Shatabdi Express Wheel Skid: Why has Railway Board ordered a probe into wet-track braking
The Railway Board has asked RDSO to investigate a WAP-5 locomotive wheel skid on wet rails during emergency braking by a New Delhi-Chandigarh Shatabdi, and review track fencing after the cattle incursion.
Railway Board seeks cause of wheel skid and corrective measures
The Railway Board has asked the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) to investigate the wheel skid of a locomotive attached to the New Delhi-Chandigarh Shatabdi Express after emergency braking on wet rails during an attempt to avoid cattle on the tracks.
The incident occurred on 13 July between Rathdhana and Sonipat in the Northern Railway zone. The loco pilot applied the emergency brakes after cattle appeared on the track, but the braking manoeuvre resulted in a wheel skid in wet conditions.
The train was operating with two WAP-5 locomotives coupled in multiple-unit formation, a configuration used for high-speed passenger operations. One of the locomotives was subsequently replaced after sustaining significant damage, with an abnormal sound also detected in its frame.
The Railway Board discussed the incident at a meeting on July 22 and subsequently directed RDSO to examine the circumstances surrounding the skid.
The written direction said the case of WAP-5 multiple-unit locomotives experiencing a wheel skid after emergency brake application in wet rail conditions should be studied and corrective action taken.
The investigation is expected to establish what caused the skid and whether any changes are required in operating procedures, equipment or braking practices during similar conditions. The Board has also asked RDSO to recommend corrective measures and issue appropriate guidelines or instructions to railway units.
The incident has attracted attention because locomotive wheel skidding is more commonly associated with ghat sections, where steep gradients can make adhesion and braking more challenging.
Railway officials told PTI that the circumstances at Rathdhana were unusual and warranted a detailed examination to prevent a recurrence.
Cattle incursion puts track fencing under review
There is a second safety issue behind the inquiry. The Railway Board has asked Northern Railway to examine the status of fencing along the affected railway sections and establish why cattle were able to enter the track in the first place.
The Railways has previously asked its zones to identify vulnerable stretches and strengthen fencing to prevent animals from trespassing onto tracks.
In this case, the emergency braking that preceded the locomotive damage was itself triggered by the cattle incursion, making track access a central part of the safety review.
The episode therefore puts two linked questions before railway authorities: how trains should respond when sudden obstacles appear on wet rails, and how such obstacles can be kept off high-speed railway lines altogether.
The RDSO findings will determine whether additional technical or operational safeguards are required for WAP-5 multiple-unit operations in wet conditions.
Northern Railway’s assessment of fencing will address the separate but connected risk posed by cattle entering the railway corridor.
