The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai which is manufacturing the new upgraded rakes of Vande Bharat will soon roll out the third rake of Vande Bharat Express according to officials of ICF. According to sources as quoted by news agency PTI the third such train will leave the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai on August 12 for trials. The train is likely to be run on a specific route in south India from November.
The ICF has the capacity to manufacture six to seven Vande Bharat rakes (trains) every month and attempts are on to scale this number to 10.
Differences between current Vande Bharat Express rake and the upgraded Vande Bharat Express rake
1. Change of formation with individual units with a non-driving Trailer Coach in the middle like an EMU for better acceleration/deceleration.
2. Time to reach 160 Kmph is 140 seconds compared to 145 seconds earlier.
3. Emergency lighting – 4 nos. in each coach for powering the lights in case all electricity connection fail in comparison with NIL earlier
4. 4 platform side cameras including rear view cameras outside the coach instead of 2 earlier.
5. Better heat ventilation and air-conditioning control by using higher efficiency compressor with UV lamp for germ free supply of air. This was not there in the earlier version.
6. The present coaches have Level-II safety integration certification for better train control management
7. Separate ventilation duct on the side wall as against part of traction motor earlier
8. 2 Nos. signal exchange lights on the coaches for exchange of signal with the way side stations
9. Fire detection system based on Aerosol fire suppression system in all coaches in place of just smoke detection system in the earlier coaches. Better fire safety.
10. Bigger Passenger Information and Infotainment System of 32″ in every coach instead of 24″ earlier.
11. Better Coach Control Management System for monitoring Air-Conditioning, communication and feed back to control centre/maintenance staff through GSM/GPRS.
12. Better riding comfort for passenger at 3.5 (riding index).
13. 4 Nos. emergency windows added in every coach.
14. Residual acceleration at 0.1 m/second at 160 Kmph as against 0.05 m/sec.
15. Better flood proofing for under-slung electrical equipments that will withstand floods up to a height of 650 mm as against 400 mm earlier.
16. Class 3 and 4 surge arrestors for electrical safety as against Class 2 and 3 surge arrestors earlier
17. Driver-Guard communication with voice recording facility.
Apart from ICF, the Vande Bharat trains will also be manufactured at the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala and the Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareli.
After the successful trial of these trains, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would give the green signal. The test speed of the train is 180 kmph, while the maximum speed is 160 kmph. The trial of the train will be conducted from Kota in Rajasthan to Nagda section of Madhya Pradesh. The trial speed of the train will be 100 to 180 kmph. After the success of two-three trials, the new Vande Bharat train will be fit to run commercially.
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