MMTS-Express Collision What went wrong?

Hyderabad: The head-on collision between two trains, Falaknuma bound MMTS and Kurnool-Secunderabad Hundry express, occurred near the track aswitch point where trains move from one track to another.

The Kurnool-Secunderabad Hundry express that starts from Kurnool around 6.45 am was coming into the Kacheguda station enroute to its final destination Secunderabad. It usually arrives on platform number 4 in Kacheguda. On Monday, it stopped outside of the station to wait for the signal, but after some time it just started to move.

Meanwhile, the Lingampalli-Falaknuma train started from platform 2 of the Kacheguda station at the same time. It was not at high speed but was just picking up its speed, which according to officials was 10-20 km/hr.

At the track switch point before each train could change its track both trains collided head-on. While the intercity express was relatively at lesser speed, the collision impact was felt on the MMTS engine portion and six coaches after it got derailed from the tracks.

The intercity express engine's front portion got damaged to some extent.

According to officials, the MMTS train had LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches made of stainless steel with German technology and they are anti-telescopic in nature which means they do not get turned over or flip or turn turtle in case of collision, especially head-on collisions.

Hence, the six coaches of MMTS did not climb one over other after collision thus minimising damage and also preventing serious injuries to passengers. Earlier, railways used to have only ICF (Integral Coach Factory) coaches.

LHB coaches are superior to ICF coaches for multiple reasons, including better design of the couplers, which help join two coaches to form a rake. This design prevents climbing or piling up of coaches during accidents.