Excellent track records!
Their presence of mind and timely response averted some major train mishaps last year. On Thursday, these six men were each awarded the General Manager’s Award at separate functions held by the CR and WR as part of Railway Week…
Who: Bhagwati Prasad Singh, loco pilot, Bamy
When: Nov 18, 2008
Where: Between Vangaon and Dahanu
Singh was operating a local DMU train, when he observed a rail fracture on the parallel track. “The erupted tracks grabbed my attention. Any other train passing on that track would have met with an accident. I had no time to reach the next station and inform the staff, so I sent a message to the Dahanu Road cabin using the communication set,” recounted Singh. The maintenance staff then rushed to the spot and repaired the track in time, preventing a major tragedy.
Who: Shreedhar Singh, CR motorman, Mumbai
When: Nov 11, 2008
Where: Between Ambernath and Badlapur 
He was operating a CST-Badlapur local with about 5,000 commuters on board, when he noticed a tractor and a trolley attempting to cross the tracks even after seeing the train. “They couldn’t possibly have made it across in time to avoid a crash. The collision would not only damage the tractor, but also risk the lives of the train passengers. I immediately applied the brakes and the train came to a halt just 20 metres ahead of the tractor,” said Singh.
Who: Narendra Kumar, CR loco pilot, Mumbai
When: Oct 17, 2008
Where: Near Kalyan station 
Railway electrical workers were replacing the overhead mast ahead of Kalyan station when it fell onto the tracks. Narendra Kumar was operating the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Madurai Express and had just pulled out of Kalyan. “I saw the mast fall and immediately applied the brakes, but it came rolling towards the train. Luckily, both the train and mast stopped a mere 10 mm from each other.” If the train would have hit the mast, it is likely the train would have been derailed.
Who: H C Barua, WR safety counsellor, Ratlam
When: Oct 29, 008
Where: Between Ratlam and Vadodara 
As the Sabarmati Express crossed the Mahi River, someone pulled the chain. There was no space for train staff to get off and walk to the coach where the alarm had been set off. Without caring for his life, Barua crawled under the bogies and made his way to the coach. “I had to do the job, otherwise the train would not have moved ahead. I attended the call and put the alarm off. The train left from the spot in just 18 minutes,” said Barua.
Who: Sunil Kumar, WR assistant station master, Dahod
When: June 26, 2008
Where: Dahod station 
Kumar noticed a part hanging off a coach of the Jammu-Tavi-Bandra Holiday Special. “Instinctively, I knew it was a major part, as I could see it even as the train sped by. I immediately informed the station manager at the next station, Rentia, and informed the section controller,” he said. At Rentia, where staff found it was a thick release wire. It was repaired and refitted before the train recommenced its journey. Left unattended, the wire could have caused major damage to the coach.
Who: Raju KVS, CR asst yard master, Mumbai
When: Dec 16, 2008
Where: Lokmanya Tilak Terminus 
The Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Kanpur Express was being transported to the shunting lines from the platform. Raju however noticed that the engine had caught fire. “I rushed to call my subordinates. We had to battle raging flames and separate the engine from the train. We pushed the rakes back and created a gap of 10 metres between the coaches and the engine.” Although there were no passengers on board, the entire train would have been gutted without Raju’s help.
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