A potential train disaster was averted in Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur on Saturday, thanks to an automated track device that detected a dangerously hot wheel axle on the Seemanchal Express. The alert from the hot axle box detector at Chunar station allowed railway officials to take swift action, preventing what could have been a catastrophic accident.
The Seemanchal Express, en route from Jogbani in Bihar to Delhi, was passing through Chunar station around 10 am when the heat detection equipment flagged an alarmingly high temperature in the wheel axle of sleeper coach number S-3. “The real-time alert was sent immediately, and the train was halted at the next station, Jigna,” said Shashi Kant Tripathi, Chief Public Relations Officer of North Central Railway.
The affected coach was promptly detached, and passengers were shifted to other coaches before the train resumed its journey. A new coach was later attached when the train reached Prayagraj, though the incident caused a five-hour delay. “The device at Chunar station provided a crucial alert, allowing railway staff to take preventive measures and avert a major incident,” Chand Mohammed, National Working President of the All India Railway Track Maintainers Union, said.
What are hot axle box detectors and how do they work?
Hot axle box detectors are critical safety devices installed at various points along railway tracks. These sensors measure the temperature of the axle, providing real-time alerts if an abnormal increase is detected. Hot axles can occur due to several factors, including overloading, faulty bearings, and other mechanical issues.
Continuous wheel movement can lead to ball bearing failure, causing the axle to overheat—a situation that, if unchecked, can result in derailments or other serious accidents.
In the past few years, these detectors have proved effective in identifying several cases of hot axles on freight trains. In 2020-21, seven hot axle cases were identified on freight trains, increasing to nine cases in 2021-22, fourteen in 2022-23, and one in 2023-24.