Preliminary Probe In Driverless Freight Train Running Incident Finds Driver, Station Master At Fault

A preliminary investigation into the incident of a freight train running driverless for around 70 kilometres has suggested that station master and the driver did not fulfill their responsibilities.

A train ran driverless for around 70 kilometres last week from Kathua in Jammu to Ucchi Bassi in Punjab

Source : X/@Arun2981

A prelimiary probe into the incident of a driverless frieght train running 70 kilometres has suggested that both the driver and the station master failed to fulfil their responsibilities. 

According to PTI, the joint report signed by five senior railway officials recorded the statements of various persons involved in the incident and described the turn of events which point to derilicion of duties on the part of driver and the station master. 

A video made rounds on social media recently where a driverless frieght train ran for about 70 kilometres from Kathua in Jammu to Ucchi Bassi in Punjab. 

As per the report, accessed by PTI, the loco pilot submitted in his statement that besides stabilising the engine and three wagons of the train by applying hand brakes, he also placed two wooden wedges before the wheels of the loco so that it couldn't move.

However, the concerned station master at Ucchi Bassi, where the train finally stopped by putting obstructions such as sand and wooden blocks on the track, carried out an inspection which was video recorded and found that the wagons' handbrakes were not in applied position. 

Goods train with 53 bogies coming from Pathankot to Jalandhar, started moving at a speed of 70-80 km/hr without a driver. The driver without applying handbrakes got down the train to check the lane , the slowly started moving due to slope and gained speed on its own. Railway… pic.twitter.com/7m15PPtbwG

— Amitabh Chaudhary (@MithilaWaala) February 25, 2024

The report also stated that the station master at Kathua railway station, who was on duty, did not stabilise the train properly from 6.05 am to 7.10 am. 

The norms require that the station master has to check if the brakes are properly applies and take other measures to ensure that it would not move. 

As per the report, it was divisional material train (DMT) which is used to carry railway materials for construction and other purposes. The train was stationed at Kathua junction with 53 wagons and it had no brake van (guard's coach).

According to the report, at 5:20 am, the control room communicted the station master to tell the driver to take the train to Jammu but the driver refused as the train didn't have any guard's coach as well as a guard.

Then the control room asked the driver to shut down the train, be relieved of his duties and take a train to Jammu. As per the report, the driver handed over the keys to station master around 6 am and left for Jammu. 

The report stated that the train, which remain unmanned from 6 am to 7:10 am, started moving on its own due to a down gradient.

The PTI report quoted experts as saying that as per the norm, the station master is required to give in writing to the driver to leave the train unmanned but in this case, it was not done, stated the probe. 

The loco pilot also did not make any entry in the the load stabilizing register or put his sign there, the preliminary report added. 

Based on the report, six railway officials have been suspended by the Divisional Railway Manager of the Firozpur division, under which the Kathua-Jammu Tavi section comes, who has also ordered a detailed investigation.