[ChiragM]

According to a media report, the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) will be testing an engineless train for 80 days in three phases. Called Train 18, it is claimed to be the first engineless train conceptualised, designed and manufactured in India.



The first phase of the trial will take place on the Bareilly-Moradabad section with the train touching speeds of around 115 km/h. In the second phase, the train will reach speeds of up to 180 km/h on the Kota-Sawai Madhopur route. The final phase of testing would take place between Delhi and Bhopal via Agra.

The 16-coach train built by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai has a cruising speed of 160 km/h. However, a 10% margin is being provided to ensure that the train meets all safety standards. Hence, the test will be carried out at 180 km/h.

Once the train is approved for operation, it is expected to replace the Shatabdi Express between Delhi and Bhopal. Later, it is expected to replace the Shatabdi trains between Chennai and Bengaluru, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, New Delhi and Lucknow and New Delhi and Amritsar.

Source

Link to Team-BHP News

[Rahul Bhalgat]

This train looks interesting. But technically, is it just the EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) like a local train with cosmetically different looks?

[AkMar]

Yes technically it is just an EMU. However there is one big difference. All its equipment is underslung unlike local trains which have dedicated HT compartment (high tension compartment) to house electrical equipment. This gives it an advantage of being completely vestibuled. It is expected to have better performance due to higher number of driven axles.

ICF is not known for building quality products, in fact I always curse the quality of local trains they manufacture. But looking at available pics and videos of train 18, I must say they have done a very good job with the first set.

[Thermodynamics]

Kudos to ICF on this achievement. Can be extremely useful for our vision of high speed railways. What better option can be if we can produce them in-house. Also, if this is successful, there might be scope to export to south east Asian countries.

Just like this distributed motive concept, I wish they also come up with more efficient braking system, collision prevention system, thereby improving passenger safety as well as the safety of trackophilics from all the certainties that manifest on tracks.

[kovilkalai]

A basic question... wouldn't it make more sense to deploy these trainsets on routes that require a lot of stoppages? The quicker stopping and starting will save time. The Chennai - Bangalore Shatabdi has one stop (excluding Cantonment). An LHB rake led by a WAP-7 locomotive can do 160 kph today. The benefit of quicker acceleration isn't a big deal. Tracks rated for 180 kph are more important.

[SmartCat]

Somehow, I read the title of this thread as "made in India driverless train". It's just a designed/manufactured in India Electric Multiple Unit train
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_multiple_unit

This is how it looks from the outside:

[DrPriyankT]

This Train 18 is actually a real good piece of work by ICF. The train seems to be running in LHB bogies which are rated till 160kmph, but are designed to be upgradable to 220 kmph. The advantage with an EMU configuration is better braking and acceleration, which will help in it overtaking various freights or passengers when it is made to overtake them from the loop lines,which necessitates braking as loop lines are not built for speed. Due to evenly placed motors (underslung under various compartments), the couplers should have a better life. The only worry I have is that the Indian public should take care of this train and not trash it like they recently did to the Panchvati Express.

[BoneCollector]

This train was conceptualized about 18 months back and they've brought it out. It features a bidirectional rake with driver arrangement at both ends. More than an EMU, one can compare it to to the Delhi Metro trains, albeit with a much higher speed. The bogies are based on FIAT bogies of LHB coaches but with traction motors. There are a couple of videos I would like to share.

https://youtu.be/MfsU_Fx9ttU

https://youtu.be/vL9jOtVL-Ec

All credits to Kaustubham Sharma, the original uploader.

[tharian]

Pictures of the interior and exterior of Train18.

I'm not too sure of the bodywork of the cab's lasting too long especially due to high speeds. I've noticed the DMU aerodynamic cabs which look like a mess after few years.

This is bold move by IR and will be a sight to see doing going speeds on our tracks and must say the project was completed quite fast from scratch.

[aim120]

Originally Posted by kovilkalai

A basic question... wouldn't it make more sense to deploy these trainsets on routes that require a lot of stoppages? The quicker stopping and starting will save time. The Chennai - Bangalore Shatabdi has one stop (excluding Cantonment). An LHB rake led by a WAP-7 locomotive can do 160 kph today. The benefit of quicker acceleration isn't a big deal. Tracks rated for 180 kph are more important.

Exactly, we need more track lines and with less curves. The better acceleration and higher top speed of the new train 18, at best will make the journey faster by some 10min compared to the existing Chennai- Bangalore shatabdi.

Five years ago in Katpadi/Vellore station, the WAP-7 powered double decker train stalled on the main track (blocking trains running behind it) due to some kind of techincal problem, it finally departured after a delay of 90min. But surprisingly the train arrived in Cantonment only 15min behind schedule. I felt double decker train was travelling much faster then it normally was, due to the track being free of any other trains all the way to Bangalore. On that day it was travelling faster then a shatabdi.

[DrPriyankT]

Originally Posted by aim120

Exactly, we need more track lines and with less curves. The better acceleration and higher top speed of the new train 18, at best will make the journey faster by some 10min compared to the existing Chennai- Bangalore shatabdi.

Five years ago in Katpadi/Vellore station, the WAP-7 powered double decker train stalled on the main track (blocking trains running behind it) due to some kind of techincal problem, it finally departured after a delay of 90min. But surprisingly the train arrived in Cantonment only 15min behind schedule. I felt double decker train was travelling much faster then it normally was, due to the track being free of any other trains all the way to Bangalore. On that day it was travelling faster then a shatabdi.

The MAS-SBC section is a section which is rated for 110kmph to the best of my knowledge. Also it's on an incline. The track takes the trains from 0m msl Chennai to 990m msl Bangalore. Hence the inclines. Also the track has a few sharp curves leading to less permitted speed vis a vis the NDLS AGC track. And the train reached just 15 mins late due to the generous slack IR gives in the schedules of all its trains.

[vennarbank]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Somehow, I read the title of this thread as "made in India driverless train". It's just a designed/manufactured in India Electric Multiple Unit train
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_multiple_unit

This is how it looks from the outside:

Attachment 1811145

Me too. And i was wondering why there are chairs for drivers to sit till you indicated it.

[ariesonu]

Let me play devil's advocate here:
Another 'beautiful' stone throwing practice target for our anti-social elements.
Another 'beautiful' theft target for train artifacts - Yes, we do have 'COLLECTORS' for them.
Another 'beautiful' practice ground for squatters on western style toilets.

General public takes pride in desecrating these beautiful inventions & then we end up blaming authorities, railways & Govt.
When such incidents happen, Twitter gets abuzz with fact that do we really appreciate & deserve such trains/products.

Regards-Sonu

[RM Motorsports]

Train 18 Rake departing from Chennai for trial runs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coMdEsUmzn0

[kovilkalai]

Originally Posted by DrPriyankT

The MAS-SBC section is a section which is rated for 110kmph to the best of my knowledge. Also it's on an incline. The track takes the trains from 0m msl Chennai to 990m msl Bangalore. Hence the inclines. Also the track has a few sharp curves leading to less permitted speed vis a vis the NDLS AGC track. And the train reached just 15 mins late due to the generous slack IR gives in the schedules of all its trains.

Actually, this is one reason where multiple driven wheels will have a big advantage. Powered loco + 24 unpowered coaches can't climb well. This is one of the reasons why you see banker locos in the Western Ghats. However, the Chennai - Bangalore gradient isn't a sufficient deterrent for high speeds. There aren't even bankers used on this section.

In any case, Train 18 seems to make more sense in passenger trains or Express trains with frequent stops (Chennai - Bengaluru express for instance).