4 July 2005 (0345 Hrs): 24 Dn Quetta Express which was to run through Sarhad was detained on the main line due to a fault on the train brake system. The starter and advance starter were set to green while the 24 Dn train crew were working under the affected coach. In the meanwhile,16 Dn Karachi Express was given a paper line clear at Mirpur Mathelo to proceed to Sarhad .
The 24 Dn was leading the 16 Dn by half an hour. With this thing in mind the crew of 16 Dn misjudged the GREEN starter signals as CLEAR and the RED outer and home as faulty .(A report regarding the faulty signaling system at Sarhad was lodged about 45 days ago). The 24 Dn had an oil lit tail lamp which has a visual range of about 200 meters. Now as the 16 Dn approached the OUTER the red tail lamp of the 16 Dn brake van loomed into view. The 16 Dn crew applied EMERGENCY BRAKE but the distance was insufficient because of a low braking power.
Two coaches of the 16 Dn which had dragging brakes were isolated from the rake's braking system which was not reported to the driver of the 16 Dn. So he was unaware of the depleted braking power of his 16 Dn . Nevertheless , his reflex action did save lives on the16 Dn. The 16 Dn ploughed into the detained 24 Dn because of the fact that the turnout was not set for the loop line While the domino effect was in progress the 7 Up Tezgam was flying through the Up main line. Only the locomotive and three coaches had crossed when the catapulted coaches of the 24 Dn started nudging the rake of the 7 Up.
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