Varanasi: India’s first indigenous semi-high-speed train -Vande Bharat Express completed its first year of glorious service without cancellation of any trip. The ADRM Ravi Prakash Chaturvedi welcomed the passengers when the train reached Varanasi railway station on Tuesday.
The first rake was inaugurated and dedicated to the Nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15, 2019 as New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express. The train started its commercial run from February 17, 2019 and responsibility of maintenance of train has since been proudly and successfully shouldered by the Delhi Division of Northern Railway.
India’s First Semi High Speed Train, fondly called T- 18 and later officially christened as Vande Bharat Express was built by Integral Coach Factory, Chennai in October 2018. The train is equipped with numerous technological initiatives and modern passenger amenities.
The train is equipped with GPS passenger information system, CCTV cameras and talk-back facility units to connect with driver in case of an emergency. The luxury all air-conditioned chair car train is slated to take eight hours to travel from New Delhi to Varanasi via Kanpur and Allahabad.
Manufactured at the Integrated Coach Factory, Chennai, the train has 16 coaches with seating capacity of 1,128. Out of 16 coaches, 12 are normal chair-car type with 78 seats, two coaches are executive type with 52 seats and two driving coaches.
All the coaches are inter-connected by fully sealed gangways allowing easy movement to passengers from one coach to other. The train has two driving trailer coaches with aerodynamic drivers cab on both ends, which enable quicker turn-around time at destinations. Every alternate coach is motorized to ensure even distribution of motive power and faster acceleration. The train has continuous windows giving a modern and sleek look. It has passenger amenities like on-board wi-fi infotainment, bio-vacuum toilets, diffused LED lighting, charging points beneath every seat, rotating seats in executive class, and so forth. The brake system is electro pneumatic with brake discs mounted directly on wheel discs, which reduce the braking distance. It has been developed with fully suspended traction motors for 160 kmph operational speed.
Salient Features:
- 16 Coach Chair Car Type Configuration Stainless Steel Car Body
- Maximum Speed – 160kmph
- Test Speed – 180kmph
- Maximum Axle Load – 17 T
- Starting Accelation-0.8 msec2
- Deceleration – 1m/sec2
- Fully Sealed Gangway
- Fully air-conditioned including driver cab
- Automatic doors with sliding foot step
- Onboard computer for train control & remote monitoring
- 50% powered axles (every alternate coach powered)
- Fully Suspended Traction Motors
- All propulsion equipment are under slung
Milestones:
- Has set unmatched availability and reliability records by running without any service disruption
- First train in India that runs at a commercial speed of above 100kmph
- Service standards have been maintained with single rake without availability of spare coached or spare rakes
- Has logged 3.8 lakh kilometer so far, logging approx.1500 kmph each day
- Cumulative earning of Rs.92.29 crores with 100 % occupancy
- Second rake, on New Delhi-SriMata Vaishno Devi Katra is also providing similar high quality services successfully..
