Railways to produce low cost stainless steel coaches fitted with LED lights

Daisy

Patna : Railway Ministry has   decided to manufacture low cost  stainless steel coaches fitted  with   LED ( light emitting diode)  lights which are eco-friendly. Railways has taken the  decision to install LED in the new coaches with a view to saving energy on running trains.

A Railway Board official said the railways  has been using CFL ( compact fluorescent light )  in the coaches of trains. But, keeping in mind the fact that the CFLs are consuming more energy compared to LED lights, it is now keen to introduce the new system to save  energy on running trains in each railway zone, he said. According to sources , the newly designed coaches are similar in look to the LHB German coaches like Rajdhani Express . The salient features of these coaches are that they have  better  riding  comforts and low maintenance cost, sources said adding  that the newly designed coaches  will  herald an era of stainless steel coaches in the Indian Railways. Railways  has decided to use these coaches first in mail and express trains .

Railways  has so far introduced stainless steel coaches in the Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express  trains only. Besides , it would   manufacture fireproof  coaches  from safety point of view. The  Rail Coach Factory ( RCF ) at Kapurthala in Punjab has been manufacturing new fireproof coaches which are likely to replace all outdated and general   coaches, sources said. The  decision to manufacture fireproof coaches was taken long back and the railways has already approved the plan under its safety and modernization scheme. The curtain and other fittings inside the AC coaches  are now  fire resistant. These fireproof coaches  are being manufactured of super fine stainless steel materials, the board official said.

Sources said railways has  taken a policy decision  to replace  the existing  ICF Swiss  coaches with LHB German coaches to enhance safety on running trains. Railway Board  has chalked out a comprehensive  plan  to implement  directives of railway ministry to replace all worn out and dilapidated coaches with new stainless coaches, sources said .