Do you know what ‘X’ on train's last coach means? Ministry of Railways reveals

synopsis

The Ministry of Railways has answered a ‘Did you know?’ nugget about trains on Twitter. For those wondering what the ‘X’ mark on the back of the train means, the Ministry has an explanation.

Taking to Twitter, the ministry with a photo of the sign on the train, wrote: “Did you know? The letter ‘X’ on the last coach of the train denotes that the train has passed without any coaches being left behind." The letter ‘X’ denotes that it is the train’s last coach. 

If the 'X' is missing, it is a signal that the last bogey of the train is absent or has separated from the train as a result of an unfortunate event, and its disappearance is a clear indication that the train is in an emergency situation.

By waiving the green flag, the guard at the rail crossing verifies that the train's coaches are all lined up in alignment. Meanwhile, the red light under the mark's scope aids in finding the train's missing carriage in the darkness of the night when the sign cannot be seen clearly.

The government of India owns and operates Indian Railways, one of the biggest train networks in the world, which was founded in 1853 by the British imperial government.

In 1853, Mumbai (then Bombay) and Thane underwent construction of the nation's first train route, which stretched 34 kilometres. Later, this line was expanded to include other regions of the nation, and by the early 20th century, the Indian railway network had grown to be the nation's biggest employer.