High speed coaches for Tejas Express to roll out soon

The passengers of Delhi-Chandigarh section will soon enjoy a comfortable ride at 160 kmph

The passengers of Delhi-Chandigarh section will soon enjoy a comfortable ride at the high speed of 160 kmph as the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) here is all set to roll out the first rake of 19 coaches in a couple of days.

The newly designed coaches are capable of running at a speed of 200 kmph but due to constraints related to rail tracks these coaches will run at a speed of 160 kmph, RCF General Manager R P Nibaria said here today.

The GM said he expects that the Tejas Express, in which some of these coaches will be fitted, will run by the end of this month though a final decision will be taken by the railway board.

He said that the first rake comprising 19 coaches including sixteen non-executive and two executive chair cars besides one power coach will be handed over to the Northern Railway by May 15.

He said the first rake is ready for its rollout but RCF has demanded the security guards from Northern Railway as very costly gadgets have been fitted in the new coaches. Their arrival is expected within the next three days, he said.

Initially, the Railway Board had decided to run the first high-speed train Tejas express on Mumbai-Goa section but now the allotment has been made to Northern Railways, he said.

The GM said that it is for the first time in the Indian Railways history that an 'automatic entrance plug door' has been introduced which provides better sound and heat insulation adding that doors installed in the entire rake would be controlled by a guard panel.

He said that the luxury chair car is fitted with nine-inch LCD screen with touch screen control on the back of every seat and a personalised infotainment system besides USB charging facility is fitted on every seat.

The other features include highly comfortable and adjustable e-leather upholstery, redesigned armrest and adequate leg support.

The GM said that new coach is fitted with improved couplers which would provide jerk free comfortable ride even at high speeds and coaches are fitted with the new braking system.

Facilities like wi-fi and a mechanism where passengers can call attendant by using the bell attached to the panel, would be provided.

Tejas coaches also have got improved lavatory and bio-toilets with airlines like vacuum evacuation besides sensor taps and soap dispenser, he said.

He said that the cost of each coach is Rs 3.25 crore and a coach is manufactured within six months.

He said the next two rakes of these high-speed coaches will be rolled out by March next year.

The railway has already announced to run Tejas Express on Mumbai-Goa, Delhi-Chandigarh and Surat to Mumbai sections.