Title - Faulty pantograph design to blame

CR officials have blamed the design of the pantograph used in Siemens rakes for Wednesdays incident.The exact cause is not yet known.But judging from experience,it can be said that the single-arm design is responsible for the incident,an official said.The diamond-shaped double-arm pantograph design of the older rakes is more suitable for tracks that have sharp curveslike the ones on CR.Near CST,trains have to negotiate a curve of 14 degrees and singlearm pantographs tend to get entangled with overhead wires here.Siemens rakes are also run on WR,but there are no curves on the tracks there. TNN

Times View: Poor disaster mgmt exposed once again


Wednesdays chaos should be an eye-opener for the authorities.CR should have informed passengers about the problem through the public address system,and disaster management agencies should have coordinated and acted swiftly to deploy additional buses.Also,cellular operators should have been roped in to convey information about the rail disruption through SMS.Such measures would have helped people to take efficient commuting decisions,thus preventing traffic jams.

PAST DISRUPTIONS



SEPT 4 | 150 locals cancelled after heavy rains cause waterlogging on tracks in Kalyan



AUG 20 | 18 locals cancelled after a rail fracture near Kurla



JULY 23 | 25 locals cancelled after a pantograph gets entangled with overhead equipment between Kalyan and Thakurli



JULY 4 | 40 locals cancelled and many delayed after a crater forms between Thane and Mulund



APRIL 18 | Services disrupted for two days after two signal cabins at Kurla and Vidyavihar catch fire



APRIL 4 | 18 locals cancelled after signal failure at Dadar



STRANDED AT CST


We had gone to
Kalbadevi for Diwali shopping.We have come to CST to take a train home but are now stuck

Maliram (72) and Sushila Kanoria (67) | THANE RESIDENT

It is during emergencies like this that we realize how little the railways care for commuters.No water coolers,no clean drinking water and not enough benches for people to sit

Girish Mehta (63) | GHATKOPAR RESIDENT

For two hours,I have been trying to figure out what mode of transport to take.The buses are full and roads jammed.My husband is coming from Lower Parel to pick me,but is stuck in traffic

Darshana Hoval | CHEMBUR RESIDENT

541pm |

Pantograph of Asangaon-bound local gets entangled with overhead wire as the train moves out of CST.Power trips in CST yard,bringing services to a halt

6.53pm |

Two locals leave CST

7.45pm |

Affected rake cleared

8.15pm |

Traffic on down and up fast line restored.About 60 suburban services cancelled till midnight.During 5.41-6.53pm,trains were run from Dadar to Kalyan/ Karjat/Kasara and Vadala to Andheri/Panvel