East Coast Railway focuses on safety in foggy weather

Bhubaneswar: To cope with poor visibility and ensure passengers' safety during foggy weather, the East Coast Railway has instructed its staff members to take sufficient precautions such as using detonators and regulating the speed of trains.

Loco pilots have been instructed to regulate train speed depending on visibility during fog and dense weather condition in winter, an ECoR release said.

The train staff members are being sensitised by railway officers and safety counsellors to cope with the situation at night and early morning in areas which are likely to be affected by fog, the release said.

Precautions have been taken regarding running of trains during winter for which the Railways already have a well laid-down procedure, the release said.

The Railways are using detonators when visibility is severely impaired, to provide an audible indication to the locomotive crew that the train is approaching a signal.

These detonators are flat, disc-shaped metal containers, usually coloured red, which contain an explosive mixture that detonates with the application of pressure when the wheels of the locomotive pass over, it said.

Station managers have been provided with adequate detonators and advised to assess whether visibility is impaired badly enough to warrant the use of detonators.

The Railway staff posted at stations, cabins and gates have also been instructed to place detonators whenever there is a thick fog to warn the loco pilots.

The guards of the trains have been counselled and instructed to watch that the loco-pilot does not exceed the prescribed speed limit during fog.

The ECoR has also introduced cold weather patrolling system by deputing winter patrolmen with proper training and monitoring. Surprise checks and footplate inspections are being done during late night and early morning hours at all sensitive places, the release added.

In areas prone to dense fog, luminous and fluorescent strips have been painted on overhead equipment masts, level crossings and at busy traffic areas before an approaching 'Stop Signal' to warn the loco pilot that the train is approaching such a signal and moving in sensitive areas, it said.