NFR Lumding Division sets up USFD training lab to boost track safety

MALIGAON, AUGUST 8 (MExN): The Lumding Division of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has inaugurated a fully equipped Ultrasonic Flaw Detection (USFD) Laboratory to enhance rail safety and upgrade technical training standards.

The laboratory was inaugurated by Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Samir Lohani, reflecting the division’s commitment to adopting advanced technologies and improving workforce competency.

The USFD Laboratory will serve as a key facility for detecting internal flaws in rails and welds, thereby enhancing the safety and reliability of railway operations. It houses defective sample pieces, including welds, rails and Switch Expansion Joints detected during past USFD testing, along with standard calibration samples, ultrasonic probes, technical guidelines, procedures and photographic displays of fractured components.

The facility is equipped to conduct PowerPoint presentations and practical demonstrations, providing a comprehensive training environment for Permanent Way (P.Way) supervisors and engineers.

As part of the initial training schedule, nine Assistant Divisional Engineers and 95 Senior Section Engineers from the P.Way department are undergoing training, which is expected to be completed by the end of August 2025.

NFR said the initiative underscores Lumding Division’s efforts to strengthen track safety and maintenance standards through innovation and skill development.