Mumbai Local Train Crashes Into Churchgate Station [Video]

The impact caused the first coach of the train to climb up the platform almost 5-metres in the air, while casualties were restricted a maximum of 5.

Local trains are synonymous with Mumbai connecting the north and south ends of the city, and seldom has it been known for getting into major accidents (apart from the part where people fall off it on a daily basis). In a rather shocking incident that happened yesterday, a Bhayandar-Churchgate bound train crashed into platform number 3 at the Churchgate station, causing the first coach to climb over the platform, injuring five people in the process.

The incident took place at 11.20 AM on a Sunday and hence thankfully saw a lesser number of passengers onboard. The train entered the station at a speed of 30 km/hr, ideally allowed since it can be controlled; however, in this case, the speed could not be controlled and the motorman allegedly failed to apply the brakes on time. Thus, the train first crashed into the buffers built at the end of the track and the impact led to the first coach climbing on to the platform, more than 5-metres in the air.

The Mumbai local trains are pure AC (Alternate Current) rakes that run on 25,000 volts and come with two types of brakes. One is the electro-pneumatic brake that slows down the train smoothly, and which the motorman says didn’t work. The other brake is mechanical and causes jerks when applied. By the time the latter brake was applied, the damage was done. What did help in curbing the damage were the new hydraulic buffers. Essentially giant springs, buffers are built to stop trains from going beyond a certain limit on the track. Though the impact caused the buffers to break, it helped keep the damages to a minimum.

The railway officials stated that the incident was most probably a result of human error as the motorman failed to apply the brakes in time. Also because the brakes worked fine on the 50 kms journey between Bhayandar and Churchgate that takes around an hour and a half to complete. The officials are conducting an inquiry into the matter at present and have suspended the motorman, guard and loco inspector on the basis of preliminary inquiry. Incidentally, a similar incident took place back in 2011 wherein the motorman failed to apply the brakes in time, causing the train to crash into the buffer.