The Railway Board has directed all railway zones to ensure that locomotive crews conduct mandatory braking tests after taking charge of trains, following the derailment of the Kolkata-Sairang Express near Guwahati on November 11. The Board has also ordered a week-long safety inspection drive to verify compliance with existing braking procedures and identify any lapses.
In a directive issued on November 11, the Railway Board instructed all zonal railways to conduct the safety drive from November 12 to 18, focusing on whether locomotive crews are properly carrying out brake feel and brake power tests before operating trains. The zones have been asked to compile details of any discrepancies detected during the exercise and submit their reports to the Board by November 20.
The directive comes after a preliminary investigation into the derailment at Digaru railway station in Assam pointed towards a possible malfunction in the train’s main braking system.
According to the findings of a six-member inquiry team, the BP angle cock, a component that plays an important role in applying brakes across train coaches, was found in an isolated condition in the locomotive. This could have affected the functioning of the train’s main braking system.
However, the preliminary findings have not established who rendered the braking system dysfunctional or whether the running crew failed to follow the mandatory safety procedures before operating the train.
Railway officials said the latest directive reiterates existing safety regulations that require locomotive crews to test the effectiveness of the braking system after taking charge of a train. Compliance with these procedures has come under scrutiny following the Kolkata-Sairang Express incident.
Under the prescribed brake feel test, the locomotive pilot first brings the train to a speed of around 15 kmph before applying the brakes through the main braking system, known as A-9. The speed is expected to come down to approximately 10 kmph, allowing the crew to assess whether the brakes are responding properly.
The brake power test involves a separate procedure. In passenger trains, the crew accelerates the train to around 60-70 kmph before applying the brakes to bring the speed down to 30-35 kmph. For goods trains, the prescribed test involves reducing the speed from 40-50 kmph to 20-25 kmph.
The Railway Board has also emphasised the responsibility of the assistant loco pilot (ALP) in ensuring that both tests are conducted. The assistant loco pilot is required to remind the locomotive pilot about the tests, if necessary, and independently observe whether the braking system is functioning effectively.
Meanwhile, railway sources have indicated that a possible communication lapse during the locomotive handover process at Guwahati could have contributed to the braking problem.
The Kolkata-Sairang Express had earlier undergone a routine locomotive change at Guwahati, where its electric locomotive was replaced with a diesel engine. During this process, railway staff were required to isolate the BP angle cock as part of the established procedure.
However, following the completion of electrification work on the route, the practice of changing locomotives at Guwahati had reportedly been discontinued over the past few days. The electric locomotive had started operating the train beyond Guwahati without requiring a change to a diesel locomotive.
According to a railway official, the staff member responsible for isolating the BP angle cock was on leave when the locomotive interchange practice was discontinued. When the employee returned to duty on November 11, he reportedly followed the earlier procedure and isolated the angle cock, apparently unaware that the electric locomotive would continue to operate the train beyond Guwahati.
This may have resulted in the main braking system remaining disconnected, although the exact sequence of events is still being examined.
The official also indicated that the train crew may have either failed to conduct the mandatory braking tests or relied on regenerative braking along with the main A-9 braking system while checking the train’s braking capability.
The crew may have realised that the main braking system was not functioning properly when they attempted to stop the train near the loop line. This could have contributed to the derailment, the official added.
The circumstances surrounding the incident, including the locomotive handover procedure, the condition of the BP angle cock and the possible failure to carry out mandatory braking tests, are being examined.
The Railway Board’s latest instructions are aimed at ensuring that running crews follow the prescribed safety checks without exception and that any shortcomings in the existing procedures are identified and addressed across railway zones.
