Re: [IAC#RG] How corrupt / unsafe is Indian Railways / Railway Board ?

Dear Shri Roy,

I am retired General Manager /Southern Railway and have worked for five years in the Research,Designs and Standards Organisation.I was associated with high speed trials in 1974.

The IR have laid criteria such as vertical accelerations, lateral accelerations, vertical and lateral track forces.These crteria have become stricter over the years.The vehicle is tested at increasing speeds till the limit of these criteria is reached.

The maximum permissible speed is limited to 90% of the test speed.For example,if a train is to operate regularly at a maximum speed of 100km/h it is tested at 110.km/h

The Indian Railways have a very clear cut procedure for introducing new types of coaches, wagons and locomotives.If they are indigenously developed, the RDSO issues a provisional speed certificate for a limited speed not exceeding 75 km/h.

Even if the vehicles are certified by a foreign supplier, the provisional speed certificate has to be issued by RDSO.

Thereafter, Oscillation Trials are conducted.The trial speed certificate is issued by RDSO, usually in consultation with the Commioner of Railway Safety.

After successful completion of trials, the final speed certificate is issued by RDSO and ratified by the Railway Board.

Each Zonal Railway has to issue its own speed certicate which is signed by the Chief Civil Engineer, Chief Mechanical Engineer and Chief Electrical Engineer.

The article in Asian Age is totally misleading.

TALGO trains have been operating safely for over sixty years in Spain.I understand that the TALGO trains have passed the Oscillation trials successfully.

Unfortunately, Indian Railways still does not have a dedicated test track, forcing it to carry out trials on existing commercially utilised tracks, which is definitely a cause for concern.

I request you to use your good offices for getting a dedicated test track for IR.

Regards,

V.Anand

May I have a copy of your RTI application and the reply?

---

From: indiaresists-request@lists.riseup.net <indiaresists-request@lists.riseup.net> on behalf of Sarbajit Roy <sroy.mb@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2016 4:33 PM
To: indiaresists
Subject: [IAC#RG] How corrupt / unsafe is Indian Railways / Railway Board ?

 

The recent accident near Kanpur clearly brings out how the babus at the Rail Ministry (like their counterparts in Ministry of Defence) and at the Railway Board have no shame at all when it comes to cutting corners on safety for the sake of making money on the side.

In reply to a recent RTI of mine the Commissioner of Railway says that they do not have any safety standards for high speed trains and that most of their safety trials are actually conducted by external private assessors. So they transferred my RTI to the concerned railway who promptly said that they don't have any safety standards either.

It seems that the only standard followed in India for high speed train manufacturers is how much they must pay the ministers and top babus in Railway Board under the table. How else do we explain the bizarre decision taken by the entire Railway Board not to involve the Commissioner of Railway Safety in the numerous high-speed trials of Talgo trains between Mumbai and Delhi where these foreign trains were pushed to speeds well in excess of the track capablities? Fractured rails anyone ?

http://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/141116/talgo-run-in-india-hits-safety-panels-hurdles.html

Talgo run in India hits safety panel’s hurdles www.asianage.com The railway safety body has questioned the Railway Board on how trials were conducted without its permission.

It takes a brave little paper to publish a story like this which the "paid" media won't run.

The railway safety body has questioned the Railway Board on how trials were conducted without its permission.