape on early Thursday morning when the driver of the train noticed a fracture on the rail. Within seconds, the driver braked and halted the train.

Train No. 12610, bound for Chennai, had left platform 3 at 8 am. Railway authorities, who rushed to the spot didn’t lose much time. After pulling out the bogies using another engine, they ensured that the train left with a new set of locomotives from platform 4 at 9.15 am.

Speaking about the incident, Divisional Railway Manager, South-Western Railway, Mr S. Mani said: “The incident occurred due to a fracture of the rail. We have a system where we check tracks before a train leaves, but the fracture was either not noticed or had not taken place then. However, we have ordered an inquiry and within a few days we will get to know facts”.

He said the incident cannot be termed as a derailment as the coaches did not derail.

“The incident occurred due to wear and tear of the track because of which the rail came apart. Also, the bogies were in the process of being attached to the engine when the incident occurred. There were no causalities. We also ensured that passengers did not have to wait for long as the train was diverted to another platform and left within an hour,” he added.