Panic as commuter train stalls
Train passengers at Donholm were sent into a panic after a train from Embakasi stalled.
The train stalled a few metres before the Donholm pick up point after experiencing engine failure causing anxiety among commuters on board.
This is less than a kilometre from where a train rammed into a matatu killing 12 passengers at the Mutindwa level crossing on Wednesday.
The early morning incident forced a huge number of commuters to alight and seek alternative means to town.
Motor bike operators had a field day picking clients from the spot to their various destinations following the incident.
Curious onlookers gathered along rail road to witness what to them, seemed like a spectacle never witnessed before in the area.
Those who opted to stay on board had to wait for over an hour before a spare engine was sent from the Rift Valley Railway Station based in town.
The commuter train arrived at the RVR station in town at 9.10 a.m instead of the scheduled time at 8.00 a.m.
“RVR needs to up their game since they are seriously messing up our time schedules,” said a distraught commuter after alighting at the station.
For the past one week, RVR commuter trains have been experiencing delays on their arrival and departure times.
Amos Nduati, the Station Master at RVR says the Mechanical Department is to blame for the delays.
“The mechanics are saying they are not given enough time to service the engines before releasing them to us,” said Nduati.
The Mechanical Department repairs defective engines, fuels them and generally ensures they are up to standards to ferry commuters.
Nduati says a problem arises when the team releases the engines to the loco-shed late since this has a ripple effect on passenger departure time.
“At the time, the mechanics said they had to fix a defective pipe on the engine which they discovered a few minutes before it left the shed,” says Nduati.
The Passenger Service Manager at RVR Daniel Matata said they are looking into the matter that has of the recent past almost crippled their operations fully.