Train 18, scorching the Indian Railways tracks, at an amazing speed of 180 kmph is a feast for every Indian’s eyes! A video of Indian Railways’ first semi-high speed engine-less train during its speed trials was recently shared by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal. From the sheer speed to the sound of the train zipping past – the video is rightly being called phenomenal! Last week, Train 18 became India’s fastest train, clocking speed in excess of 180 kmph on the Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani stretch. The engine-less Train 18 marks a leap for Indian Railways as it looks to make world-class train sets. Announced as a replacement for the Shatabdi Express fleet of premium trains, Train 18-like train sets will usher Indian Railways into a new era of premium travel.

Train 18 has been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai at an approximate cost of Rs 100 crore for the first prototype. That’s around Rs 20 crore higher than the average cost of manufacturing a Shatabdi Express train. However, ICF GM Sudhanshu Mani is confident that as economies scale in manufacturing kick in the cost will be comparable. “In fact, Train 18 is being manufactured at a round half the cost of a comparable import. The lifecycle cost of Train 18 will be far lesser, since there will be lower maintenance,” Sudhanshu Mani has told Financial Express Online.

Train 18 marks several firsts for Indian Railways; engine-less train, automatic doors with sliding footsteps, rotating seats in Executive class, European-style seats, disabled friendly toilets and wheelchair parking spaces, aircraft-like diffused lighting etc. The modular train also has bio-vacuum toilets, personalised reading lights, swanky pantry and sealed gangways.

Train 18 is undergoing trials by RDSO and after analysing the readings and data a report will be sent to the Railway Board. A clearance from the Commission of Railway Safety will be sought before Train 18 hits tracks for passenger services. Several routes are being mulled for the swanky new train – Delhi-Varanasi, Lucknow-Varanasi, Delhi-Bhopal being some.