Report on emergency repair for OCS mast broken between Dire Dawa

and Arawa station

On June 17, 2023, at 3:52, Lonnis substation duty officer reported smaller mileage circuit
breaker (211 DL tripped) automatic reclosing falls to close automatically. Dire Dawa
dispatcher received a report smaller mileage reclosing failure then, Dire Dawa
maintenance patrol departed due to the car collide with the train then the dire dawa patrol
team departed from Dire Dawa station on June 17, 2023 at 16:13. Then, patrol team found
the problems of broken mast at k479+490 on mast number #304 at 16:30. The Dire Dawa
patrol team collected all necessary data from the emergency site and returned to back to
the Dire Dawa center lately by car which unknown time. The mast broken (#304) at a
mileage of (K479+490) has been broken purposely by local people and needs an urgent
emergency maintenance. The emergency repair plan was prepared by power supply
engineer at 17:20 June 17, 2023.

Figure 1: Broken mast

General Situation
Time of occurrence: 3:52 June 17, 2023–20:05 June 18, 2023 which mean that breaker trip
off and the breaker was switched ON.
Place of occurrence: On mast number #304 at a mileage of K479+490 in between Dire Dawa
and Arawa Station. Description of accident: Mast number #304 at a mileage of k479+490 has
been broken. Completion time of emergency maintenance: 20:05 June 18, 2023.
Loss caused by the accident: 1 H93 concrete mast, one pin insulator, three shoulder base for
return wire, three shoulder base for jumper wire, Jumper wire, two stay wire, one Rod
insulator , two porcelain suspension insulator and two balance weight supporting rod.
Affected area: Between Dire Dawa and Arawa, Lonnis substation smaller mileage arm
(K464+674-K487+674).

Description of emergency repair

When the Dire Dawa work shop received the emergency call, patrol team organized to
find out the problems at 6:06 June, 17.2023. Then, patrol team reached the emergency site
at 16:30 and found out the problems. The emergency problems occurred will be stated as
follows: Mast was fallen on the rail track, 2 set stay wire damaged, return wire support
device was bended, 2 balance weight support was damaged, 2 shoulder of balance weight
damaged, 2 porcelain type suspension was broken, 1 rod insulators was burnt, contact
wire was missed alignment almost 150m, nonoperational contact wires insulator was
misalignment, jumper wire was scattered. The patro1 team returns back from site which is
unknown because of their travel was by car while they arrived to Dire Dawa center.
Figure:2 Broken mast Figure 4: burned rod insulator

As we know, Dire Dawa workshop doesn’t have an operational rail car that have crane that is
why Dire Dawa workshop needs the operational rail car from bike workshop. Dire Dawa
workshop was received the operational rail car from Bike work shop on June 17.2023.

June 18. 2023 at 6:05 the work shop deputy director gather the emergency teams for a short
meeting and safety speech in order to arrange work duty among the teams.
 Figure 3: Short meeting

The maintenance team organized personnel’s and materials to prepare for the emergency
maintenance. The maintenance crew contains 1 deputy depot chief, 1deputy director, 1
Electric work zone leader, 2 power supply engineers, 2 crew leader, 1 High power
Technicians, 3 OCS inspector, 2 Safety Clark, 6 equipment maintenance workers, 16
OCS workers, 3 Railcar Drivers, 5 Chinese OCS professionals, 1 Chinese electrical
maintenance team leader, 1 Chinese electric work chief and 2 Chinese railcar drivers. At
6:52 June 18, 2023 the maintenance teams taken short meeting and loaded all necessary
materials on the railcar. Dire Dawa work shop received work ticket order at 6:14 and the
team departed from Dire Dawa station at 7:15 and arrived at the emergency maintenance
site at 8:23. After arriving the emergency maintenance site the assigned person tested
electric power at 8:28 and hang grounding wire at 8:30.

Figure 4:Test Electricity Figure 5: hang grounding wire

Dismantling equipment’s from the broken started at 8:59 and removing the broken mast
started at 9:43. Then dismantling the equipment’s from the broken mast and completed
dismantling process at 9:50 and removing upper part of the broken mast ended at 9:52. After
the upper part of the mast removed digging the pit have been started at 9:51, the remaining
part of the mast removed at 14:39 and digging the pit ended at 15:46. At 15:47 the cantilever
base and stay wire base is installed on the new mast. Erecting the new mast started at 15:47
and completed at 16:00. As soon as erecting the new mast and adjusting the mast’s position
completed at 16:28. The pit of mast after completion of erecting and adjustment was
backfilled by the soil at 17:06. The broken mast was loaded on the flat car and completed at
16:15.

Figure 6:Installing onbas new mast Figure 7:digging the pit 3m

Installing the top rod insulator at 16:46, top cantilever tube at 16:50, bottom rod insulator at
16:51, and bottom cantilever tube at 16:53. Installing the stay wire from 16:33 up to 17:27.
Installing the return wire support from 18:16 up to 18:44. Installing the compensation device
from 17:33 up to 18:46. Installing messenger and contact wire was ended at 17:23. Adjusting
the contact wire height and stagger value from 19:03 up to 19:20. After by the checking the
whole maintenance and collecting garbage was completed at 19:25.
Figure 8:completion Figure 9:check the stagger and line height
Then, maintenance personnel’s and materials and tools evacuated from site at 19:35 and
removing the ground wire at 19:35. The person in charge of emergency site was reported the
completion of maintenance to power supply dispatcher at 19:45 and power supply dispatcher
recalled to person in the charge of site to inform power is on at 19:55 then, assigned person
test electricity at 20:05 and confirm the power is on. Then, the person in charge confirmed the
power supply is live at 20:06. The work ticket registration cancelled at 20:47. Then, arrived
Dire Dawa station at 20:40. The team unloaded equipment’s and tools at 20:52.

Difficulties on site
One of problem was the absence of operational rail car. The hot weather
conditions was difficult which the teams to finish the work in short time. The
communication problems between the Chinese professional and OCS
employees. The command give from the Chinese and local employee was let bit
gap due to translation problem. The material and tools shortage like safety belt,
full set tools like wrench, pliers and soon. The shortage of food in the canteen
which team was faced after work. There is also the man power management and
time management. Regarding about safety issue when we rise something useful
idea Chinese counterpart does not willing to take and discuss about the issue
and this needs great effort in order to correct for future.
Cause Analysis
After taking photos and collecting evidence on the spot, it was found that the
OCS mast was broken and fallen by man-made problems.

Construction load and economic loss

Sp
ecif U Re
N Quant
Name of material ica ni mar
o. ity
tio t k
n Material
Material used
H9
1 Concrete mast P 1
3
Ru
2 Suspension insulator bbe p 2
r
3 Stay wire set 2
4 Hook-type screw p 1
Shoulder base for return
5 set 3
wire
Shoulder base for jumper
6 set 3
wire
7 Jumper wire m 15
8 Rod insulator p 1
No Name of materials Specification Unit Quantity
.
1 Mast adjusting Set 1
device
2 Electric Railcar Pcs 1
3 Operational Railcar Pcs 1
4 Flat car Pcs 2
5 Tools Set 2
6 Generator Pcs 2
7 Shovel Pcs 9
8 Crowbar Pcs 3
9 Safety belt Pcs 6

10 Hammer Pcs 3
 11 pickaxe Pcs 3
12 pulley Pcs 2
13 Big rope Pcs 2
14 Big cutter Pcs 1
15 Hand crane Pcs 2
16 Grounding device Pcs 2
17 Electroscope Pcs 1
18 Safety glove Set 2
19 Safety boot Set 2
20 Laser measurement
21 Grinder Pcs 1

Maintenance personnel
1 Deputy Depot chief
1 Deputy Director
1 Electric work zone leader
2 High power Technicians
2 power supply engineers
1 Safety Clerk
6 Equipment maintenances
23 OCS Workers
2 Drivers
3 OCS inspectors
5 Chinese OCS professionals
2 Chinese Railcar Driver
2 Chinese electric chief
Summary
Between Dire Dawa and Arawa station at a mileage of k479+490 mast number
#304 equipment’s on had damaged by local peoples.
By the cooperation of Chinese’s team and all ETS maintenance team fully
recovered the problem in short time.
The bad aspects of this situation is that it affected the normal operation of the
railway transport, leads the company to maintenance cost and economical
loss.As a maintenance workers it was a good chance for us to learn the
emergency handling mechanism and protocols and makes us ready for any
related emergencies on the future failure.
Recommendation
Such situations was happening in this section repeatedly. The company and
the government should give attention and awareness to the community. And
also the company should push the government to put vandals to justice and
give some clue to the peoples around the site area regarding the situations.
Attachment: site pictures

Broken mast Short meeting

Erecting new mast Installation rod insulator and
cantilever tube
completion Check the stagger value and line height value