‘T18’, India’s first engine-less train reaches Delhi

NEW DELHI: Indian Railways is all set to roll out its much-awaited semi-high speed ‘Train 18’ or ‘T18’. The successor to the 30-year-old Shatabdi Express reached the national capital’s Safdarjung station on Thursday morning.

However, T18 is on trial and will undergo extensive testing before passengers are allowed to travel on it. The train is designed to increase Indian Railways Green footprint by dispensing with the power cars and saving about 30 per cent electricity thanks to the advanced regenerative braking system. This train, a ‘Make In India’ product is the country’s first engine-less train- was developed by Chennai Integral Coach Factory in eighteen months.

The full AC train is designed in such a way that passengers can have a look at the driver’s cabin also. It has a stainless steel car body with LHB as the base design.

T18 has a potential to travel up to the speed at 160 kmph as against Shatabdi’s 130 kmph, which will further result in the travel time being reduced by around 15 per cent once tracks are fitted to suit.

On the other side, reportedly, the train cost nearly Rs 100 crore to build the prototype and subsequent production, has brought down the cost. The self-propelled train, fitted with CCTV cameras, will have two executive compartments. These will have 52 rotating seats to match the direction of the train each, whereas trailer coaches will have 78 seats each.

It has further diffused lighting, an onboard infotainment system with Wi-fi, vacuum toilets, sliding doors beside a Gps-based passenger information system. The footstep in a coach’s doorway slides outward when the train stops at a station, enabling passengers to alight safely with comfort in view of the variation in height between a train’s floor and the platform. But the doors will open after the train stops.