While travelling by train or seeing off or receiving someone at the railway station or just catching a passing train under a flyover, one is bound to catch the mysterious and prominent X mark at the back of the last bogie.

No, do not fret as it has nothing to occult science or danger or a cult!

Those who have observed it closely and paid attention to details, would have noticed that the X mark is painted with a bright yellow or white colour on the last bogie behind the passenger trains running in the country.

Looking at it minutely it will be visible that alphabets LV too are written along with the cross mark. LV term denotes Last Vehicle. Besides this there is also a small board sign highlighted with black on yellow colour and is usually attached to the rear side of the vehicle. There is also a red light available right below the letter X and this is an important element.

The X mark is not there for show, but for a valid reason and that too on the last wagon. The X mark on the last wagon of a train is highlighted with a mission to save an accident. It helps to ascertain that the one with the mark is the last box of that train.

Also the sign helps the staff to indicate that if the box with the X sign is not a trail behind a train, then it is in an emergency. A coach has a chance to get in an accident, if it is separated from the train.

The guard, on duty to display the green flag on the rail crossing, sees the X mark so that it can be confirmed that all the coaches of that train are connected. At night, when it is dark and the sign is not very prominent, the red light under the scope of the mark helps to determine the last coach.

When the mark and the light does not reflect in its normal tendency, it alerts the railway staff and authority that the train has run in some trouble. It saves passengers and people around from any fatal happening or mishap.