26 April,2022 05:13 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
A turntable in Bandra marshalling yard. Pic/Rajendra Aklekar
An old and forgotten relic of locomotive turntables could have saved the day and averted the accident at Matunga is what Central Railway's prominent trade union National Railway Mazdoor Union (NRMU) states, adding that instead of banning the long-hood engines, it would have been easier to turn them around.
"Our union time and again has emphasized for the provision of 'engine turn round table' in Mumbai division to avoid long hood driving which is also not considered," says Venu P Nair, NRMU general secretary.
"Since four years, we were discussing this issue with administration but they were adamant to admit. Now it's proved that we were right," he added.
Engine turntables were a common phenomenon during the steam engine days and were usually at all major yards and near junction stations. A turntable includes rail tracks and that swivelled round to turn the rail tracks and change their direction.
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The stage is still young
An old photo of a turntable. Pic/Indian Railway Archives
Mid-Day had reported that the Central Railway had banned long hood leading locomotives in every single passenger train after the Matunga accident. The long hood diesel locomotive is, as the name implies, the longer part of the locomotive ahead of the driving cab, particularly AlCo-class locomotives, which partially blocks view ahead.
Three coaches of the Dadar-Puducherry Express (Train no 11005) had derailed near Matunga station in Mumbai on the night of April 15 after the engine of the CSMT-Gadag Express, going in the same direction, dashed it sideways.
The accident had happened in between Dadar and Matunga at 9.45 pm. Though a final accident inquiry report is to be completed, prima facie it was observed that the locomotive was running in Long Hood Forward (LHF) mode and drivers of the train involved in the accident were unable to see the aspect of the train properly due to long hood.
