India’s 1st Engine-Less Train Is Make In India, Costs Rs 100 Crore: 7 Interesting Facts About Train 18

This is a proud moment for all train lovers, and Indians – Nation’s first engine-less train will make it’s debut on rails today, and excitement is clearly in the air.

100% Make in India, this engine-less train is named as Train 18 and has some amazing features and capabilities, which will be witnessed first time ever.

Here are 7 interesting facts about this train:

Fact #1: 100% Make In India

Manufactured at Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai, Train 18 is 100% Make in India train. The first run will happen today, and this is a record in itself: This self-propelled train was made in a short period of 18 months.

Rs 100 crore has been spent on manufacturing this train.

Fact #2: This Will Replace Shatabdi Express

Train 18 will replace the mighty Shatabdi Express, between Delhi and Bhopal. Now, this train has some historical significance and replacing this means a big deal. Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi Express was India’s 1st Shatabdi Train, and fastest at that time. It was introduced in 1988.

Now, this is India’s 2nd fastest train, running at speed of 100-130 kmph average speed.

Fact #3: India’s Fastest Train

Train 18 will run at a speed of 160 kmph, which will make it India’s fastest train. This is expected to cut travel time between Delhi and Bhopal by 15%.

Fact #4: Testing Schedule

Today (October 29th), Train 18 will make its debut on rails. This Rs 100 crore engine-less train will be run in and around the ICF Factory, to test its brakes, and air-conditioning.

On November 7th, this train will be taken to Delhi, from where it will be tested between Moradabad-Bareli section for 150 kmph speed.

After a week, the train will be taken to the Kota and Sawai Madhopur section, and tested for 160 kmph speed. This will be the final testing, and after that, it will run between Delhi and Bhopal, thereby replacing Shatabdi Express.

Fact #5: What Exactly Is Engine-Less?

This Rs 100 crore train has a set of coaches which are coupled mechanically, and electrically with driving cabins at both the ends with distributed traction power across the train. Hence, there is no separate locomotive attached, which is the normal case with trains. The train have stainless steel car body, which propels on electric traction, just like metro trains.

Passengers can see the driver’s cabin. As it will have the cabins on both the sides, there will be no reversal mechanism.

Fact #6: Next Generation Train

Indian Railways have hailed it as the next-generation train, as it has been powered with some amazing features and capabilities.

Some of the features which this train has: diffused lighting, automatic doors and sliding footsteps, GPS based Passenger Information System, footsteps sliding outside as the train stops at a platform (to make up the difference in height of this train, vis-a-vis with most of the platforms.), fully air-conditioned coaches, more space for baggages, and moving inside the train.

Fact #7: What Next?

Although Rs 100 crore has been spent on creating the 1st prototype, the cost of mass-producing this train will gradually reduce. Soon, Indian Railways plan to run this train across other routes as well and also introduce a sleeper coach in some routes.

More details are awaited. You can find some interesting images of this train under manufacturing here.

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