Counsel loco pilots on timely braking to prevent red signal overshoots: Railway Board to Zones

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) The Railway Board has urged all its zones to counsel their running staff about the importance of applying brakes in time to prevent incidents that pose a threat to operational safety after it reviewed a recent case of red signal overshoot by a passenger train in Mumbai Division.

On October 16, the Udyan Express jumped a red signal at a speed of 14 kmph in the Lonavla-Karjat section of the Mumbai Division.

"Analysis revealed that the train's speed was not adequately reduced after passing the yellow signal, and despite application of the emergency brake at about 50 kmph, the SPAD (Signal Passing At Danger or red signal overshoot) could not be averted," the Railway Board said in a letter to the general managers of all zones.

It said that during a review of the incident at the Railway Board's meeting on September 22, it was found that the incident occurred due to inadequate speed reduction while passing the signal at 'caution' (one yellow) aspect.

Experts, after carrying out braking analysis of several loco pilots, concluded that although the speed was reduced to the prescribed level, "there is a tendency to continue at that speed for a longer distance and to apply brakes late before the home signal at 'red'." The Railway Board asked the officials concerned to instruct loco pilot lobbies to counsel the crew on such cases. "The Zonal Railways are advised to take necessary action and issue specific instructions in accordance with local guidelines, to prevent recurrence of such cases," it said. PTI JP JP NSD NSD