Accidents & Disasters

Srinivasa Rao.D, M.Tech

Asst Director/IRIDM/SBC
 COMPARISION OF TRACK ROUTE
KILOMETERS AROUND THE WORLD
S No Country Route Kms Goods Passenger Operator

1 USA 2,50,000 2,15,000 35,000 Union Pacific rail road, BNSF Railway for
Goods
Amtrak passengers

2 China 1,27,000kms   25,000 + Govt. China Railway corp

(HSR)

3 Russia 85,000Kms    HSR State owned -Russian Railways(RZD)

4 India 67000Kms 3338kms Both Pass & Indian Railways

DFC Goods
Planned HSR
Planned

5 Canada 49,500Kms   12500kms Canadian National Railway,

Canadian Pacific Railway for Goods
 

6 Germany 41,000Kms   (HSR) State owned Deutshe Bahn is major

player.

7 Australia 40,000Kms     Majority owned by Australian Govt.

 Accident
Accident is an occurrence in the course of working of railway which
does or may affect

 the safety of the railway,

 its engine, rolling stock,

 permanent way and works,

 fixed installations, passengers or servants or

 Which affect the safety of others or

 which does or may cause delay to train or loss to the Railway

 Serious Accident
1. Death or Grievous Injury or

2. Loss of Railway Property above

Rs. 2 Crores or

3. CCRS/CRS, intends to hold inquiry.

 TYPES OF ACCIDENT
 TRAIN ACCIDENTS

 YARD ACCIDENTS

 INDICATIVE ACCIDENTS

 EQUIPMENT FAILURE

 UNUSUAL INCIDENTS
 Classification of Accidents
For Statistical purpose Accidents are classified from A
to R excluding I & O.

Main classes 16

Sub-classes 84
 Threshold value
• The minimum value beyond which the
accident will be treated as having serious
repercussion.
• For Railway property : One lakh rupees, or
• Interruption to communication:
1. BG – A, B, C or D-spl route
Total : 3 hrs
Total + Partial : 6 hrs
 Classification of Accidents
Consequential Accidents
A - Collision : A 1 to A 5

B – Fire : B 1 to B 7

C – LC Gate Accidents : C 1 to C 9

D – Derailments : D 1 to D 6

E – Other train Accidents : E 1 to E 2

 A - Collision
A 1 – Train Carrying Passengers with
1) Loss of life/ Grievous Injury.
2) Damage to Rly property
exceeding 2 Crores.
3) Interruption to communication more
than 24 hrs.

A 2 – TNCP involving above 1–3 conditions

A 3 – TCP not falling under A 1.

A 4 –TNCP not falling under A 2.

A 5 – Collisions in Yards, Loco Yards, Sidings

etc during shunting.
 B - Fire
B 1 – TCP with 1 - 3 conditions

B 2 – TNCP with 1 - 3 conditions

B 3 – TCP not falling under B1, but loss to

Rly property is 50,000 or
above/Interruption to traffic more than
threshold value or resulting in
detachment of coaching stock(s).
B 4 – TNCP not falling under B1, but loss to
Rly property is 50,000 or
above/Interruption to traffic more than
threshold value or resulting in
detachment of Goods stock(s).
B 5 –TCP not falling under B 1 or B 3.

B 6 –TNCP not falling under B 2 or B 4.

B 7 – Fire in Yards, Loco Yards, Sidings etc

involving rolling stock.
 C - LC Gate Accidents
C 1 – TCP at manned LC resulting in
1. loss of life/G- Injury.
2.damage to Rly property and interruption to
traffic more than threshold value.
C 2 –TNCP at manned LC resulting in 1 & 2.

C 3 –TCP at unmanned LC resulting in 1 & 2.

C 4 - TNCP at unmanned LC resulting in 1 & 2.

C 5 –TCP at manned LC not falling in C 1.

C 6 –TNCP at manned LC not falling in C 2.

C 7 –TCP at unmanned LC not falling in C 3.

C 8 –TNCP at unmanned LC not falling in C 4.

C 9 – Shunting engine with or without vehicles

or loose vehicles colliding at LCs.
 D -Derailments
D 1 – Derailment of TCP resulting in1 to 3.

D 2 –Derailment of TNCP resulting in1 to 3.

D 3 –Derailment of TCP not falling under D 1.

D 4 – Derailment of TNCP not falling under D 2.
But loss/interruption is more than the
Threshold value.

D 5 – Derailment of TNCP not falling under D 2

or D 4.

D 6 – Derailments at Yards/sidings.
 E – Other Train Accidents
E 1 – Trains running over or against
obstruction including fixed structure
other than included in `C` resulting in
loss of life/ Grievous hurt or damage
/interruption to traffic more than the
threshold value.
E 2 – Train running in to any obstruction
including fixed structure not covered
under `C` or E 1.
 Classification of Accidents

Indicative Accidents

F – Averted Collisions (F 1 to F 4)

G – Breach of Block rules (G 1 to G 4)

H – Signal passing at danger ( H 1 To H 2)

 F – Averted Collision
F 1 – Averted collisions between trains out of
which one is a TCP.

F 2 – Averted collisions between TCP and an

obstruction.

F 3 – Averted collisions between TNCP.

F 4 – Averted collisions between TNCP &

obstruction.
 G – Breach of Block Rules
G 1 –TCP entering Block section without ATP
or with improper ATP.

G 2 –TNCP entering Block section without ATP

or with improper ATP.
G 3 –Train received on blocked line not
constituting averted collision.

G 4 –Train received or entering wrong line or

into catch/slip siding or sand hump.
H –Train Passing Signal at Danger
H 1 –Train carrying passengers running past
a Stop signal at danger without proper
authority.

H 2 –Train not carrying passengers running

past a Stop signal at danger without
proper authority.
Equipment failure

J – Failure of Engine & Rolling Stock

(J1 to J 10)

K - Failure of Permanent Way (K1 to K 7)

L – Failure of Electrical equipment ( L 1 to L 4)

M – Failure of Signalling & Telecommunication

( M 1 to M 7)
J – Failure of Engine & Rolling Stock

J 1 – Failure of TE of TCP.

J 2 – Failure of TE of TNCP or LE.

J 3 – Parting of TCP

J 4 – Parting of TNCP
J 5 – Failure of Rolling stock viz, tyres, wheels,
axles or braking apparatus of TCP leading to
detachment of Rolling stock(s).

J 6 – Failure of Rolling stock viz, tyres, wheels,

axles or braking apparatus of TNCP leading to
detachment of Rolling stock(s).

J 7 –Failure of Rolling stock viz, tyres, wheels,

axles or braking apparatus of TCP not leading
to detachment of Rolling stock(s).
J 8 – Failure of Rolling stock viz, tyres, wheels,
axles or braking apparatus of TNCP not
leading to detachment of Rolling stock(s).

J 9 – Train or portion of train running away out of

control.

J 10 – Poor brake power in a train but not

covered under class J 9.
 K – Failure of Permanent Way
K 1 – Buckling of track

K 2 – Weld failure

K 3 – Rail fracture

K 4 – Slack/rough running/heavy lurch

experienced leading to blockage.
K 5 – Failure of tunnel, Bridge, Viaduct, Cutting
& Culvert.

K 6 – Damage to track other than K 1 to K 5

temporarily rendered unsafe for trains and
delay above threshold value.

K 7 – Damage to track other than K 1 to K 6.

 L – Failure of Electrical Equipment
L 1 – Snapping/Damage to OHE requiring
switching off for more than 3 minutes.

L 2 – No tension in OHE for more than 3 minutes.

L 3 – Pantograph entanglement not covered

under J 1 and J 2.

L 4 – Defect in AC or electrical equipment leading

to detachment of Rolling stock(s).
 M – Failure of Signalling
& Telecommunication
M 1 – Failure of part or complete panel/RRI.

M 2 –Failure of Interlocking/TC/AC

M 3 –Failure of Block Instruments

M 4 –Failure of point machine and equipment

M 5 – Failure of Points and signals

M 6 – Communication failure between control and

SM for more than 15 mins.

M 7 – Communication failure between stations/

LC gate for more than 15 mins.
UNUSUAL INCIDENTS

N – Train wrecking or Sabotage to a train

(N 1 to N 3)

P – Casualties ( P 1 to P 3)

Q – Other incidences - (Q 1 to Q 6 )
 N – Train Wrecking/Sabotage
N 1 – Attempting Train wrecking of or bomb blast
or explosion or hijacking or sabotage to TCP with
or without loss of life/damage.

N 2 –Attempting Train wrecking of or bomb blast or

explosion or hijacking or sabotage to TNCP with
or without loss of life/damage.

N 3 –Attempting Train wrecking of or bomb blast or

explosion or sabotage to signalling, forceful
confinement of running staff and or passengers.
 P - Casualties
P 1 – Person/Persons falling out of a running train
resulting in loss of human life or grievous injury.

P 2 – Person/Persons run over or knocked down

resulting in loss of human life or grievous injury.

P 3 –Person/Persons falling out or knocked down

not resulting in loss of human life or grievous
injury.
 Q – Other incidences
Q 1 – Accidental/Natural death or Grievous
injury within Railway premises.

Q 2 – Murder or suicide in a train or Railway

premises.

Q 3 – Robbery/Theft in Railway premises.

Q 4 – Fire/explosion in Railway premises

Q 5 – Fire/explosion resulting in damage to

Railway bridges/viaduct etc.

Q 6 –Blockade to train services due to agitation.

 R - Miscellaneous
R 1 – Vehicle/Vehicles running away.

R 2 – Train running over cattle

R 3 – Floods, Breaches, Landslides etc more than

threshold value.

R 4 – Other cases of floods, landslides not in R 3.

R 5 – Any accident not included in above classes

 Disaster on Railways definition
• “Railway Disaster is a serious train accident or an
untoward event of grave nature, either on railway
premises or arising out of railway activity, due to
natural or man-made causes, that may lead to loss of
many lives and/or grievous injuries to a large
number of people, and/or severe disruption of traffic
etc, necessitating large scale help from other
Government/Non-government and Private
Organizations.”
Long Range Accident Siren

• To give immediate warning to staff of

various departments.
• Siren provided with :

1. A delayed action switch.

2. A check switch for testing the siren.

• Designed to give a call of ¾ min duration,

with ½ min interval between two calls.
 Sounding of Hooters
• Long – 45secs Short -10secs. Gap -30sec
• Two long
• Two long one short
• Three long
• Three long one short
• Four long
• Four long one short
• Both switches are provided with locking
arrangements and keys kept with electrical
staff.
• The check switch shall be operated by
electrical dept once in a month.
• In the event of siren failure Engine whistle
or in absence of engine station bell shall
be violently rung.
 Movement of ARME Sc-I
• CHC shall advise SMs of stations where
MRV is stabled.
• SMs to advise Sr Official of Medical dept &
Mechanical dept of his station.
• Medical dept official to assemble staff with
emergency boxes and advise SM.
• Mechanical dept to assemble his staff and
advise his readiness to SM.
• No Officer’s Inspection carriage shall be
attached to MRV except where it is
already in the formation.

• MRV may carry local Doctors without

causing any delay.

• If MRV movement is further is not

necessary due to obvious reasons, the
same may be cancelled only under
personal orders of DRM.
 Target time
• Depending upon where the MRV is
stabled on a siding.
• Target time is prescribed for guidance and
preparedness.
• Target time for turning out MRV is
reckoned from the time Siren.
• From single exit siding 25 mins and from
double exit sidings 20 mins.
• Also indicated in WTT of divisions.
 Maintenance
• Mechanical
• Coaching stock of ART & MRT should be
given POH at an interval of three and half
years once and IOH at an interval of six
months once.
• Trial run of ART & MRT is to be conducted
at an interval of three months once.
• All the equipments of ART & MRT are to be
given schedule as specified by OEMS.
 Levels of Enquiry
 All Serious Accidents - CRS /Committee
of JA grade officers with DRM as
accepting authority subject to review by
CSO.

 All other consequential accidents except

unmanned LC accidents – Committee of
JA grade officers/Branch Officers.
 All yard accidents - Committee of Sr
Supervisors with Sr DSO/DSO as accepting
authority.
 All Indicative accidents- Committee of Sr/Jr
scale officers with DRM as accepting
authority.
 All SPAD cases inquired by a committee of
JAG level with Sr DSO as one of the
member.
 All cases of Equipment failures-
Supervisors of respective departments.
 Foreign Rly staff responsible- AGM/SDGM
or CSO.
 Accident Manual
• It consists of various Procedures to deal with
disasters and accidents.
• It spells about various responsibilities of
Railway staff both onboard and other staff.
• It deals how to conduct enquires procedures
in the case of accidents.
• It deals about procedure of taking readings in
accidents of P Way, Rolling stock, S&T etc.,
THANK YOU