Goods train with 53 wagons runs driverless for at 90 kmph over 80km! (WATCH)
The incident occurred when the train's drivers stopped for a tea break, leaving the engine running, resulting in the train's unmanned journey. Fortunately, the train eventually halted due to a steep incline in the tracks, averting a potential disaster.
FollowA freight train consisting of 53 wagons careened without a driver at a speed of 90kmph over approximately 80km from Kathua in Jammu to Hoshiarpur in Punjab on Sunday. This hair-raising incident unfolded when the train's drivers reportedly took a tea break, leaving the engine running.
The real-life drama saw the train loaded with stone chips eventually come to a halt due to a steep incline in the tracks in Punjab, preventing a catastrophe. Following the alarming incident, six railway officials, including the two drivers, were promptly suspended. The train's eerie journey, captured in viral videos, underscored the gravity of the situation.
According to an official source, the diesel locomotive-hauled train began its downward trajectory towards Pathankot after the drivers halted for a tea break at Kathua station, inadvertently leaving the engine running. Despite initial attempts to stop the train proving futile, it was eventually halted by a steep gradient in Unchi Bassi, Punjab.
Upon slowing down at Uchhi Bassi, an official onboard the locomotive activated the emergency brakes, bringing the runaway train to a stop. Ferozepur divisional railway manager (DRM) Sanjay Sahu commended the swift response of the railways, which included alerting all stations along the Jammu-Jalandhar section, stopping all down trains, and closing crossings to allow the driverless train to pass safely.
In the aftermath of the incident, DRM Sahu suspended the six officials at Kathua station pending an inquiry. This included the drivers, station superintendent, pointsman, and another official. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties or damages during the unmanned train's journey from 7.25am to 9am.
As investigations commenced to determine the cause of the incident, Sahu emphasized the importance of safety measures such as placing wooden wedges under train wheels when stationary, a precautionary measure that was overlooked in this instance. Similar incidents in the past, including a driverless Shatabdi Express incident in 2010 and another involving a passenger train in 2015, have underscored the criticality of such safety protocols.
