Loco pilot helps find rail fracture

tnn | Sep 9, 2017, 

Ahmedabad: The Ajmer division has on Friday announced a reward for Suryanagari loco pilot, K M Yadav, whose alertness prevented a major tragedy from taking place on Wednesday night. Yadav the loco pilot of the Bandra-Jodhpur Suryanagari express had experienced an unusual jerk between Chitrasan and Jethi station between Palanpur and Abu Road Junctions, and immediately informed authorities. His report, supported by the driver of another train led railways authorities to discover a fracture in the track that could have caused a major tragedy if unnoticed.

"The Ajmer division has awarded the loco pilot, K M Yadav, for giving timely information to the station master about the jerk. Yadav is from Gandhidham headquarters," said Puneet Chawla, divisional railway manager, Ajmer division.

Chawla confirmed the incident took place in his division and said the Bandra-Jodhpur driver noticed a jerk and immediately reported it to the nearest station. According to protocol, the next train was asked to go at a speed of 10 kmph. "However, when the second train also reported the jerk, the control room was asked to stop the movement of the train and teams were sent to the area in the night," Chawla said.

He further said that on checking the spot it was revealed that the there was a fracture in the old welding of the track, as a result, it was damaged and the driver felt the jerk. The movement of the track was stopped for nearly three hours before it commenced again after the necessary repairs.

Senior officials said Suryanagari, at about midnight, was heading to Jodhpur at 70kmph, but as the driver felt the jerk he informed the guard who also confirmed it when he passed over the fractured joint. They decided to reduce speed and informed the next station.