10-day trial begins at BEML’s facility in Bengaluru; Train will be operational for passengers in 3 months

Contents

India unveils its first Vande Bharat prototype sleeper train in Bengaluru Vande Bharat Sleeper Coach: Design and features Also Read

On Sunday, September 1, 2024, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw unveiled the prototype of the Vande Bharat sleeper coach at the Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) facility in Bengaluru. Vaishnaw informed that the coach will undergo a rigorous 10-day trial period before hitting the tracks for further testing. The train is expected to become operational for passengers in 3 months. When asked about these developments the railway minister stated, “We are continuously improving the design of the Vande Bharat train. We are learning from the experience and are improving it further. The same philosophy will be adopted for Vande Bharat Metro,”.

India unveils its first Vande Bharat prototype sleeper train in Bengaluru

The prototype of the Vande Bharat sleeper coach comes in three versions, which are the chair, the car, and the sleeper. To date, only the chair car version of the Vande Bharat trains has been launched by the government. This indigenous version of the train is designed to provide a new experience to the passengers where they can travel long distances by sleeping in the berths in the sleeper coaches. Vaishnaw inspected the new sleeper coach and interacted with the railway staff who designed and produced it. The minister stated, “After Vande Bharat chair cars, we were working on Vande Bharat sleeper cars. Its manufacturing has now been completed. This train will go out for the trial and testing from the BEML facility today,”. The production will commence once this prototype is thoroughly tested with plans to roll out two to three trains every month after the initial one-and-a-half years of production.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Coach: Design and features

This Vande Bharat sleeper coach is designed for long-distance overnight journeys and will cover 800 km to 1,200 km. According to the railway minister, this train will feature 16 coaches, including 11 AC three-tier, four AC two-tier, and one AC first-class coach, offering a total of 823 berths. This train boasts advanced safety features, including crash-worthy design elements, and is capable of running at 160 kmph. Keeping in mind the recent global pandemic of COVID-19, the train comes with additional features like an adjustable oxygen level inside the train and virus protection. The prototype promises an interior equipped with sensor-based intercommunication doors, automatic exterior passenger doors, and odor-free, ergonomic restrooms. Special attention to safety has been given by installing advanced safety features, including crashworthy elements like specially designed crash buffers and couplers. This new Vande Bharat variant is expected to surpass the Rajdhani Express in terms of passenger comfort, speed, and safety. This would be possible due to its self-propelled ability which will allow it to accelerate and decelerate more quickly, which increases its average speed. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw addressed the features of this train and stated,“ It will be a train meant for the middle class and the fares will be on par with Rajdhani Express,”