Indian Railways launches game-changer project to save over Rs 1,400 crore a year! Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways has introduced a new game-changing move for LHB coaches, 20 years after they were first introduced on the network. The national transporter, in an eco-friendly move, is now making use of the Head-On-Generation (HOG) system, instead of the End on Generation (EOG) system. The HOG system makes use of overhead electric supply to supply power to the coaches. This eliminates the need for two power cars to be attached to LHB rakes on the network, hence helping save crores of rupees in diesel consumption. Additionally, the resulting reduction in fumes and carbon dioxide emissions makes it an eco-friendly move.
Under the new system, instead of two power cars which created immense noise, one silent generator car will be available that can be used in case of an emergency. One LHB Second Luggage, Guard & Divyaang Compartment will be attached in place of the second power car. This new coach has been designed, developed and tested in a record time of 10 months, said Rajesh Agarwal, Member Rolling Stock Railway Board. The coach will have the capability to convert power from the overhead supply for the entire train, apart from space for parcels and passengers, hence increasing the carrying capacity of a single train. More importantly, the new LHB coach allows for divyaang passengers to board trains. This was a big drawback, which has now been addressed by Indian Railways in its new design for LHB coaches. The toilet in the new coach is also divyaang-friendly, allowing for a wheelchair to be wheeled in.
Linke Hofmann Busch or LHB coaches are designed to run with two power cars that make use of two diesel generator sets on either end. The cost of electricity generation from diesel generator sets is very high, resulting in huge operating expenditure. The new HOG system, used widely be railway networks across the world, makes use of the overhead power received from the locomotive.
According to Agarwal, the step is a transformational one. “PM Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal are clear that we have to focus on transformational steps, instead of incremental ones. This move from EOG to HOG for LHB coaches will be a win-win for all – we will save a huge amount of money, it is very eco-friendly, it is in line with global standards and passengers benefit in the form of increased number of seats and the reduced noise pollution,” Agarwal told Financial Express Online.
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Indian Railways will save on per unit cost as well – from Rs 36 per unit to just Rs 6! While all LHB coaches are expected to be converted to HOG by the end of the year, all production units have now modified the specifications so that new LHB coaches make use of the HOG technology.
At present, around 342 trains have been converted to HOG, which has resulted in an approximate saving of Rs 800 crore. A total of 13 Rajdhani Express trains, 14 Shatabdi Express trains, 11 Duronto Express trains, 6 Sampark Kranti trains, 16 Humsafar Express trains and 282 Mail/Express trains have been converted till date. Around 284 more trains are likely to be converted soon. These include; 12 Rajdhani Express trains, 8 Shatabdi Express trains, 6 Duronto Express trains, 7 Sampark Kranti trains, 8 Humsafar Express, and 243 Mail/Express trains.
