Make in India Success: India’s First Engineless Train Is 23 Per Cent Faster Than Shatabdi, Completes First Trial

India’s first engine-less train had its first trial run of the on the Bareilly-Moradabad section, reports Metro Rail News. Train 18, believed to be the successor to the Shatabdi Express is developed at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.

The Train 18 designed to model the bullet trains, was unveiled by the Chairman of Railway Board, Ashwani Lohani, last month.

The T-18 was built under the current government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative within a span of 18 months.

The fully air conditioned train has a self-propulsion module which can reach a speed of 160 kmph as opposed to upper limit of 130 kmph for Shatabdi and includes technical features for enhanced quick acceleration. As compared to Shatabdi, it will cut the travel time by 15 per cent.

It cost Rs. 100 crore to build the first long-distance train which does not feature a separate locomotive or engine.

As reported earlier the train, had a few short runs in Chennai. The trial runs saw a few glitches and issues. However, the Indian Railways said that such minor issues were routine in the trial phase. A railway official said, “Some fuses went off while conducting the low-speed run in the city (Chennai). They were fixed immediately. There was nothing to worry about,” as quoted by PTI.

Train 18, or T-18, is named as such because was built in 2018. The 16 coach train will have various modern features. The train is completely computerised and has diffused lighting, automatic doors and footsteps besides GPS-based Passenger Information System.

It will have its final test run at the speed of 160 km/hr at the Kota-Sawai Madhopur stretch. The train is expected to begin its services by February 2019.