As of: March 2, 2024, 5:53 a.m
By: Maximilian Hertel
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A freight train was traveling without a driver on the rails in northern India for over an hour and a half and at 100 km/h.
Only when the tracks were blocked did the wanderings come to an end.
New Delhi – Last Sunday (February 25), a freight train set off on an unscheduled journey in northern India.
And without train crew on board.
The train could only be stopped after a ghost ride lasting one and a half hours.
In the meantime, the train raced uncontrollably through the rail network at 100 kilometers per hour.
Luckily no one was injured.
The whole thing is reminiscent of the B-movie “Unstoppable – out of control”, in which a train continues inexorably without a driver.
This is not the first time that a strange incident like the ghost freight train has caused a stir in India.
Because already in 2023, a tragic, albeit unbelievable, incident occurred: an old man was killed by a flying cow while he was relieving himself on a train route.
Unplanned journey at 100 km/h – freight train unleashed in northern India
According to initial findings, the freight train loaded with gravel started moving independently on Sunday, February 25th, when it was at a train station in northern India.
It was only after 70 kilometers that the ghost train could be brought to a standstill.
A spokesman for Northern Railways told the AFP news agency: “We have launched an investigation.”
The driverless train reached a speed of 100 km/h on its unplanned journey from the state of Jammu and Kashmir to Punjab.
Videos of the unusual event were widely shared on social media.
According to local media reports, the train began its odyssey in Jammu, where it stopped for a personnel change.
After the train driver and his assistant got out, the train started moving independently on the sloping terrain.
Freight train stopped with sacks and blockages
To prevent accidents, all level crossings along the route were closed.
After a ghost journey lasting one and a half hours, the train was finally brought to a stop using wooden blocks and sandbags on a section of the route with a slight incline.
The train, which consisted of 53 wagons, stayed on the track during the improvised stopping maneuver and did not derail.
According to reports from
Hindustan Times
and local authorities, no one was injured in the incident.
The ghost train from Jammu had 53 wagons and was originally intended to transport gravel to Punjab.
© IMAGO / Hindustan Times
Train transport is considered India's leading mode of transport, carrying millions of travelers across the country every day.
Nevertheless, the rail system is outdated in many regions.
The government has already invested significant resources in upgrading stations and signaling systems.
(
mh/AFP
)
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