Railways will conduct tests on the newly arrived Bombardier rakes on curves, straight tracks and yards between the Kalyan-Karjat section today; the tests will be carried out at speeds reaching up to 120 kmph
Today is the first time railway authorities will be testing the new Bombardier rakes during day time. Authorities are setting much store by the tests, which they say will help them determine how soon the new set of 12-car coaches can be manufactured and introduced.
If the tests yield positive results, 72 new rakes would be commissioned by the railways. File pic
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The tests are applicable to both Central and Western Railway, but the run is scheduled on the Kalyan-Karjat stretch since it has many curves. Sources said that although the train will begin from Kalyan station, the trial run will happen at around 9 am mainly between Ambernath and Karjat section, which is a good 40 kms long.
“The trial will happen mainly on curves, straight tracks and inside the station yard,” said Prabhat Ranjan, chief spokesperson, Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC).
Testing methods
Each train, worth about Rs 30 crore, will be first tested on a two-degree curve between Ambernath and Badlapur, then on a 1.2-degree curve on the Badlapur-Vangani stretch, followed by a run inside the yard near Shelu station.
Finally, the train will be operated on the straight track between Neral and Karjat stations. Many senior officials from the Central Railway, the MRVC and the Research, Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow will be part of the trial.
The trains will be tested for various parameters (see box). While most trials are done in the night, this is a special run being done during day time. The tests will be carried out at different speeds ranging from 60 kmph to 120 kmph under various conditions. If the test results are favourable, the railways would order 72 such rakes to be manufactured, and then commissioned to be operated.
“If all goes well and test reports are agreed to by the RDSO and the railways at large, then we will start its production. At least two rakes will be manufactured in a month, during the initial period,” said a senior railway official on the condition of anonymity. In all, 72 trains (all of them 12-car) will be manufactured and procured at a collective cost of Rs 3,041 crore.
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