Safety norms for coaches

The Transportation Branch of Southern Railway has issued fresh instructions to ensure safety of coaches and prevent incidents of trains rolling on their own, in the wake of a derailment of an Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) at Arakkonam recently. In a letter addressed to the Divisional Railway Managers, it said motormen should ensure that trains halt only at the designated spots.

Further, traffic staff should be present whenever an EMU or other trains – Mainline EMU, Diesel EMU — are brought for stabling (halted for a long time).

Later, metal skids (instruments to prevent movement of wheels) should be placed below the outermost wheel to prevent them from rolling down on the track.