Vigilant youngsters at Rakkipalayam here averted a possible railway mishap by waving a red cloth and stopping a train after they found gaps between the rail tracks on Thursday.
It is the duty of the key man in the railway who travel everyday for three kilometre and correct any defects or problems on the railway track.
According to senior railway officials the pandrol clip, which are used to fasten rails to railway sleepers were stripped off when the Blue Mountain train passed over the track to reach Mettupalayam.
The rail is usually left with a small space. During winter and summer season the rails may expand or shrink and uneven rails may cause accident.
Soon after the train passed, few youngsters, nearby found the track dislodged and stopped the Mettupalayam-Coimbatore passenger train by waving a red cloth and alerting the railway authorities, said Chandran, a passenger travelling in the train.
Senior section engineer and key man arrived at the spot and corrected the problem. The train stopped for about 20 minutes and the services wee resumed after the problems were rectified, he added.