Train 18

Modern trains, improved riding comfort, speedier travel, and more – these are some of the benefits of private trains in India. In times to come, Indian Railways hopes to provide customers with world-class accommodations and guaranteed train availability on high-demand lines. The Public-Private Partnership strategy of introducing private trains on the Indian Railways network is projected to usher in a new era of contemporary train travel in India. Requests for Qualifications for a Rs 30,000 crore project have been issued, and the first private train is slated to start running in April 2023. So, what might travellers expect from private train travel? The answer is that it’s similar to Train 18 or the Vande Bharat Express! The Vande Bharat Express, also known as Train 18, is Indian Railways’ first engine-less self-propelled train set, capable of speeds of up to 160 kmph . It is Indian Railways’ most advanced offering to date, including multiple engineering firsts and a slew of aircraft-like features for passenger convenience. However, while the Vande Bharat Express is a train set and so does not require a locomotive to draw it, private train operators will have the ability to design new trains that are either locomotive pulled or distributed power like train sets.

Was Train 18 Successful?

While the train was travelling from Varanasi to Delhi, it was discovered that four coaches had no electricity and that the brakes had been blocked. However, after the minor issues were resolved, plans were made in 2019 to produce another 40 Vande Bharat trains over the next three years. Two more trains of this type were later launched. Despite the fact that the two trains, one from Delhi to Varanasi and the other from Delhi to Katra, had no defects and were running smoothly, the Railway Board ordered the manufacturing of the Vande Bharat Express to be halted, and the Railways Research, Designs, and Standards Board rewrote the specifications. Despite this, the train made a total of 93 crores in a single year. The halting of construction of this world-class train demonstrates the train’s current failure. The Vande Bharat team, however, is constantly trying to improve one of the best creations under the ‘Make in India’ program. Soon after the pandemic, production is anticipated to begin. And India’s very own train, hopefully, will be on the rails shortly.

Global Tain 18

The train’s inauguration sparked interest in India as well as other areas of the world. Indian Railways Member of Rolling Stock, Rajesh Agarwal hopes to export the train to countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South America, North America, and Europe. Some Southeast Asian and South American countries, including Peru, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia, as well as some Middle Eastern countries, have reportedly expressed interest in the Indian Railways.  These countries are interested in purchasing train sets because the average cost of a coach is roughly 6 crores, which is four times less than the global average of 24-25 crores per coach and also because the train is a passenger train.

First Engineless Train 18

1. Train 18 is a fully air conditioned train. This train was built for 100 crores within a span of 18 months. The speed of this train goes a maximum of 160 kmph.
2. The opulent 16-coach train is regarded as a worthy successor to the venerable Shatabdi Express, which has been in service for 30 years.
3. When compared to the Shatabdi, the train will reduce travel time by 15%.
4. It took the city-based Integral Coach Factory 18 months to develop.
5. The fully air-conditioned train is designed so that passengers can see into the driver’s cabin.
6. Train 18 is propelled without the use of a locomotive by a self-propulsion module.
7. It also has technical elements that allow for faster acceleration.
8. In addition to a GPS-based Passenger Information System, Train 18 has diffused lighting, automatic doors, and footsteps.
9. When a train stops at a station, the footstep in the coach’s doorway slides outward, allowing passengers to alight safely and comfortably due to the height difference between the train’s doors.
10. The self-propelled train, which would be equipped with CCTV cameras, would have two executive compartments in the middle, each with 52 seats, and trailer coaches would each have 78 seats.

Conclusion

The Vande Bharat Express, commonly known as Train 18, is an Indian semi-high-speed intercity EMU train  that was designed and built by Integral Coach Factory in Perambur, Chennai, over the course of 18 months as part of the Indian government’s Make in India project. The first rake was predicted to cost 100 crores per unit, though this is expected to decrease as production increases. It is anticipated to be 40% less expensive than a similar train bought from Europe at the time of purchase. The train debuted on February 15, 2019,, by which time a second unit would have been built and ready to go into service.