Kolkata: Metro rake on trial to stop at stations, but doors won’t open

KOLKATA: Throughout the day on Sunday, Metro commuters would spot a gleaming, new rake stopping at all stations in the north-south corridor. However, its doors won’t open and the rake will leave after 20 seconds. No, this will be no ‘ghost rake’. It will be the state-of-the-art prototype built and delivered by Dalian, China being put through its paces. The ‘temperature rise load’ tests started from 10pm on Saturday and will continue till 6pm on Sunday.
“The rake has been loaded with sandbags to simulate dense crush load conditions. It will make 10 round trips and run for nearly 20 hours, stopping at stations for 20 seconds. The temperature rise in its systems and sub-systems will be monitored during the run. An RDSO team is monitoring the test. The trials for the rake are being closely monitored by Metro Railway general manager Manoj Joshi who is keen to introduce it for commercial services as soon as possible,” a source said.

Apart from the RDSO team, nearly 10-12 experts from China and 4-5 from Japan are camping in Kolkata to monitor the trials that the rake undergoes and take corrective measures if required. The rake’s launch is likely to be delayed by a few months due to the COVID-19 scare, though. A special team from China was to arrive in Kolkata for a set of tests from March 2. Their trip has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 scare and the tests are likely to take place in June.
“Various trials for the rake have been completed. These include static and dynamic tests for brakes and traction in both empty and loaded conditions, oscillation tests and specific energy consumption tests with super heavy dense crush load. The typical run test to check actual power consumption and running time and high speed trials at 80kmph in both empty and loaded conditions have also been completed,” the source added.
There are some tests that remain. These are the radio-frequency interference trials, door tests, passenger information tests and bogie dynamic tests. Only after all trials have been completed with satisfactory results will Metro Railway seek the Commissioner of Railway Safety’s (CRS) approval to introduce it for commercial services. Information will also be sent to the Chinese company to start production and delivery of the remaining 13 rakes. One rake can arrive every month to the port of Kolkata.
Metro now has 25 rakes for the north-south corridor. Of these 19 are air-conditioned. Six of the air-conditioned rakes are new that arrived from ICF, Perambur. Two more from the factory near Chennai have also reached Kolkata and will be pressed into service soon. Once Metro commissions the stretch between Noapara and Dakshineswar, it plans to increase the number of daily services. This will require more rakes as there are plans to phase out the non-airconditioned ones.