A gangman carries a fish bolt spanner to tighten nuts and bolts, a tricolour lamp to alert locomotive drivers of any potential danger on the tracks and a rod weighing two kg to fix the lamp, if needed. People like him brave the vagaries of weather, snakes and wild animals, especially in remote areas, and filth on tracks to correct defects or to warn drivers of danger.
Trackmen used to be known as gangmen till the Railway Union changed it because of the negative connotations attached to the word gang. They work all day be it under the scorching sun or in numbing cold to ensure that trains run smoothly,getting paid Rs 15,000-18,000 a month.