Shocker in Tiruchy, locos without drivers run for 10 km

The railways have termed the entire issue as “Signal Passing at Danger”, which will be treated as an accident when a train overshoots Last Stop Signal (LSS). 

According to sources, when the Erode Passenger train arrived at Tiruchy junction, the station master declared the locomotive 40441 as dead after a snag was detected. So, a shunting engine from the shed came to take the fault-hit engine for repair. When the locomotive of the Erode train was connected to the shunting engine, the latter also developed a snag resulting in brake failure. So, the driver around 5.50 am alighted to check the fault. At this juncture, the shunting engine started moving at a speed of 30 kmph dragging the snag-hit locomotive of the Erode train. Though attempts were made to stop the locos by placing boulders on the track, they overshot the LSS and stopped near Mutharasanallur, which comes under Erode section, after running for 15 minutes at 6.05 am. 

A senior railway official said that fortunately, no other  train was coming in the section in the opposite direction on the same track. However, as precaution, an alert was issued to all the trains that were supposed to pass through the line about the ‘mad’ run of the locos.

The Ernakulam-Karaikal Express would usually come on that line and reach Fort station at 7.20 am. Officials also said that an inquiry has been constituted under the DRM who will be conducting a detailed probe and submit a report shortly.