In A First, ‘Super Anaconda’ Slithers On The Tracks, With 177 Wagons     

Taking a major leap in heavy haul operations, the Railways has successfully run 177 loaded wagons with three freight trains combined together on a busy route, a first on Indian rail network.

Named as ‘Super Anaconda’, the three freight trains clubbed into one carried 15,000 tonnes of coal worth more than Rs 1 crore cargo value, traversing through Bilaspur and Chakradharpur divisions, one of the busiest sections of Indian Railways, at a maximum speed of 60 kmph.

Starting from Lajkura near Brajrajnagar, the Super Anaconda reached Raurkela station in a record time of 2 hours and 15 minutes, successfully negotiating typical gradients and curvatures in the 100-km section.

It was a thrilling experience to run three freight trains clubbed together at one go, said a senior railway official involved with the first-of-its-kind operation.

The three-in-one freight service has three electric locomotives with 6,000 HP (horse power) capacity each.

Railways had run three empty rakes together earlier before going for loaded wagons.

Considered as a harbinger of future heavy-haul train operations in India, the 177-wagon train moved at a maximum speed of 60 kmph while maintaining the average speed at 40 kmph.

“Generally, it takes about three-and-a-half hours to cover the distance as the route is a busy one in the region. But since there is less movement of passenger trains on the route, we managed to run the freight train at a higher speed utilising the availability of the path,” said the official.

Till now, two freight trains combined into one have been operational on Indian rail system, but it is for the first time that three freight trains were clubbed into one, said the official.

It was driven by the main loco pilot, Randheer Kumar, and Guard S Mallick, both from Raigarh.

The crew team consisted of a total six loco and assistant loco pilots.On choosing the name of the service as ‘Super Anaconda’, the official said, “Earlier, we have tried clubbing two freight trains together and named the operation as ‘Anaconda’.

So after three trains were combined together, we decided to call it ‘Super Anaconda’.”

With the successful operation of Super Anaconda, Railways expects to carry out more such operations in the future.

We have gained experience and confidence through the operation and we hope to cover more distance in heavy-haul train operations in the coming days, the official added.

Though passenger services have been curtailed due to the pandemic, freight operations are in full swing, transporting essential commodities and other goods across the country.

The loading of foodgrains, fertilizers and cement among other goods have picked up recently, showing a sign of economic revival in the country amid the phasing out of the lockdown.