Railway research arm asked for probe after Shatabdi engine wheel skids on wet rails during emergency braking

New Delhi: The Railway Board has asked its research and development organisation to investigate a recent skidding of a locomotive of the New Delhi-Chandigarh Shatabdi Express on wet rails when the loco pilot applied emergency brakes to prevent cattle from being run over.

On July 13, the New Delhi-Chandigarh Shatabdi Express was involved in a cattle run-over incident between Rathdhana and Sonipat in the Northern Railway zone when the loco pilot tried to stop the train using emergency brakes.

The train, which had two WAP-5 locomotives operating together as a multiple unit for high-speed passenger operations, experienced a wheel skid on the wet rails.


The WAP-5 locomotive was replaced with another locomotive after it suffered significant damage and an abnormal sound was detected in its frame.

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The Railway Board discussed the incident at a meeting on July 22 and issued a written direction to the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), stating, "The case of WAP-5 MU locos wheel skid following emergency brake application in wet rail condition is to be studied by RDSO and corrective action taken."

Officials said locomotive skidding generally occurs in the ghat sections of the Indian Railways due to steep gradients and several precautionary measures are being taken to ensure safe train operations.

They added that the incident between Rathdhana and Sonipat was unusual and needed a thorough probe so that necessary guidelines could be issued to the officials concerned to avoid a recurrence in the future.

According to the board's letter, the RDSO has to determine the cause, recommend corrective measures and issue necessary guidelines or instructions to the railway units concerned.

The board has also asked the Northern Railway to look into the status of fencing along the railway tracks to determine the reasons for cattle incursion. Many railway zones were earlier asked by the board to identify vulnerable sections of the track and fence those to prevent animals from trespassing onto the railway tracks.