I f you take the Shatabdi from Bhopal to Delhi next January, there's a good chance you will be on India's first engineless train. The Bond-style named 'Train 18' will run at 160km per hour, though railways would like to call it a 'semi-high speed' train, and cover the trip in five hours instead of eight.
Till now, engineless trains were limited to metros or suburban travel in the country. Train 18 - no mystery in the name, it's based on year of manufacture - is a giant leap in technology, say officials.
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" The train will be ready by September. After three successful trials, it will replace the fastest Shatabdi express - Bhopal-New Delhi Shatabdi. The Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), technical adviser to Indian Railways, will conduct the tests and give its validation. The timings and fare will be the same, only the rake will be changed and the services will be improved," said R D Vajpayee, railway national spokesperson.
T rain 18 is a 100% Make-in-India project and is being manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. The first rake will have 16 chair-car coaches, two of them executive chair cars with a seating capacity of 56. Non-executive cars will have 78 seats.
Train 18 will be made at half the cost of an imported one. The first rake will have 16 chair-car coaches, two of them executive chair cars with a seating capacity of 56. Non-executive cars will have 78 seats.
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Train 18 will have a stainless-steel body and will be tested at 180 kmph, said officials. Unlike conventional trains, it will have continuous windows for a modern look.
One big advantage of the train is that there is no need for engine reversal since the driver’s cabin is at both ends. According to ICF, Train 18 has far better on-board utilization of space. Initially, six such trains will be built. Sources say the railways is already working on an upgrade, Train 20 — to be rolled out in, you guessed it, 2020. Until version 1, it will have an aluminium body. Train 18 will cost Rs 2.5 crore and Train 20 Rs 5.5 crore.