NEW DELHI: The first train on the section where the accident happened in Balasore started its journey at around 10.40 pm on Sunday, 51 hours after the horrific crash which killed 275 people, officials said.

The goods train was seen off by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw as scores of media persons and railway officials looked on.

The train carrying coal is headed towards Rourkela Steel plant from Vizag port and is running on the same track where the ill-fated Bangalore-Howrah train met with the tragedy on Friday.

The Howrah-bound train crashed with the capsized bogies of the Coromandel Express which had collided with a stationary freight train seconds earlier.

''Down-line restoration complete. First train movement in section,'' tweeted Ashwini Vaishnaw.