Odisha train crash: How Coromandel Express entered loop line, collided with goods train? WATCH

The Railway Board on Sunday explained how one of the deadliest train accidents happened in Odisha's Balasore. The tragedy happened near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore at around 7 pm on Friday. The crash involved three trains - Yesvantpur-Howrah Superfast Express (12862), Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express (12841), and a goods train. The site where the accident happened had two main lines and two loop lines on both sides, said Jaya Varma Sinha, a Member of Operation and Business Development at the Railway Board.  

The main lines were clear for the passage of these superfast trains and the loop lines were occupied by two goods trains. At 6:40 pm, Coromandel Express left Balasore for Bhadrakh in Odisha. At 6:52 pm, Coromandel Express approached Bahanaga station after the green signal. At 6:55 pm, Yesvantpur-Howrah Express, which was coming from the other direction on the second line, approached the Bahanaga station.

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However, Coromandel Express, which was supposed to continue on the main line, accidentally changed the course and entered the loop line, on which a freight train laden with iron ore was already halted, and hit the goods train. At this time, the train was running at 128 kmph. Due to its full speed, the impact of the collision was very high, leading to the derailment of many coaches of Coromandel Express. A few coaches turned turtle and crashed with the last three coaches of Yesvantpur-Howrah Express, which was passing on the other main line.

During a press conference, Railway Board's Sinha said the direction, route, and signal were set for the Coromandel Express. She also said that Coromandel Express 'was not over-speeding' and received the green signal to enter a loop line on which a goods train was stationary. 

"Green signal means that in every way the driver knows that his path ahead is clear and he can go forward with his permitted maximum speed. The permitted speed at this section was 130 kmph and he was running his train at 128 kmph which we have confirmed from loco logs," she said. 

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The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express train was running at a speed of 126 kmph. "In both the trains, there was no question of over-speeding. Preliminary finding has found that there is a signalling issue," Sinha said. "Only one train was involved in the accident, it was the Coromandel Express. The Coromandel Express crashed with the goods train and its coaches went on top of the goods train. It was an iron ore-laden train, a heavy train, therefore the entire impact of the collision was on the train," she said.   

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Earlier in the day, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the "root cause" of the accident had been identified as issues with the point machine and the electronic interlocking system. A preliminary report has also said that Coromandel Express had entered the loop line on which a goods train was parked. 

Sandeep Mathur, Principal Executive Director of Signalling at the Railway Board, explained how the two key components could be responsible for the accident. He said if the train has to move to a loop line, the point machine has to be operated. "We have to see whether the track ahead is occupied or not. Signal is interlocked in such a manner that it will show if the line ahead is occupied or not. It will also be known whether a point is taking the train straight or towards the loop line. 

"When the point shows straight and the track ahead is not occupied then the signal is green and if the point is taking the train on a loop and the track is clear then the signal is yellow and the route is shown in a different direction," he said. He said the interlocking system is a safe way to guide the train out of a station by connecting point, traction unit, and interlocking systems with signal so that the train's movement is clear. These interlocking can be of two types -- electronic or non-electronic. 

Both the officials said that the system is both "error proof and tamper proof". "It is called a fail-safe system, it means that even if it fails, all the signals will turn red and all train operations will stop. Now, as the minister said there was a problem with the signalling system. It could be a physical error, whereby someone has done some digging without seeing the cables," Sinha said.

(With inputs from PTI)