Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers - Role and Function

Role and Function

The main areas of responsibility of IRSME officers are

• Train operations
  • Motive Power availability
  • Crew Management
  • Rolling Stock Management
  • Traffic restoration in case of accidents
• Production Units - Locomotives, Coaches, Wheel sets, etc.
• Repair and Manufacturing workshops

This organisation was central to all rolling stock operations when the only modes of traction were Steam Locomotives and Diesel Electric Locomotives. With the use of electric traction on the trunk routes, the responsibility of traction operations has been shared with the Electrical Department.

All the coaches and wagons are maintained by the Mechanical Department. The air-conditioning part of the coaches on the system was maintained by the Electrical Department. A Railway Board order to bring the entire rolling stock under unified maintenance of the Mechanical Department in 2003 was held in abeyance under pressure from Electrical Department Unions.

This awkward (and sometimes arbitrary) split of responsibilities is a persistent source of organisational stress.