CHENNAI: The drivers of EMUs under the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) have reason to feel happy. In a few days, they will find themselves in air-conditioned cabins while heading for their destinations on the Mumbai
suburban tracks, thanks to the workforce at the Integrated Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.
In fact, the ICF rolled out the dual voltage air-conditioned driver’s cab
(AC/DC) for the first time in the country. “The ICF has air-conditioned the train pilot’s cabin and the result is a super deluxe cabin. Apart from improved aesthetics, the aerodynamic front end helps in energy conservation,†said Union Minister of State for Railways R Velu.
The new cab has more space and bigger windscreens, giving the drivers more space for vision, he added. The ICF has started adding five new generation trains every month to the suburban fleet of Mumbai to alleviate the travel problems of the city.
The new trains, with the capability to regenerate energy during breaking, have made a mark in energy conservation. “The electrical requirement of the new
generation trains is 35 per cent less than that of the old generation or
conventional trains,†said M. S.
Jayanth, General Manager of ICF.
L M Sahore, Chief Electrical Engineer, ICF, said the savings to the railways is
expected to be around Rs 90 crore a year on account of energy savings and Rs 12 crore a year on account of encashment of carbon credits. “We achieved this without compromising on the running performance,†he added.
The forced ventilation system introduced in these new generation trains comes as a boon for the passengers travelling in suffocating environments on Mumbai
suburban trains. “During peak hours about 600 people travel in a coach designed to seat 100 people.
In such circumstances, this new system helps to pump in fresh air,†explained Sahore.
The ICF rolls out EMUs for MRVC under two projects – one by the railway board and the other funded by the World Bank.
The South Central Railway has shown interest in buying the AC cabin for drivers, Velu said. Southern Railway too, if it so desires, buy the cab, but it must route its request through the Railway Board, he said.
After addressing the media, Velu flagged off the EMU from the Furnishing Division of the ICF.
