India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
This will be the third version of the Vande Bharat series, after the chair-car train introduced in 2019 and the first Vande Metro, which is expected to operate in Gujarat.
U Subba Rao, General Manager, Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, told Moneycontrol that the first train is expected to be dispatched from Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML)’s plant in Bengaluru by September 20.
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“BEML is doing the integration work, and we expect the coaches to arrive at ICF, Chennai by September 20. We will then do the rake formation, final testing & commissioning, which will take around 15-20 days,” said Rao.
“Post this, it will undergo mainline tests, including oscillation trials, which will last one or two months under the supervision of Lucknow-based Railway Design and Standards Organization (RDSO). The trial runs are likely to be conducted on the North Western Railway zone for high-speed testing,” he said.
With the Vande Bharat sleeper, the Indian Railways plans to offer a world-class travel experience to its passengers on overnight journeys, similar to the Nightjet sleeper trains in Europe. “There will be floor LED strips below the ladder for passengers heading to the washroom at night when the lights are off. There will also be separate berths for train attendants.”, said a source.
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Vande Bharat sleeper train
In May 2023, Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai placed an order with BEML Limited for the design & manufacture of 10 rakes of 16-car Vande Bharat sleeper train sets, which will have a maximum operational speed of 160 kmph (180 kmph during testing).
“This is the first Vande Bharat sleeper train. It is taking a bit more time to complete. It will meet European standards and will be operational by December 2024 after all tests and trial runs.”, said Rao.
The 16-coach Vande Bharat sleeper train will have 823 berths, including 11 3AC coaches (611 berths), 4 2AC coaches (188 berths), and 1 1AC coach (24 berths). The first Vande Bharat sleeper train has been developed by BEML and Hyderabad-based Medha Servo Drives Ltd, with design inputs from a European rail consultant, EC Engineering, based in Poland.
ICF sources said that Medha has been conducting low-speed trial runs of the train within the BEML campus in Bengaluru. “BEML is now working to complete the remaining interior work and dispatch the coaches to ICF. This will set a benchmark for other manufacturers, BHEL-Titagarh (80 trains) and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) – Transmashholding’s subsidiary (120 trains), who will together manufacture 200 Vande Bharat sleeper trains,” said an official.
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Each sleeper berth will have reading lights, charging sockets, a mobile/magazine holder, and a snack table. Vendors across India support this Make in India initiative. Key suppliers include Medha Servo Drives (traction equipment, TCMS software, bogies) in Hyderabad, Faiveley Transport (brake system, passenger doors) in Hosur, Sidwal Refrigeration (AC and pantry systems) in Delhi, BFG International (toilet system, interior paneling) in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, and Tata Mobility Systems (seats and berths) in Pune.
“Based on feedback from the chair car Vande Bharat train, improvements are being made to reduce noise and reinforce the front nose cone to better withstand cattle collisions. The train will also be equipped with the Kavach collision avoidance system,” a source said.
Other features include stainless steel car bodies, crash-worthy passenger safety, GFRP interior panels, aerodynamic design, modular pantry, fire safety compliance (EN 45545), facilities for differently-abled passengers, automatic doors, sensor-based intercommunication, fire barrier doors, ergonomic toilet systems, integrated reading lights with USB charging, public announcement systems, and luggage rooms.
