TEJAS Express : A New era of high speed train in INDIAN RAILWAYS (200Kmph)

The first coach of the Railway's premium offering - the premium Tejas brand of trains - has been built at the Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala and is expected to be put on trial soon. 

Indian Railways has placed an order for one Tejas rake consisting of 14 chair cars, 3 executive chair cars and 3 power cars with the RCF.

First Look of "Humsafar Express" Coaches at RCF

The first look of coaches of Humsafar train wrapped in sky blue vinyl sheets with earthy red border,  equipped with CCTV and fire safety devices.

       Fully furnished coach at Rail Coach Factory.

Manufactured at Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, 21 Humsafar coaches will be despatched to New Delhi station next month.

Delhi to Kolkata in 4 hours? The Spanish TALGO bullet train.

TALGO : A New Arrival

Talgo is one of the leading companies in Spanish railway sector , started in 1941. Talgo is running almost all around the world and now in INDIA. Talgo has been wooing India for years and got its breakthrough this year to prove that they can slash travel time by 30%. The main reason for which it is allowed for trials that IR won't need to change the track for it.

source : Talgo

KNOW MORE OF THE DMU/EMU/MEMU. HOW DO THEY WORK??

Electric multiple unit (EMU) or Diesel multiple unit (DMU) 

Electric multiple unit (EMU) or Diesel multiple unit (DMU) refers to coaches/cars used for mostly suburban areas. These trains have multiple self propelled coaches/bogies either electric motors or diesel for each car.  As opposed to the convention where the passengers are in coaches that are not self-propelling and a locomotive hauls the train, in these cars that carries passengers also has the motive power. EMU/DMU have TRACTION motors installed to them in the bogies itself which propels the cars.

Following article will explore mainly about the shelf propelling bogie i.e DMC (diesel motor car) of an EMU/DMU.

image soucre

SEMI HIGH SPEED COACHES ROLL OUT BY 2017,JUNE

Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, has started manufacturing coaches, which are capable of running at the speed of 200 kilometres per hour (kmph). The first rake of 20 such coaches would be rolled out by June 2017.

RCF general manager R P Nibariya said the first four coaches - executive chair cars and AC chair cars two each - would be rolled by next month. As the signal distance for the high speed coaches would remain the same as is with other trains, special emphasis has been laid on the brake system to quicken and strengthen it. The coaches of Alstom-LHB configuration would now have stainless steel disc brakes, sintered pads and electro-pneumatically assisted brake system.

"BHEEM" EMDWGD 5

Diesel train for Indian Railways - the WDG5

These are the main pictures of # 50001, the model WDG5 train at DLW, Varanasi. At 5,500 HP, this is the most intense diesel train to be ever constructed in India. The train is prepared, with the exception of the RRT (Real Road Test) freedom from CRS. The train or the arrangement is named Bheem, after the solid Pandav sibling from epic of Mahabharat. The loco has a 20 cylinder EMD prime mover and an AC-AC transmission.

                        Image source HERE

Not Right Time for Bullet Train in India

Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train picks up speed

Source HERE

R98,000 crore venture to fabricate a 505-km slug train passageway was passed a year ago, no further dialogs had occurred. Slated to start in 2017 and be finished in five years, the task is said to be the response to tending to the developing weight on existing long separation trains, street transport and air go, as indicated by the Indian Railways.

VACUUM TOILET SYSTEM BY I.R (EXPLAINED)

image courtesy: cheapflights.com & evac-train.com

No more dirty tracks and stinking toilets in trains may become a thing of the past, Indian Railway has installed VACUUM TOILETS for the first time in the trains. The trail run is in progress, fitted in the A.C first class of DIBRUGARH Rajdhani with an approximate cost of 3 lakhs , these toilets are also equipped with BIODIGESTER.

                                               
The basic reason behind using a vacumm toilet is being eco- friendly as it consumes 80% less water than conventional(currently used) toilets in Indian Railway coaches. 

VACUUM TOILETS

 

Vacuum toilets uses an active vacuum instead of a passive siphon, when it flush, it opens a valve in the sever line or septic tank ( to biodigester in I.R coaches) , and the vacuum sucks out the excreta out of the bowl and into the tank. It takes very less water to clean the bowl for the next person. Most of the toilets uses only 0.5 to 1.5 liters of water as compared to 6 liters for a water saving toilet and upto 20 liters for conventional (old) toilets.

OUR VISIT TO RAIL COACH FACTORY, KAPURTHALA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

    Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala is considered one of the best manufacturing firms in entire Asia. The 

           technology used here is considered most advanced. R.C.F has been a great 

experience of our life .We are exposed to new  and advanced technology.

Our excursion, learning experience, comprehension of the INDIAN RAILWAYS, friendly nature of every one at the workshops and our incalculable inquiries being addressed and disclosed to, has all been conceivable due to the kind help and consolation of Mr Ashwani Kumar (C.I), Mr jagdish (MCM) Rail Coach Factory Kapurthala.

Much obliged to them, Thank you all that much. 

I am also much appreciative to my friend, Rail enthusiast Satish Maurya. 

For His extending cooperation and support.

With Regards 

Sandip Besra

TYPES OF COUPLING SYSTEMS USED BY "INDIAN RAILWAYS"

TYPES OF COUPLING SYSTEMS USED BY "INDIAN RAILWAYS" (BROAD GUAGE)

DRAW AND BUFFING GEAR ASSEMBLY

Draw and buffing gears are attached to the end of one  coach and this two gear mechanisms are made to suit two adjacent coaches into an uniform continuous movement. They also transform the hauling force from main engine to the following rake, draw gear is specialized for these purpose, where as the buffing gears are essential for maintaining a vibration less motion of a coach with respect to its former one.

                       

We have two different arrangements of draw and buffing gear assembly in ICF and LHB coaches. They are-

FOR "CONVENTIONAL" ICF TYPE COACHES

SCREW COUPLER IN ICF COACHES

Screw coupling and the side buffers serves the aforesaid purpose in case of the draw and buffing gears respectively in case of ICF coaches. Screw coupling not only gives the boost but also let two coaches to connect in the formation of a continuous rake. The two jaws of the screw on both sides are guarded with spring and rubber to minimize the vibration the hauling force produces. They are called the DRAFT GEARS.

(img source : quora)

RAIL & LIFE (Stunning view of Parallel Rakes at Santragachi Station)

   

 

Innovative Design of "RDSO TRAIL COACH ( LHB SLR ) WITH UNDERSLUNG DG SET"

 RDSO TRAIL COACH ( LHB SLR ) WITH UNDERSLUNG DG SET

Hope you all have read the previous article "POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM IN INDIAN RAILWAY COACHES"
and " DEVELOPMENT HISTORY OF POWER GENERATION IN "LHB" AC/NAC"

There are mainly three types of power supply system namely SELF GENERATING , END ON GENERATION and HEAD ON GENERATION.

CONVENTIONAL DESIGN OF GENERATOR AND LUGGAGE CAR

                                   

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY OF POWER GENERATION IN "LHB" AC/NAC

POWER GENERATION IN MIX AC/NAC LHB

The "conventional" LHB uses EOG ( End On Generation ) . That is the rakes of the LHB are powered by Generator Cars, These are Diesel generators capable of producing 750KW at 750V 50Hz.
 There are two of these cars for Each train, both of which are positioned at the both (extreme) ends of the LHB rake. According to the Power Load these cars provide electricity to coaches for RMPU, lighting & other essentials.
But soon arises the need of running NAC LHB or A mix of AC/NAC LHB coaches, for which the existing Power cars were of over capacity. therefore,
So as to meet the satisfaction of the passengers, Higher capacity, the need for design and subsequent Running a mix of AC and NAC LHB Coaches  was felt. RCF has effectively begun fabricating Non-AC LHB and 276 such Coaches have gone into service till 31st March 2014 and dealing with Northern Railway, North Western Railway, Western Railway, East Central Railway and Eastern Railway.

LHB NAC (right) & AC (left) Coaches

CDTS & BIODIGESTER

Innovation By Indian Railways (CDTS & The Bio-Digestor Toilet System)

Indian Railways with its vast tracks network has been The World's biggest Mobile Toilet

60% (626 million) in India do not have toilet

This makes India the number one country in the world where open defecation is practised
Indonesia with 63 million is a far second!
Less than 10% of Gram Panchayats in India are ODF

ØPollution of fecal matter with drinking water leads to contamination of food, fruits & vegetables, animals (direct contact, flies & rodents)

ØWater borne diseases

ØViral gastroenteritis

ØTyphoid 

ØCholera epidemics

ØDiarrhoea (annually kills 5 Lakhs children)

ØViral hepatitis (100 cases per 100,000 people)

ØOrganic pollution

ØAesthetic nuisance

Controlled Discharge Toilet System (CDTS)

LHB coaches are fitted with controlled discharge toilet units to avoid soiling of train in station and inhabited areas.

Ever wondered , why DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES are left IDLE or not SHUTDOWN??

Ever wondered , why DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES are left IDLE or not SHUTDOWN??

You all have observed many times that diesel locomotives are kept idle in the yards and also when waiting for too long in the yards or station especially for goods train. Loco pilots can switch off the diesel engine and save fuel instead of running in IDLE condition

But they don't do because

• The brake pipe pressure reduces due to the leakages and it takes longer time to build up working pressure again.It is very curcial when waiting for the signal on the grade.
• A proper checklist have to followed to recrank the engine  . It takes 10-15 min to do so when  starting after a long shutdown.
• To keep the compressor running , engine must not be switched off as it is coupled with the engine.
• As the diesel engine contains usually 16 cylinders and are also big in size , so it is quite difficult to achieve ignition temperature.There are many auxiliary components running so if one fails or some technical parameter changes may cause problem in starting. 

A new technological improvement and upgradation is done in indian railways. A new fuel saving device called APU (AUXILIARY POWER UNIT) are being installed in the diesel locomotives.In future, Indian railways plan to fit APU on 100 per cent in newly-built diesel locomotives which will then result in saving of more than Rs 60 crore annually in future. Use of APU also results in lower CO2 emission and other pollutants like HC, NOx, CO etc."

                                                             A loco fitted with APU

INDIAN RAILWAYS BOGIE PROTOTYPE THAT WILL RUN 200KMPH

 BOGIE PROTOTYPE THAT WILL RUN 200KMPH

In sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' campaign, the Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, is contemplating to roll out the first rake of coaches which can run at a speed of 200km per hour. While its design has been prepared, RCF has already ordered a prototype of upgraded brake system, the most crucial component in this high speed train.

"If things go as planned, after getting the prototype of the new brake system, we shall prepare a prototype of the new coach by December. After the in-house testing, the first rake can be rolled out by the end of this financial year or in the beginning 2016-17 fiscal," said RCF general manager Alok Dave who is also holding the charge of RCF, Rae Bareli.

via - Times of India

Difference between a ICF and LHB bogie

              Difference between a ICF and LHB bogie

	Integral Coach Factory	Linke-Holfmann-Busch (Alstom)
Ride Index1	2.6 at 160 kmph in vertical modes and 3.4/3.5 at 160 kmph in lateral mode	2.5 but not exceeding 2.75 both in vertical & lateral modes
Economic Advantage	Tested speed of max 160 kmph	Tested speed of max 180 kmph
	Service speed of max 130 kmph	Service speed of max 160 kmph
	Very high oil leakage	No problem of that sort at all
Maintenance	Intermediate Overhauling (IOH) 9 months or 2 lakhs km	Intermediate Overhauling (IOH) 18 months or 5 lakhs km
	Periodic Overhauling (POH) 18 months or 4 lakhs km	Periodic Overhauling (POH) 36 months or 10 lakhs km
	Regular coats of paint required	No painting required for six years
Bogie Frame	Box type with headstock	H-type chasis without headstock.
Wheel and Axle	Wheel base - 2896 mm	Wheel base - 2560 mm thus improved ability to negotiate curves
	Max distance between inner wheels 11887 mm	Max distance between inner wheels 12345 mm
Bearing Arrangement	Spherical roller bearing	Cartridge Tapered roller bearing which in turn needs lesser maintenance
Bogie Frame-Axle Joint	Rigid	Articulated by control arm
Primary Suspension Unit	Coil springs with dashpot level	Coil springs are nested with hydraulic damper & control arm
Secondary Suspension Unit	Secondary springs on lower spring beam through hangers	Secondary springs directly mounted on the sides of frames
Bogie Body Joint	Through center pivot	Through pivot assembly on transverse beam & bracket on doom
Brake system	claspe type brake	Axle mounted disc brake
Maintenance   requirement in POH	Always More Due to :	Very less Due to :
	Axle guide arrangement	Wheel with improved curving characteristics
	Spherical Roller Bearing	Cartridge Tapered Roller Bearings
	Clasp brake	Disc Brake
	More Pin Joints	Bogie frame, springs & ruber components
Anti-rolling arrangement	Not provided	Provided

NEW GENERATOR CAR BY RDSO FOR LHB NAC (images)

FIAT BOGIE