Trains stranded

Long-distance, local trains stranded at level crossing due to traffic snarls

14 January 2013

statesman news service

KOLKATA, 14 JAN: In a not so common incident, a long distance passenger train and 14 EMU local trains got stranded en-route for about 25 minutes on an average after the on-duty railway personnel posted at the Rishra level crossing gate on Howrah-Bandel Main line section could not close the gate for over half an hour due to traffic snarls caused by road vehicles.

This happened between 9.52 a.m. to 10.25 a.m., when the gateman finally succeeded to close down the gate, facilitating the stranded trains to move.  

This happened on a day when train services on Baruipur-Diamond Harbour route in Sealdah south section were disrupted for nearly two hours from 11.11 a.m. after the pantograph of a Diamond Harbour-bound local train got entangled with the overhead wire.

Railway authorities pressed a Tower Van into repair, which restored the overhead power supply at 12.50 p.m. and normal train services resumed subsequently. During the disruption period, one suburban train was cancelled and four more got delayed by about an hour on an average.