India’s first Vande Bharat Freight Train hits 145 km/h: RDSO initiates Speed & Safety Trials in Kota
KOTA : Trials of India’s first Vande Bharat Freight EMU prototype officially, manufactured at Chennai’s Integral Coach Factory (ICF), commenced its trial run in Rajasthan’s Kota on Wednesday to evaluate its speed, braking and load capacity, an official said.
Ananjay Mishra, Director (Testing) at the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), the Lucknow-based research arm of the Indian Railways, said the trial run commenced recently in Kota. “The train is being operated under load conditions on the Down line between Kota and Mahidpur on the Delhi-Mumbai route. Assessment would be done in both empty and loaded conditions, covering traction, braking, speed, safety, and electrical systems,” he said.
According to Mishra, the Vande Bharat Cargo train has a maximum operational speed of 160 kmph. During the trials, it is being tested at a speed of up to 140 kmph, with a comprehensive evaluation of all systems, including braking, he said. “The 16-wagon train will undergo trials at progressive speeds of 120, 130, 135, and 145 kmph. These trials will be conducted continuously on the Delhi-Mumbai railway track, covering both ‘up’ and ‘down’ lines between Sawai Madhopur, Kota, and Nagda,” he said.
The total payload load capacity is 395 tonnes with 14 of the 16 wagons having 25-tonne capacity each and remaining two are ‘driver-trailer’ wagons with 20-tonne capacity each. Like the Vande Bharat trains, the Cargo train also features automatic plug doors, Mishra said.
Compared to existing cargo trains that cover 60-70 km per hour, the Vande Bharat Freight train has an average operating speed of 80-90 km per hour along with plying at a high speed of 130 km/h.
“The train has been designed specifically for the e-commerce sector, given the current high demand for freight transportation. Large volumes of parcels are transported between cities, often relying heavily on road transport; Vande Bharat Cargo train will facilitate rapid delivery of parcels via rail. It targets enabling the immediate shipment of high-value equipment, including electronics, pharmaceuticals, and temperature-sensitive devices,” a railway official said.
