Travellers from Ruiru stranded after train derails in Nairobi

This train at the Ruiru station did not ferry its usual passengers to work on the morning of August 16, 2017 after cancelation of services on the Ruiru-Syokimau route following news that another train had derailed while entering the Nairobi yard near the platform line. Over 1,400 passengers were affected. PHOTO | MARY WAMBUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • One wagon has a capacity of 90 seated passengers.
  • A train had derailed while entering the Nairobi railway station.
  • The situation forced Kenya Railways to cancel operations of the Ruiru and Syokimau train service.

Over 1400 passengers were Wednesday morning forced find alternative means of transport to go work from their homes in Ruiru, Kiambu County after a train had derailed while entering the Nairobi railway station.

The situation forced Kenya Railways to cancel operations of the Ruiru and Syokimau train service since no train could enter or leave Nairobi.

Ruiru Station Master Joyce Mazaria told Nation that she received a text message at around 4am informing her of the derailed train.

To prevent her passengers from arriving late for work, she shared the information with a few of her regular clients and asked them to inform those who had plans of using the train to work to seek alternative means.

"Most of the clients work in town and in the industrial area where there are strict arrival timelines. I communicated to the ones I could and advised them to seek alternative means to work. Luckily schools are closed so no student was affected by the hitch," she said.

Normally, the 16-wagon train at Ruiru station departs for Nairobi at 6.10am ferrying workers and students heading to schools and colleges located along its route.

One wagon has a capacity of 90 seated passengers but the influx of passengers every morning forces each wagon to carry 100 passengers.