Udaipur, December 25, 2024 –The first prototype of the Vande Bharat sleeper successfully performed a two-day trial run between Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh) and Mahoba (Uttar Pradesh) under the Jhansi Railway Division with a speed of 115-130 kmph. This train was with the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai for quality check-up before the trial run. During the trial, the technical team of Railways and ICF closely examined the technical aspects of all equipment including the speed of the train.

The Vande Bharat sleeper train has been designed to replace the Rajdhani Express and is expected to outdo the latter in terms of passenger facilities, speed, safety, etc. As far as speed is concerned, the Vande Bharat sleeper train will run at a maximum speed of 160 km/hr though it is capable of even going up 180 km/hr. Enhanced passenger comfort has been incorporated into the train based on the design elements on European trains.

The first prototype will have 16 passenger coaches of which 11 will be three-tier AC coaches, four two-tier AC coaches and a single First Class AC coach. Specialised night illumination, integrated public announcement systems with visual displays, security cameras, modular pantry facilities are some of the highlights of this train.

An important feature will be an enhanced jerk-free travel experience with special couplers. Passenger safety has been kept of paramount importance. The coaches will have “crashworthy” components to ensure safety during unexpected incidents. An indigenously-designed anti-train collision system, KAVACH, has been incorporated into the design.

Berths will feature extra padding and the ladder to climb to upper berths are also made passenger friendly. There will be individual reading lights, power outlets for phones and laptops as well as tables by the berths.

Attention has been paid to designing the toilets to maintain hygiene and give a touch of class. The washrooms in the coaches will have aircraft-style modular bio-vacuum toilets. The system will be ergonomically designed and odour free. There will be a nappy changing station in all coaches while the First Class coach washroom will have an additional feature of a shower compartment with hot water facility. There will be special toilets, as also berths, for the differently abled.

The interconnecting doors in the coaches with gangways will be sealed to ensure dust-free surroundings and allow for efficient air conditioning. The exit door will open automatically only at designated stops. Energy efficiency will come from the regenerative breaking systems.

Passengers will be allowed to communicate with the loco pilot in case of an emergency. There will be talk-back units for such communications. Additionally, the presence of CCTV cameras in all coaches will allow for centralised coach monitoring system.

The Vander Bharat sleeper train is meant for overnight travels and is expected to be introduced on major Golden Quadrilateral routes, which is connecting the four major cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai. There are reports that this train will be operational even on Jammu and Kashmir routes. A special sleeper train will be run between New Delhi and Srinagar passing through snow-covered mountains and covering this distance in 13 hours.

With Media Inputs