THE ROOT CAUSE
Voice of P.Way Engineer
I am working as P. Way Inspector. My job is to ensure that Railway tracks remain fit for train running. If I do not attend the defects or missing fitting of track in time it may cause accident and precious loss of life and property of the Railways.
On that day Signal inspector, my colleague of other department, informed that track circuit is failing intermittently because of a crack in the fish plate of glued joint. Both are serious, failure of track circuit is causing loss to the train punctuality and fracture in the fish plate may cause breakage of fish-plate, leading to an accident. When the fish-plate break off completely is not certain, but I know my job, i should not take risk and arrange for attending this glued joint at the earliest.
I arranged for the glued joint and mobilised the staff and machinery accordingly.
Job of replacement of glued join consists of cutting the existing piece of glued joint at both end, removing the fitting to detach it from sleepers, replacing it by the new glued joint, fit it back on to sleepers and weld it on the existing track.
As a P. Way inspector, I could have suspended the track by informing ASM and went ahead with my primary duty of make the tracks safe, but being a part of system, I am also to ensure that train working is least affected. For that we have system for asking for “block”, which is granted by the “controller” depending upon the trains likely to run from that section.
Normally for completing this work, I need block of more than 120 minutes, but from my experience I knew it will never be given for that long period. Even if I take it forcibly by suspending working on that portion of track, my bosses will appreciate my honesty or sincerity, but most probably I will be suspended next day for causing loss to the punctuality. Therefore, it is compulsion upon me to reduce the block period as little possible.
I waited for whole the day, but could not get the block, therefore I decided to do all the possible work, which can be done without block with fair level of safety in advance and ask for block of 20 minutes which is minimum required because the weld does not settle until cooling period of minimum 20 minutes is given to track. After looking for all the possible of margin, I expected that the unsafe condition in the track will be appreciated by all concerned, and I will get these 20 minutes at least. Accordingly, I started my work and completed all my preliminary works, except for welding and waited for that block. However, instead of getting the block, train was allowed without even giving me the information to stop the work and take precaution for safe passage of train. When I saw the train coming with full speed on that cut piece of track, it was too late, resulting into that fateful accident.
Yes, accident is caused by me. I am removed from service too. But I swear, I had no intention of causing accident. The broken fish plate could have caused accident in anyway. Even in that accident, my fate would have been the same.
I wish, I would have been allowed the block in time and punctuality should not have been given importance over and above safety.
Please tell me the way by which I can impress upon all the administration, my department as well as the department allowing Block, that fractured fish plate is very dangerous, and only I am responsible to ensure that it is replaced as soon as it is observed. If you have no time to bother about such “petty issues”, please give me decision making power to suspend that portion of track when blocks not being permitted and ensure me that I will not be grilled for consequent losses to train running.
SOURCE - www.Facebook.com/raildard
