Why Every Train Has A Cross Mark At The End - Explained!

Train Facts:  Whenever a train passes by, try noticing a cross at the end of it. This large cross is painted on the back of its last coach. This cross is usually bright yellow or white in colour. If you have already noticed it, you might have thought it was some random design. However, the reality is much more than this. This cross, on the backside of the last couch, is there for safety reasons and smooth railway operations. Let’s dive deeper into this and find all the factors responsible for this cross mark on the train.

This cross mark is mostly painted in bright yellow or white on a red background, and is simply referred to as the end of the train. This cross mark helps railway officials and signal operators to confirm that the entire train has safely passed a particular track. Without this cross symbol, it would be hard for officials to figure out if the train had fully crossed a signal point or if some casualty had happened and the compartments had accidentally separated from the train in the middle of the journey.

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This cross mark is a safety sign and an effective traffic management aspect on the long railway network running across India. If a station master or signal operator at a station sees a passing of the train without the cross mark, it immediately signals a problem, which is most probably that a coach is left behind or a mechanical failure that needs urgent attention.

Besides the painted cross, most modern trains also employ an End of Train (EoT) device with blinking red lights. This electronic marker serves the same function but is more visible at night or during poor weather conditions. These EoT systems have become particularly important for freight trains, because these trains need to stay in contact with the locomotive driver and monitor brake pressure over long distances.

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In short, the cross mark at the end of the train is not just a random mark of paint but a crucial aspect of railway safety protocol. It acts as a simple yet powerful tool ensuring that every train journey, from the first engine to the final coach, remains monitored, complete, and safe for all passengers and railway staff.