Title - New safety feature averts disaster

The recent introduction of a key safety feature — Centre Buffer Coupler (CBC) — saved the city-bound Kaveri Express from a probable catastrophe after it derailed in Andhra Pradesh on Monday.Three bogies of the train from Mysore derailed, while its engine was damaged when boulders fell on the track, near Kuppam in Chittoor district of AP during the wee hours. “We selected coaches fitted with CBC for the Kaveri Express just six months back. The key feature of CBC is that it would prevent the coaches from mounting against each other in the event of an accident,” a highly placed railway source said.Interestingly, till then, the train ran with bogies fitted with ‘screw coupler’.  The sources pointed out that the screw couplers, fitted between the vestibule of coaches, could break if the locomotive derailed.As an official put it, “This may result in mounting of coaches, wherein the bogies would climb against each other causing severe casualties. However, such a tragedy was averted on board the Kaveri Express thanks to the upgradation to the CBC coaches.” Although CBC coaches were introduced in 2004 following intensive research for about a decade, the safety coaches were unfortunately not available in all trains.

However, one problem with the CBC-equipped coaches was that it would result in vigorous jerks when the train moved. “In fact, the Kaveri Express is a classical example,” the official said, while adding, “CBC must be part of all the rakes to make train travel more safe and secure for the passengers.”

Another railway official in Chennai said that the derailed coaches included an AC and guard compartment of the 23-coach train.

The Kaveri Express train arrived at Chennai Central at 2.30 pm, with 19 coaches. The four derailed bogies were detached from the train at the mishap spot in AP.