This story is from January 03, 2025
Faster train travel! One-fifth of Indian Railways tracks can now handle 130 kmph train speeds
Indian Railways officials also confirmed that 54,337 TKM of tracks can accommodate speeds up to 110 kmph. "The speed of 2,741 TKM network has already been raised to 110 km/h, against a target of 5,000 TKM, during the current fiscal," the official said.
Indian Railways has been looking to enhance track and signalling infrastructure to support higher train speeds on the network. Some major stretches on the Golden Quadrilateral are also being upgraded to allow for semi-high speed trains with maximum speeds of up to 160 kmph.
Also Read | Indian Railways plans centrally heated sleeper train, special Vande Bharat chair car for Kashmir - check features
Vande Bharat Express, the new flagship passenger train of Indian Railways, can run at speeds of 160 kmph.
Meanwhile, Indian Railways showed improved performance with a 4% rise in earnings and 2% higher capital expenditure during April to December of the current fiscal year compared to the previous year.
The passenger segment earnings increased by 6%, reaching Rs 55,988 crore.
"Total revenue of Indian Railways stood at Rs 1.93 lakh crore in the first nine months of the current fiscal. This is Rs 7,674 crore higher than the topline last year," a senior official told the financial daily.
Also Read | Vande Bharat sleeper a step closer to launch! New Indian Railways train leaves ICF Chennai for RDSO field trials
The increased revenue primarily came from enhanced freight loading, which saw a 2% rise to 1,179 million tonnes.
Train services, including mail, express, passenger and others, increased by 3%, achieving over 2.07 million runs. "This is an all-time-high record. Last year, we ran 2.02 million train services during the same period," the official said.
Special train services during peak demand periods increased by 54% to 57,169 compared to the previous year. The railway authority has introduced a new timetable incorporating 62 special trains on popular routes.
The new schedule also includes 74 additional services, with 34 pairs of Vande Bharat trains.
Vande Bharat sleeper is ready! The first prototype of the Vande Bharat sleeper variant left ICF Chennai for RDSO field trials in late December 2024. The new Indian Railways train will offer a better travel experience to passengers compared to the Rajdhani Express train in terms of speed, safety, passenger amenities & more. The first Vande Bharat sleeper train has been manufactured by BEML in collaboration with ICF Chennai. The first Vande Bharat sleeper will undergo field trials by RDSO before being flagged off for passenger operations. What’s special about the Vande Bharat sleeper train? What features can railway passengers look forward to? We take a look:
What is the maximum speed of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train? The new Vande Bharat sleeper train, built on the Vande Bharat platform, is capable of attaining speeds of up to 180 km/h. It will run at a maximum permissible speed of 160 kmph on Indian Railways speed. Due to its faster acceleration and deceleration, Vande Bharat sleeper train will aim to have a higher average speed compared to the premium Rajdhani Express trains.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Configuration: The first prototype of Vande Bharat sleeper train consists of 16 passenger coaches. The configuration includes 11 AC 3 tier coaches, 4 AC 2 tier coaches, and a single AC First class coach.
Vande Bharat Sleeper: Indian Railways has incorporated numerous passenger-centric features in the Vande Bharat sleeper train, including specialised night illumination, integrated public announcement systems with visual displays, security cameras, modular pantry facilities, and various additional amenities.
Vande Bharat Sleeper: The new Indian Railways train will offer an enhanced jerk-free travel experience with special couplers. The design also incorporates 'crashworthy' components to enhance passenger safety during unexpected incidents.
The new Vande Bharat sleeper train incorporates design elements from European trains to enhance passenger comfort. The coaches are equipped with advanced amenities, and the berths feature additional padding to ensure a pleasant journey. The ladder to climb onto the upper berths has also been made more passenger-friendly.
Vande Bharat sleeper trains will come equipped with the KAVACH anti train collision system that has been indigenously designed. The train also makes use of regenerative braking systems for energy efficiency.
Vande Bharat Sleeper toilet: The new Vande Bharat sleeper train will be equipped with aircraft-style modular bio-vacuum toilets. The design includes a specially adapted toilet for disabled passengers, which also features a nappy changing station for infants. The AC First class coach toilet will have a shower compartment equipped with a hot water facility.
Vande Bharat Sleeper special features: The new Indian Railways train’s coaches feature automatic interconnecting doors in the coaches. The gangways are also completely sealed to ensure dust-free surroundings and efficient air-conditioning.
The new Vande Bharat sleeper train will have individual reading lights, power outlets for mobile phones and laptops, tables for refreshments, amongst other facilities. Vande Bharat sleeper train will have best-in-the-class GFRP panel interior. The exit doors operate automatically, opening only at station stops.
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