In a major step towards enhancing India’s rail infrastructure, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai is gearing up to roll out Vande Bharat’s sleeper coaches. These coaches aim to offer a seamless and comfortable travel experience for long-distance passengers. This marks a significant evolution in the Vande Bharat series, known for its high-speed, chair car designs.
ICF General Manager U. Subba Rao, in a press conference on Wednesday, discussed the upcoming launch of the Vande Bharat sleeper coaches, highlighting the collaboration between ICF and Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) in the development of this new prototype.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Coaches testing to begin in November
He further explained that the train will undergo extensive trials at Lucknow’s Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and on Western Railway tracks.
“This train right now is a prototype which is produced with the collaboration of BEML and ICF. It has come here about 10-15 days back. We are doing the initial commissioning and a lot of small works are there inside that we finished on the finished furnishing side which we are completing. By the 15th of November most probably the train will be ready for testing purposes. The testing will be done in Lucknow RDSO and Western Railways. Basically what we call as oscillation trials and emergency braking distress trials and also all the control systems and electrical systems have to be checked in running condition.” he said.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Coaches testing process explained
The testing process will be carried out in phases, starting at speeds of 90 kmph and progressing up to 180 kmph. The trials, which include oscillation, emergency braking, and testing of control and electrical systems, are expected to conclude by January 15, 2025, when the train is anticipated to be certified for regular operations.
“So it will start testing at 90 kmph, 100 kmph, 120, 130, and then right up to 180 kmph, it will be tested. So the whole protocol will take about two months. So once the 15th of November, the train is ready from our side, after commissioning, we expect that December by January 15, and certified for regular operations,” he said.
Railways to increase speeds on key routes
Regarding India’s track upgrades, Rao mentioned that the process is ongoing, with several sections identified for enhancement to handle speeds of 160 kmph.
A lot of tracks are already being upgraded to 130 kmph, and this will gradually increase to 160 kmph in key routes, like the Chennai-Delhi route, he added.
On the growing popularity of the Vande Bharat trains, Rao stated that due to the high demand, the Railway Board had requested the development of a sleeper version. “As our order books are full, we’ve focused on domestic orders for now, but in 3-4 years, we could consider exports,” he said.
With these advancements, Vande Bharat sleeper coaches are expected to further transform India’s railway travel experience, offering high-speed, comfortable journeys on longer routes.
