Mumbai: The much-awaited air-conditioned rake finally arrived in the city on Monday night and is currently parked in the Kurla car shed.
The rake, built at a cost of Rs 55 crore, is totally Indian made. The body was manufactured in the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai and now in Mumbai, the electrical fittings including the AC and automated doors will be fixed by the BHEL. The engineers from BHEL will be coming to Mumbai in next two days and with the help of engineers from Kurla car shed the electrical fittings will be done.
However, the train has arrived from Chennai with a broken window of one compartment.
The 12-car rake before coming into service on the Central line will go under various trials. The trials will be taken by the Research Design and Standard Organisation (RDSO) after the approval of Commission of Railway Safety (CRS). The RDSO will take a number of trials which include safety, electrical, oscillation, breaking system, door opening and many. “It depends on the RDSO as to how many trials are needed as RDSO will continue the trials till the organisation decides that the train is as per required standards. After the clearance by the RDSO, the AC local will be brought into service,” said Central Railway’s spokesperson, Narendra Patil.
Services will start only after summer as the next two months will be spent in completing electrical work and trials on all three lines of Central Railway
It is expected that the AC train will come into service only after the summer season as the next two months will be spent in completing electrical work and trials on all three lines of Central Railway. “The most difficult corridor for trials will be Kasara to CST. So the first trial may be taken between Kasara-CST and later all important routes will be tried,” Patil added.
Regarding the fares, Patil said, “CR has sent many alternatives to the Railway Board regarding the ticket rates – if it should be charged as per Metro fares or first class fares. It is the first of its kind project so the rates will be decided by the Railway Board only.”
For running the BHEL-make AC train, the motormen will be given special training and training sessions will commence within two to three days as the engineers from BHEL, Bhopal will arrive in the city.
The ladies compartments in the 12 car AC local have not been finalised yet. “The RDSO will give their report after the trials. The ladies compartments will be either according to our present non-AC trains or in the Mumbai Metro’s style where one row is marked for ladies. If the special ladies compartment is formed, the compartments which has vestibules may be closed”, said A K Jain, spokesperson for CR.
The train has the carrying capacity of 5,964 persons with seating for 1,028 and standing for 4,936. The passenger capacity of the train is less than the present trains as due to automated doors people cannot lean out.
Mumbai will soon see more AC trains as in all ten AC trains have been ordered by the railway board. The remaining nine AC trains are also being manufactured at the ICF, Chennai.
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It has vestibules, that is the compartments are interconnected.
The train has wide and large double sealed glass windows similar to the Rajdhani Express
Electrically operated automatic sliding doors with safety features
A knob from both outside and inside to open the automated manually in case of emergency
Spacious with comfortable seats
LED destination boards
GPS-based LED displays for passengers information and announcement system
AC capacity – each coach will have 2 roof mounted air conditioners each of 15 ton
Passenger talk-back facility with guard in case of emergency
Operates at 25 KV AC traction
Stainless steel body coaches with straight side walls
Driver desk with LCD display
