With the Railways flagging off its first air-conditioned (AC) double-decker chair-car train between Howrah and Dhanbad
on Saturday, it has moved into a technological upgrade. Subsequently,
India moves into the league of Europe and North America where multi-deck
trains are a reality for more than a decade.
“Although India had started it first double-decker non-AC coaches on
the Mumbai-Surat line way back in the 70s, it could not really take
off,” said a railway official. The double-decker trains are not entirely
a new phenomenon in India. For running passenger coaches on diesel
traction, tracks have technical standard dimensions which can stand the
load of double-decker coaches. “Sleeper-type double-decker trains are
also expected by March 2012,” he added. The double-decker trains are designed indigenously by
Research Development and Standard
Organisation and developed by Rail
Coach Factory, Kapurthala. The coaches run on diesel traction for now.
The train will consist of nine coaches, including seven AC double-decker
chair-cars, with 128 seats in each coach. “With 65-70 per cent increase
in the carrying capacity, the railways would be able to double its
earnings.”
This train will stop at Barddhaman, Durgapur, Asansol, Barakar and
Kumardhubi on both ways en-route, though the permissible speed is only
110 km/hour. “The overall height of double-decker coaches has been
increased marginally (four-and-a-half inches) keeping in view the
constraints such as overhead structures, bridges, electric traction
equipment and platforms. These can be used without modifying any of the
fixed structures, except for clearing some minor infringements,”
The
official said.Space for the two decks has been generated by optimally using the
well space between the two bogies. The base of the coach is also below
the platform level, said the official. It is using end-on-generation
configuration where power for train lighting and air-conditioning is
supplied by two power cars, attached at both ends of the train to save
the power.
The new AC design has features such as stainless steel body,
high-speed Eurofima design bogies with air springs and many other
safety-related measures. The coaches are fitted with control discharge
toilet system.
When it comes to carrying freight trains, the double-decker option is
available for container flats, which are run on Rewari-Kandla port
route in India.
Running double-decker freights or container trains on electric
traction can be done by increasing the height of overhead electric lines
and approvals by the ministry in overhauling the roads over bridges and
other structures, said the railway official. As electric traction can
bear more axle load and is fuel-efficient, the eastern corridor in
dedicated freight corridor is being constructed accordingly.
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