The World Opinion

Tag: Trains

  • K-Rail Can Be Implemented If Technical Issues In Design Addressed, Says Ashwini Vaishnav | Mobility News

    The Kerala government’s ambitious K-Rail semi-high-speed rail project is back in the news again as the Centre assured on Sunday that the project can be taken forward if the technical and environmental issues in its design are addressed by the state authorities.

    The multi-crore project has been shelved for some time due to intense protest from opposition parties and the general public and also for want of permission from the union government.

    Giving a fresh hope to the project, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that he had discussed the matter with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when they had last met in New Delhi.

    “I requested the CM that whatever technical and environmental issues are there in the design of the K-Rail, please address them expeditiously, so that, this project can also be taken forward. Because from our side – the NDA government – we believe in cooperative federalism,” he told reporters here.

    The union minister further said that the Centre is committed to constructing the Sabari rail from Angamaly to Erumely as per the original alignment.

    Vaishnav said that the state government recently sent a letter to the Centre with attaching certain conditions. “So, we will be very soon sending a format to the Kerala government which we have done with the government of Maharashtra,” he said.

    Once the state authorities fill up the format, then the project (Sabari rail) can start and move forward, the union minister added.

    The K Rail, a semi-high speed rail corridor, aims to ease transportation along the entire north and south stretch of Kerala and reduce the travel time to less than four hours, as against 12 to 14 hours at present.

    The SilverLine would cover a 530-kilometre stretch from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod and be developed by K-Rail, a joint venture of the Kerala government and the Ministry of Railways.

    The Opposition Congress and the BJP in Kerala have been protesting against the SilverLine project, saying it will affect the families who will be displaced due to its implementation.

  • Soon, No More Train Accidents In India? Railway Board CEO Suggest THIS To All Zones | Mobility News

    Indian Railways – Train Accidents: In an important step to avoid train collisions, Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar has written to the general managers of all 17 zones asking them to monitor technical reports generated by a device called data logger on a daily basis.

    Data logger is fitted at stations and it records real time data of all aspects of train operations as well as the signal system. It generates an exception report in case a station master fails to take steps to ensure that a train does not come on the same track already occupied by another train.

    “During the safety review meeting held on 06.09.2024, I had instructed to all Zonal Railways that the data logger exception report should be monitored by DRMs (Divisional Railway Managers) every day and the position for previous day from two/three Divisions will be randomly reviewed at Board level,” Kumar said in a letter dated September 13 addressed to the general managers of all zones.

    “On 10.09.2024, six Divisions were asked by ED/E&R (Executive Director, Efficiency & Research) to share the position. Position was received from three Divisions; position was not received from two Divisions and position of the previous week was received from one Division,” he added.

    Expressing concern over the lack of compliance of a crucial safety instruction, Kumar said, “As this is an important measure for ensuring safety, all GMs have to ensure that the data logger report is monitored on a daily basis by all divisions in their zones.”

    Kumar added that the Railway Board may ask two to three divisions randomly to share the original printout of data logger report even if there is no exception report along with analysis and remarks in each case.

    The issue pertains to a General Rule np. 3.38(2) related to operational safety which ensures that two trains do not come on the same track one after the other.

    “A single rail line branches into several loop lines and a main line at any station. Now, if one branch line, let’s say a loop line number 1, is occupied by a train, the signal aspect for another train for that particular loop line will be red so that the another train doesn’t come on that line,” K P Arya, who retired as Chief Signal and Telecom Engineer/Information Technology, Northern Railway, said.

    “But if by mistake the loco pilot jumps the red light, he or she can hit the stationed train resulting in an accident. To avoid such a situation, a norm has been made that after receiving the train on a loop line, the station master will change the interlocking point to another line which is free so that in case the loco pilot errs, it doesn’t result in a collision,” he added.

    According to Arya, if the station master fails to change the interlocking point towards a free line, the data logger records it and generates an exception report.

    In two recent cases of train collisions, one in Andhra Pradesh in October 2023 and another one in West Bengal in June 2024, the Commissioner of Railway Safety reports in both cases observed that data loggers report showed that violations of safety norms happened multiple times before the accidents but the concerned senior railway officials of the division failed to take note of it.

    Railways experts say that it is a good move by the Railway Board chairman to ensure monitoring of data logger reports which will help rectify the mistakes before they would result into accidents.

  • Colorado Cop Who Positioned Suspect In Automotive Hit By means of Teach Discovered In charge Of Misdemeanors

    DENVER (AP) — A Colorado police officer who put a handcuffed lady in a parked police car that was once hit by means of a freight teach was once discovered accountable of reckless endangerment and attack however was once acquitted of a 3rd price of legal try to dedicate manslaughter throughout a tribulation Friday.

    Jordan Steinke was once the primary of 2 officials to visit trial over the Sept. 16, 2022, crash that left Yareni Rios-Gonzalez severely injured.

    “There’s no cheap doubt that hanging a handcuffed particular person at the back of a patrol automotive, parked on railroad tracks, creates a considerable and unjustifiable threat of damage by means of the teach,” stated Pass judgement on Timothy Kerns.

    However the proof didn’t persuade Kerns that Steinke “knowingly supposed to hurt Ms. Rios-Gonzalez,” and he added that Stienke had proven “surprise and regret.”

    Steinke testified that she didn’t know that the patrol automotive of any other officer she was once serving to was once parked at the tracks although they are able to be noticed on her frame digicam photos along side two railroad crossing indicators. Steinke stated she was once targeted at the danger that would come from Rios-Gonzalez and her pickup truck, no longer the bottom.

    Steinke stated she put Rios-Gonzalez within the different officer’s car as it was once the closest spot to briefly cling her. She stated she didn’t know the teach was once coming till simply ahead of it hit.

    The pass judgement on discovered that Steinke seen the tracks, however didn’t “recognize the danger.”

    There was once no jury in Steinke’s trial, which began Monday. As an alternative, Kerns listened to the proof and issued the decision. Mallory Revel, Steinke’s lawyer, didn’t in an instant reply to requests by means of telephone and e-mail for remark.

    Steinke, who was once running for the Fortress Lupton Police Division on the time of the crash, was once charged with legal try to dedicate manslaughter, a criminal; and reckless endangerment and third-degree attack, each misdemeanors.

    The opposite officer, Pablo Vazquez, who labored for the police division in within sight Platteville, is being prosecuted for misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and site visitors offenses. He hasn’t entered a plea but. His attorney, Reid Elkus, didn’t in an instant reply to a request by means of telephone for remark.

    Vazquez pulled over Rios-Gonzalez on a rural street that intersects U.S. Freeway 85 after she was once accused of pointing a gun at any other motive force. Trains go on tracks that parallel the freeway a couple of dozen occasions an afternoon, prosecutors stated, and the sound in their horns is commonplace within the house north of Denver.

    Rios-Gonzalez, who suffered a aggravating mind damage, is suing over her remedy. She later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor menacing, stated considered one of her legal professionals, Chris Ponce, who was once in courtroom to observe the trial. Rios-Gonzalez didn’t testify or attend herself.

    Steinke stated she positioned Rios-Gonzalez within the different police automotive briefly as it was once the closest position to stay her safe, a transfer this is same old observe for high-risk site visitors stops, stated protection professional witness Steve Ijames. He additionally testified that during unhealthy scenarios officials can turn into hyperfocused on specific threats and omit issues that grow to be necessary in hindsight.

    Steinke, who drove at round 100 mph (161 kph) from time to time on her method to backup Vazquez, testified that she was once stunned to peer him sitting in his car when she arrived, slightly than pointing a gun at Rios-Gonzalez’s truck. She stated she temporarily parked her patrol car in the back of his and were given out as it was once the fastest means “to get a gun within the struggle.”

    Steinke additionally stated she didn’t understand the tracks or the bottom when she squatted right down to arrest a kneeling Rios-Gonzalez alongside the tracks after the suspect was once ordered out of her pickup truck.

    When pressed by means of Deputy District Lawyer Christopher Jewkes, Steinke spoke back, “I’m certain I noticed the tracks sir, however I didn’t understand them.” She stated she was once targeted at the suspect and the prospective danger she posed and was once “somewhat sure” that the site visitors forestall would result in gunfire.

    “I by no means in one million years concept a teach was once going to return plowing thru my scene,” Steinke stated.

    The Weld County District Lawyer’s place of work didn’t in an instant reply to a request by means of telephone for remark.

    This tale has been up to date to proper that the officer was once acquitted of the price of legal try to dedicate manslaughter, no longer manslaughter.

    Bedayn is a corps member for the Related Press/Record for The us Statehouse Information Initiative. Record for The us is a nonprofit nationwide carrier program that puts newshounds in native newsrooms to file on undercovered problems.

  • Bridge Over Yellowstone River Collapses, Sending Freight Teach Into Water

    COLUMBUS, Mont. (AP) — A bridge that crosses the Yellowstone River in Montana collapsed early Saturday, plunging parts of a freight educate sporting hazardous fabrics into the speeding water under.

    The educate automobiles had been sporting asphalt and sulfur, stated David Stamey, Stillwater County’s leader of emergency services and products. Officers close down ingesting water intakes downstream whilst they evaluated the chance. An Related Press reporter witnessed a yellow substance popping out of one of the most tank automobiles.

    Then again, Stamey stated there was once no rapid risk for the crews operating on the website, and the hazardous subject material was once being diluted via the swollen river. There have been 8 rail automobiles within the river or at the a part of the bridge that collapsed.

    The educate staff was once secure and no accidents had been reported, Montana Rail Hyperlink spokesman Andy Garland stated in a commentary.

    Railroad crews had been on the scene in Stillwater County, close to the city of Columbus, about 40 miles west of Billings. The realm is in a moderately populated phase of the Yellowstone River Valley, surrounded via ranch and farmland. The river there flows clear of Yellowstone Nationwide Park, which is ready 110 miles southwest.

    Emergency crews respond to the scene where several train cars are immersed in the Yellowstone River after a bridge collapse near Columbus, Mont., on Saturday, June 24, 2023. The bridge collapsed overnight, causing a train that was traveling over it to plunge into the water below. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
    Emergency crews reply to the scene the place a number of educate automobiles are immersed within the Yellowstone River after a bridge cave in close to Columbus, Mont., on Saturday, June 24, 2023. The bridge collapsed in a single day, inflicting a educate that was once touring over it to plunge into the water under. (AP Photograph/Matthew Brown)

    “We’re dedicated to addressing any attainable affects to the world on account of this incident and dealing to know the explanations at the back of the coincidence,” Garland stated.

    In neighboring Yellowstone County, officers stated they instituted emergency measures at water remedy vegetation because of the “attainable hazmat spill” and requested citizens to preserve water.

    The reason for the cave in is underneath investigation. The river was once swollen with fresh heavy rains, however it’s unclear whether or not that was once an element.

    The Montana Crisis Emergency Services and products has been notified. Federal Railroad Management officers had been on the scene.

    Kelly Hitchcock of the Columbus Water Customers close off the float of river water into an irrigation ditch downstream from the collapsed bridge to forestall contents from the tank automobiles from attaining close by farmland. The Stillwater County Sheriff’s Administrative center known as the gang Saturday morning to warn it concerning the cave in, Hitchcock stated.

    The Yellowstone noticed document flooding in 2022 that brought about intensive harm to Yellowstone Nationwide Park and adjoining cities in Montana.

    The U.S. Environmental Coverage Company notes that sulfur is a commonplace part used as a fertilizer in addition to an insecticide, fungicide and rodenticide.

    Several train cars are immersed in the Yellowstone River after a bridge collapse near Columbus, Mont., on Saturday, June 24, 2023. The bridge collapsed overnight, causing a train that was traveling over it to plunge into the water below. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
    A number of educate automobiles are immersed within the Yellowstone River after a bridge cave in close to Columbus, Mont., on Saturday, June 24, 2023. The bridge collapsed in a single day, inflicting a educate that was once touring over it to plunge into the water under. (AP Photograph/Matthew Brown)

  • Railway Board asks zones to make sure fundamental facilities on the whole coaches amid summer season rush 

    Through PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Railway Board has written to all zonal railways to make sure fundamental facilities on the whole coaches in view of a surge in visitors because of the summer season rush.

    The letter to all of the zones comes days after a slew of pictures of general-class prepare coaches packed to the brim all over the summer time surfaced on social media.

    Written through Jaya Varma Sinha, Member, Operations and Industry Construction, the letter has requested the overall managers to study the preparations and make sure that passengers travelling in trains, particularly in Basic 2nd (GS) coaches, are supplied fundamental services and products.

    The GS-class coaches are connected to the entrance and rear ends of all mail and categorical trains.

    Directions were given to the overall managers of all of the zonal railways to organize inexpensive foods, ingesting water and merchandising trolleys close to unreserved coaches in any respect stoppages.

    The letter has identified a number of spaces for bettering the standard of services and products, together with making sure the cleansing of GS coaches at nominated stations.

    It has additionally been mentioned that complete watering of coaches will have to be ensured at nominated stations.

    “In case some trains are going through common scarcity of water, further watering stations to be known and really useful to Railway Board for attention. Deployment of OBHS (onboard housework) body of workers in GS coaches with territorial jurisdiction is also tested such that they shuttle in GS coaches between two preventing stations and go back through every other prepare in a hyperlink,” the letter mentioned.

    Sinha has additionally mentioned that the availability of train-side merchandising trolleys with financial system foods and ingesting water pouches will have to be ensured with deployment in entrance of GS coaches all over stoppages.

    “The passenger rush in trains, particularly in GS coaches, will have to be reviewed each day until the tip of the month and essential corrective movements be taken,” it mentioned.

    Whilst the Indian Railways most often witnesses lots of the summer season rush within the month of Might because of the summer season vacations, it’s in June that the go back rush is observed.

    NEW DELHI: The Railway Board has written to all zonal railways to make sure fundamental facilities on the whole coaches in view of a surge in visitors because of the summer season rush.

    The letter to all of the zones comes days after a slew of pictures of general-class prepare coaches packed to the brim all over the summer time surfaced on social media.

    Written through Jaya Varma Sinha, Member, Operations and Industry Construction, the letter has requested the overall managers to study the preparations and make sure that passengers travelling in trains, particularly in Basic 2nd (GS) coaches, are supplied fundamental services and products.

    The GS-class coaches are connected to the entrance and rear ends of all mail and categorical trains.

    Directions were given to the overall managers of all of the zonal railways to organize inexpensive foods, ingesting water and merchandising trolleys close to unreserved coaches in any respect stoppages.

    The letter has identified a number of spaces for bettering the standard of services and products, together with making sure the cleansing of GS coaches at nominated stations.

    It has additionally been mentioned that complete watering of coaches will have to be ensured at nominated stations.

    “In case some trains are going through common scarcity of water, further watering stations to be known and really useful to Railway Board for attention. Deployment of OBHS (onboard housework) body of workers in GS coaches with territorial jurisdiction is also tested such that they shuttle in GS coaches between two preventing stations and go back through every other prepare in a hyperlink,” the letter mentioned.

    Sinha has additionally mentioned that the availability of train-side merchandising trolleys with financial system foods and ingesting water pouches will have to be ensured with deployment in entrance of GS coaches all over stoppages.

    “The passenger rush in trains, particularly in GS coaches, will have to be reviewed each day until the tip of the month and essential corrective movements be taken,” it mentioned.

    Whilst the Indian Railways most often witnesses lots of the summer season rush within the month of Might because of the summer season vacations, it’s in June that the go back rush is observed.

  • Justice Division Sues Norfolk Southern Over Derailment

    The government filed a lawsuit towards railroad Norfolk Southern over environmental injury led to via a educate derailment at the Ohio-Pennsylvania border that spilled hazardous chemical substances into within reach creeks and rivers.

    The U.S. Division of Justice mentioned it’s looking for to carry the corporate in control of “unlawfully polluting the country’s waterways and to verify it will pay the total price of the environmental cleanup,” within the lawsuit filed Thursday.

    The derailment in early February ended in the evacuation of part of the 5,000 citizens of East Palestine when responders deliberately burned poisonous chemical substances in probably the most derailed vehicles to stop an out of control explosion.

    Chemical substances from the derailed vehicles and firefighting foam seeped into creeks and rivers close to the village, with some ultimately finishing up within the Ohio River.

    FILE - A black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern trains, Feb. 6, 2023. The federal government filed a lawsuit Thursday, March 30, against railroad Norfolk Southern over environmental damage caused by a February derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border that spilled hazardous chemicals into nearby creeks and rivers.(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
    FILE – A black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, on account of a managed detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern trains, Feb. 6, 2023. The government filed a lawsuit Thursday, March 30, towards railroad Norfolk Southern over environmental injury led to via a February derailment at the Ohio-Pennsylvania border that spilled hazardous chemical substances into within reach creeks and rivers.(AP Picture/Gene J. Puskar, Record)

    Govt officers say checks haven’t discovered bad ranges of chemical substances within the air or water within the house, however many citizens stay involved their long-term well being.

    Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw has many times apologized for the have an effect on the derailment and the corporate has pledged to pay for the cleanup. The railroad has promised greater than $20 million to assist the Ohio neighborhood get better whilst additionally saying a number of voluntary protection upgrades.

    Ohio filed a lawsuit towards Norfolk Southern simply over two week in the past to verify it will pay for the cleanup and environmental injury and pay for groundwater and soil tracking within the years forward.

    This can be a growing tale. Please test again for updates.

  • Teach Derails In Washington Reservation Leaking Diesel Gasoline: Officers

    A freight teach derailed in northwest Washington simply after nighttime Thursday, leaking what state officers estimated might be as much as 5,000 gallons of diesel gasoline, regardless that a spokesperson for the teach corporate stated it’s a long way much less.

    The teach with rail corporate BNSF toppled on a berm close to a channel within the Swinomish Reservation in Anacortes. Lots of the gasoline leaked at the land facet and no accidents or affects to water or natural world have been reported, the state’s Division of Ecology stated in a observation.

    The estimated 5,000-gallon spill determine was once decided through the primary ecology workforce to reply to the scene, Emily Tasaka, a communications supervisor with the state’s ecology division, instructed HuffPost.

    “The true spill is from the 2 locomotives on the entrance and what spilled was once their diesel gasoline; it wasn’t in reality shipment it was once sporting,” stated Tasaka.

    The teach’s 4 tank vehicles have been categorized for sporting propane however they have been empty on the time of the derailment, she stated.

    Lena Kent, a spokesperson with BNSF, instructed HuffPost that the volume of gasoline leaked is “minimum” and no longer 5,000 gallons as state officers reported. She may just no longer give you the precise quantity, on the other hand, mentioning that it’s speculative at this level.

    “BNSF already has body of workers operating with native government on the scene and the reason for the incident is beneath investigation,” Kent stated in an e mail Thursday morning.

    The derailment got here simplest hours after any other BNSF freight teach derailed in western Arizona on Wednesday night time. That teach was once sporting corn syrup and no accidents have been reported. The reason for that derailment was once no longer straight away identified, Kent instructed NPR.

    The derailments come amid heightened worry for railroad protection after ultimate month’s fiery derailment of a teach in Ohio. The teach was once sporting hazardous chemical substances and brought about a popular evacuation of the native space.

    There are round 1,000 teach derailments once a year, in line with information shared through the Federal Railroad Management. BNSF, which runs a mean of one,200 trains consistent with day in line with its website online, reported 279 derailments ultimate 12 months.

    Preliminary media reviews said that the teach that derailed Wednesday in Arizona was once sporting hazardous fabrics, regardless that the ones reviews have been later corrected.

  • Ohio Teach Derailment Sparks Massive Fireplace, House Evacuations

    EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — A teach derailed in an Ohio the town close to the Pennsylvania border and brought about a big hearth adopted by means of orders for space citizens to evacuate their houses Friday evening, reviews mentioned.

    A publish at the East Palestine, Ohio, town Fb web page round 11 p.m. mentioned an evacuation order were issued for a space 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from the James Side road crossing, with refuge to be had at East Palestine Top College.

    A prior publish by means of town in a while ahead of 10 p.m. instructed citizens within the space to refuge in position.

    There have been no fast reviews of casualties.

    KDKA-TV reported the reason for the derailment and the teach’s shipment weren’t instantly recognized.

    The station’s Twitter web page confirmed video of police riding alongside a boulevard and the usage of a loudspeaker to invite citizens to evacuate. The station mentioned a number of hearth departments had been on the scene the place flames and smoke might be observed sparkling orange from a distance.

    The fireplace had despatched such a lot smoke into the ambience that it used to be visual on KDKA-TV’s climate radar, the station’s meteorologist mentioned in a Twitter publish

    Northfolk Southern Railway launched a commentary pronouncing the corporate used to be conscious about the derailment and used to be “coordinating intently with native first responders whilst mobilizing our personal groups. We can proportion extra main points as they grow to be to be had,” KDKA-TV reported.

    East Palestine is ready 51 miles (82 kilometers) northwest of Pittsburgh.

  • Surprising Video Presentations Educate Ram Into Cop Automotive With Handcuffed Lady Within

    A police officer in Platteville, Colorado, is on paid depart after a educate hit a cop automobile containing a handcuffed lady, with photos launched Friday appearing the instant of the crash.

    The officer — whose title has but to be launched — pulled over Yareni Rios-Gonzalez on Sept. 16 after police in close by Citadel Lupton won a file of a highway rage incident involving a gun, in line with The Denver Submit.

    Rios-Gonzalez parked her automobile previous a suite of the railroad tracks whilst the officer stopped his automobile at once at the tracks, in line with the newspaper. Two Citadel Lupton officials additionally arrived as backup.

    Video from the Citadel Lupton Police Division presentations officials asking the lady to place her arms up and switch round as they stand at the tracks.

    Rios-Gonzalez requested what used to be occurring and mentioned that she used to be “so puzzled” as police handcuffed her and positioned her within the patrol automobile.

    The photos then presentations a educate blare its horn because it approaches, with one officer shouting, “Keep again!” simply ahead of the collision.

    An legal professional for Rios-Gonzalez mentioned that the lady suffered more than one damaged ribs, a damaged arm, a fractured sternum and plenty of head accidents however added that she is predicted to live on, in line with native NBC associate 9News.

    You’ll be able to watch the dramatic crash, beginning on the 5:22 mark, under.

    The legal professional, Paul Wilkinson, advised 9News that the doorways had been locked at the police automobile.

    “She used to be frantically looking to get out,” he mentioned.

    “She’s undoubtedly disillusioned about what came about. She doesn’t perceive why she used to be left within the automobile. She used to be yelling to get their consideration and may just see the educate coming.”

    Wilkinson mentioned it’s “incredible” {that a} cop would park at the tracks, in line with The Denver Submit.

    Keith Millhouse, a rail protection marketing consultant, advised 9News that the collision may just’ve been have shyed away from.

    “By no means park a automobile on a suite of educate tracks for any period of time, despite the fact that you suppose it’s deserted,” Millhouse mentioned, calling the incident “mind-boggling.”

    The Denver Submit reported Monday that the Platteville Police Division had put its officer on administrative depart. The Colorado State Patrol and Colorado Bureau of Investigation are reportedly investigating the crash, whilst Citadel Lupton police are taking a look into the alleged highway rage incident.