First high speed train between Delhi-Agra to run this November

Kapurthala: The first high speed train with a speed of 160 kilometre per hour will run on Delhi-Agra section in November this year as the first rake of fourteen coaches of the train are all set to be rolled out in November.

Shells of the first rake of high speed coaches had been manufactured and the work was going on at fast pace to roll out the first rake by the end of October this year so that the high speed train could run on Delhi-Agra section in November’s first week, General Manager of Kapurthala Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Parmod Kumar said

RCF engineers in consultations with Research Development and Standard organizations (RDSO) had made some changes in these coaches in designing of coupler system for more smoother ride than Shatabdi and Rajdhani coaches, installation of smoke and fire detection system, and automatic sliding of inner doors besides TV infotainment system in the executive chair cars with LED fittings on the back of chair cars. He said that the approximate cost of one high speed coach would be between Rs 2.25 to 2.50 crore.

RCF had started working on designing the high speed coaches capable of running at a speed of 200 kilometer per hour by making some changes like automatic outer doors, changes in braking system and improved vestibules.

He said that high speed coaches manufactured in RCF for Shatabdi and Rajdhani express trains are capable of running at the optimum speed of 160 kilometres per hour.

The railway board and officials of railway department had already conducted a trial on these coaches on Delhi?Agra section at a speed of 160 kilometres and covered the 200 kilometres distance in 99 minutes few days ago, he said.

He said that railways has selected ten routes on which high speed trains would run as announced by railway minister in his budget speech.

He also said initially speed of these trains would be 160 kilometres on select rail routes and gradually speed would be enhanced up to 200 kilometres after upgrading to the high speed train on Delhi-Agra section in November.

PTI