Indian Railways deploys hydraulic re-railing gear in Assam after 6 coaches derail near Guwahati

The railway restoration crews deployed hydraulic re-railing equipment in Assam after six coaches of the Kolkata-Sairang Express derailed at Digaru Railway Station in Kamrup (Metro) district on Wednesday morning (November 11). The incident occurred near Guwahati in Kamrup (Metropolitan) district rather than in Dibrugarh.

What is hydraulic re-railing equipment?

Railway hydraulic re-railing equipment (HRE) is a specialised system of high-pressure hydraulic tools used to lift, move, and guide derailed locomotives, coaches, and wagons safely back onto the railway tracks. It is part of the core component of Accident Relief Trains (ART) and emergency recovery units.

How does it work?

1. Lifting: Jacks are placed under the derailed vehicle and connected to the power pack via the control desk to lift the vehicle vertically.

2. Traversing: Using roller carriages and lateral displacement cylinders, the suspended vehicle is moved sideways over a re-railing bridge until it sits directly above the tracks.

3. Lowering: The jacks are smoothly retracted to lower the wheels back onto the rail heads.

Meanwhile, after the incident, Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, chief public relations officer of Northeast Frontier Railway, confirmed that the locomotive and five coaches derailed after the loco pilot failed to control the train's speed. "An unfortunate incident occurred at around 6:54 AM involving Train No. 13125, the Kolkata-Sairang Express, which was travelling from Kolkata to Sairang. The train was stopped at Digaru Railway Station to give precedence to the Jan Shatabdi Express. However, it could not stop in time, resulting in the derailment of the five front coaches. Fortunately, the train was moving at a low speed, and there have been no reports of casualties or major injuries," Sharma told news agency ANI.

An official said a recovery train was rushed to the accident site for rescue operations and clearing of the tracks amid the relief and rescue operation. NFR also said that the railway had made arrangements to transport passengers to their respective destinations on an alternative train. The general manager and other senior railway officials were also present at the site to monitor restoration work.