Hot axles trigger safety stops for 13 goods trains under Ambala unit
Thirteen goods trains have been flagged for potentially dangerous “hot axles" by the Ambala unit of the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) since January last year, thanks to a sophisticated track-side system called the Hot Axle Box Detector (HABD).
Installed along the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, the HABDs are designed to monitor the temperature of axles in real time. According to railway officials, the devices sound an alert if the axle temperature exceeds 85°C or if there’s a temperature difference of more than 25°C between two axles — conditions that could otherwise go unnoticed.
“A hot axle is a potential threat to the safe operation of trains,” said Pankaj Gupta, Chief General Manager, DFCCIL. “If undetected, it can damage the wheels and even result in derailment. In the 13 cases detected under our Ambala unit, we ensured thorough inspections. In some cases, wheels were even replaced before allowing the trains to resume their journey.”
As many as 10 HABDs have been installed along the Sahnewal (Punjab) to Khurja (Uttar Pradesh) stretch of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor under the Ambala unit. Each unit costs approximately Rs 6 lakh, bringing the total investment to Rs 60 lakh.
“The HABD has been very helpful in identifying hot axle issues on time,” Gupta said. “It continuously records axle temperatures and transmits data to control rooms. Once the threshold is breached, the affected goods train is halted at the next station for a detailed inspection.”
Gupta said that DFCCIL is taking comprehensive measures to bolster operational safety on the freight corridor. “Besides the HABDs, we’ve installed anemometers to measure wind speeds to ensure safe operations during adverse weather conditions,” he said.
He also revealed that a proposal has been initiated to install a Machine Vision Inspection System (MVIS) at the New Pilkhani station. “MVIS is an advanced technology using cameras and computer processing to automate inspections,” he explained. “It helps detect broken or missing parts, unusual hanging objects, axle box defects and more. Currently, such inspections are carried out manually.”
He emphasised that derailments due to hot axles have occurred in other sections of the freight corridor and proactive technology is vital. “We’re leaving no stone unturned in ensuring the safe movement of freight trains,” Gupta said.
Haryana Tribune