Trains to go 'silent' by year-end as rlys drops power cars, to run on overhead electric supply

Trains will go "silent" by December, with the railways deciding to run them on power drawn from an overhead electric supply system, instead of the noisy power cars at either end, officials said on Tuesday.

One of the two power cars will be replaced with an LSLRD (LHB Second Luggage, Guard & Divyaang Compartment), which will have a specially-designed cabin with six seats reserved for differently-abled people, an additional 31 seats for chair car travellers and extra luggage space, the officials said.

There will be one standby "silent" generator car to be used for emergency.

Presently, the power cars generate a 105-decibel noise, which will reduce to nil by year-end, Member (Rolling Stock), Railway Board Rajesh Agarwal said, adding that it will also save the railways Rs 800 crore a year in power bills and reduce air and noise pollution.

The system is called "Head-On Generation" (HOG).

Currently, the cost of power is over Rs 36 per unit and with HOG, it will be available at Rs 6 Per unit.

The railways is in the process of converting its Linke Hofmann Bosche coaches, which use two power cars at either end for its power supply, into the HOG system.

Till date, 342 trains have been converted into HOG, while 284 more will be converted by the year-end, resulting in more savings, Agarwal said.