A major train accident was averted at the railway junction here when an alert locomotive pilot stopped the Chennai-Thanjavur Uzhavan Express which was about to enter a platform, in which another passenger train was already stationed.
According to sources, the Chennai-Egmore Uzhavan Express was moving into the Thanjavur Junction on Thursday around 7.40 am. Railway authorities had planned to receive the train on platform number-three. However, the point was set for platform number-four, where already the Tiruchy-Karaikkal passenger was stationed, and passengers were alighting and boarding the train.
Sources said that when the Uzhavan Express entered platform number-four, the alert loco pilot of Uzhavan Express, D Sahadevan, applied sudden brakes and a head on collision into the already stationed train, was averted. Later, the Uzhavan Express was taken back and after the point was reset, it was received on platform number-three.
An official of the Southern Railway said, the Uzhavan Express was just about to enter platform number-four. The official said that the station master on duty had not properly set the route, due to which the signal did not function properly, due to interlocking arrangement. When the signal failed, the station master resorted to alternate arrangements, during which he also forgot to set one more point, resulting in the train entering platform number-four which was already occupied.
However, loco pilot Sahadevan, who observed the route set for rail road number four instead of three, stopped the train immediately. After the incident was recorded, the train was slightly moved back and received safely on the scheduled platform, the official added.
Due to the incident, the Tiruchy-Karaikkal Passenger, Tiruchy-Mayiladuthurai Passenger and the Mayiladuthurai-Thanjavur Passenger were operated behind schedule.