Prayagraj division of NCR runs 2.7km long train to boost freight movement

Prayagraj: With the view of expediting freight movement, especially coal, the Prayagraj division of North Central Railway (NCR) for the first time on Saturday operated a long haul of four empty BOXN (bogie open high sided) rakes from Chunar (Mirzapur) to Chopan in Sonbhadra.
Named as ‘Pinaka’, the long haul consisted of a whopping 232 wagons (58 wagons per part) and four brake vans making it 2.7km long train. Usually, the long-haul trains are run by clubbing two trains.
Long hauls of three or more trains have been formed on a trial basis by different railway zones of the country, NCR being the recent.
“It was formed at Chunar by clubbing four empty BOXN rakes with the leading part having WAG9 (a class of 25 KV AC electric locomotives) multiple-unit locomotive while the rest three parts had their own locomotives. Thus, there were six locomotives used in Pinaka,” said chief public relation officer (CPRO) of NCR Dr Shivam Sharma.
In August, 36 long hauls of two trains and four Triagni (a long haul of 3 empty BOXN rakes) were formed by Prayagraj Division of NCR at Chunar. These long hauls of empty BOXN rakes are handed over to ECR for loading at various coal loading sites, the CPRO said.
Since Chunar-Chopan section is a single line at present and also serves as the trunk route for coal movement as maximum coal loading takes place in Northern Coal Fields (NCL), the idea of running long haul trains has been executed to increase the mobility of coal rakes without affecting the punctuality of coaching trains, the official said.
Pinaka departed from Chunar at 6.20 pm on Saturday and was handed over to East Central Railway at Chopan (around 150 km). Two BOXN were placed at Shakti Nagar Siding while other two were placed at Krishanshilla siding, said Sharma.
Long hauls of two trains have traditionally been made in NCR from locations like Tundla, Khurja, Jhansi and Baad (near Mathura). These trials will be continued regularly, the official said.