Western Railway saves Rs 57 crore with new power technology

MUMBAI: Western Railway (WR) has saved more than Rs 57 crore by switching to head-on-generation (HOG) technology, drawing electricity from overhead equipment to power AC and electrical systems in coaches. The move can generate more berths as the diesel van, attached to draw power, can be replaced with passenger coaches.
Earlier, the AC system, lights and fans were powered through two diesel-powered cars or a van attached to either end of the rake, which is end-on-generation (EOG).
WR made the switch in many rakes and plans to introduced it in all trains with LHB rakes by September. HOG does not create noise pollution and helps save diesel cost, besides being environment-friendly.
WR chief PRO Ravinder Bhakar said the system had helped discard the power car, that used to operate on diesel, as HOG technology had been introduced in 22 rakes. There has been a saving of Rs 1.7 crore per rake, and 272 kilo litre of high-speed diesel.
Instead of two diesel power vans, only one is being used as back-up in case of issues with OHE supply. Bhakar said it had helped decrease carbon dioxide emission by 728 tons per year per rake. On an average, 3,000 litres of fuel is consumed in a trip from New Delhi to Mumbai and back.