Braking issue comes up again after collision of goods trains

Thirty-nine wagons of the loaded train were fitted with the malfunctioning Bogie-Mounted Brake System (BMBS), which, over the last few months, has sent Railways engineers and the technology’s German vendor into a futile search for a solution.

The Indian Express was the first to report on this problem in November. BMBS is an apparatus in which braking cylinders are attached to the bogie — the trolley that connects the two wheels. Each wagon has two trolleys. While traditional systems had around 72 moving parts involved in the braking process, BMBS reduces the number to around 40. The aim was to increase reliability and safety while reducing maintenance needs.

On Thursday, eleven wagons derailed, resulting in the blocking of the track and the cancellation or diversion of 15 passenger trains. The preliminary findings cited the ineffectiveness of the brake, according to internal communications, The Indian Express has learnt.

The head-on crash came just two days after Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw held a meeting to take stock of the problem.

Sources said the German vendor, Knorr-Bremse, which supplies this system, is expected to offer a technical solution by March by way of a new brake cylinder design. Knorr-Bremse has engaged its designers in the US and Germany to find a solution.