The first trial run of Indian Railways’ Train 18, the country’s first engine-less train, will be conducted on Bareilly-Moradabad section on a standard railway track today.

The fully air-conditioned train, built at a cost of Rs 100 crore in 18 months, can run at a speed of up to 160 kmph and comes with technical features for enhanced quick acceleration. The swanky 16-coach train is deemed as a successor to the prestigious 30-year-old Shatabdi Express.

High-speed trials will be conducted between Kota and Sawai Modhopur after the Moradabad trials.

A Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO) team has also reached Moradabad for the trial run.

Meanwhile, the Railways has downplayed reports that the train had developed glitches, saying they were minor and such issues were a routine occurrence during the trial phase of any train.

A senior official in the Railways said such glitches were routine during trial runs and that the Rs 100-crore train, developed by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, had no major issues.

“Some fuses went off while conducting the low-speed run in the city (Chennai). They were fixed immediately. There was nothing to worry about,” the official told PTI.

After finishing the trials in Chennai, Train 18 left for Delhi on November 11 and reached the capital two days later.

“After the test-run, the Train 18 was hauled by a locomotive to take it to Delhi as it should not run on its own until the Commission of Railway Safety certifies it,” the official said.

On October 29, the indigenously developed high-tech, energy-efficient, self-propelled train was flagged off by railway board chairman Ashwani Lohani.

(With agencies’ inputs)

First Published: Nov 17, 2018 08:28 IST