Since it is such a vast and complicated system, running it in clockwork precision is a truly daunting and nearly impossible task. As such, many trains face delay. This could be due to reasons like floods, landslides, fog, stormy weather, overheating of tracks, etc.

For example, heavy rains can cause damage to ballasts that hold the tracks.  Train delay is also caused by routine maintenance, trees fallen on tracks, mechanical failure, etc.

When tracks are covered by fallen trees, rail road crews need to come in high rail vehicles (which can run on both road as well as train tracks) in order to get the tracks cleared. Track upgrades and yearly maintenance ensure fit condition of rail tracks. But these factors tend to delay trains schedules.

Delayed trains cause frustration to rail passengers as well as those waiting for them.

The Indian Government has set up three official methods for checking train running status to track your train delay:

• Phone Enquiry:Numbers for manual enquiry about trains running late, as well as PNR (ticket status) enquiry have been merged to the number 139. Train tracking can be done efficiently. 139 is a free service by the Indian railways, available all over India. You can call 139 from BSNL, MTNL or other cellular phone services.

• SMS Enquiry:Information on train delays is provided by various mobile services.  What you need to do is to send an SMS to 57886. You can get information on train schedule, train time table, train alert, PNR status etc. One can also send an SMS to 139 in the format .

• Online Enquiry:With the advent of internet, more passengers have begun using the website of Indian Railways – www.trainenqury.com to ascertain train status. Also, www.indianrail.gov.in can be utilized to check reservations. National Train Enquiry System (NTES) of the Indian railways has created a new site- trainenquiry.com. This site has won plaudits for being technologically superior, as well as, user-friendly. The trainenquiry.com website provides live online status of trains on a map using a rail radar system. Every train is tracked in real time. Red color indicates late running trains and blue color indicates trains on time. Even you can go through other websites which offers live train status tracking utilities like www.travelkhana.com.

The service for tracking the train is called as spot your train. To track your train, key in train name or number, journey date, journey station and you will get the following information: current position, last updated station and expected departure.

For tracking rescheduling of trains, enter train number and start date and list of trains rescheduled, train name, train number, train type, destination and source will be provided. The rescheduled time is also given. Information on trains diverted and trains cancelled will be provided.