Watch: No engine. No brake too, so train goes on 15-km joyride

Passengers of the Ahmedabad-Puri Express had a narrow escape on Saturday night when the coaches of the train travelled a few kilometres without the engine, which was detached for reversal at the Titlagarh station in Odisha, due to the non-application of the skid brakes, a railway official said.

The train had rolled down for 15 kilometres without anyengine, following which two employees, who didn't follow theengineshunting procedure, twoenginedrivers and three carriage-repairing staffers were suspended.

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“All passengers are safe and no one was hurt when the coaches moved towards Kesinga (under Sambalpur railway division) after the engine was detached to be attached at the other end of the train,” an East Coast Railway spokesperson here said.

Railway authorities also said that the section from Titlagarh station towards Kesinga, an area near to the station, has a downward slope.

According to railway sources, the coaches started moving around 10 pm and had covered a distance of 10 kms without the engine before they were brought to a halt. The coaches were stopped by alert staff by putting stones and bringing the train to a halt

Two members of the Railways staff who were responsible for carrying out the shunting procedure, which includes adding the engine to the coaches, have been suspended, according to the spokesperson.

The spokesperson said that after the staff managed to stop the train, a train engine was sent to the spot to continue the train's journey.