INNOVATIVE RAIL COACHES

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The Railways have introduced refrigerated vans on Mail and Express trains for quicker movement of perishable commodities.

While one compartment of refrigerated van can carry 12 tonnes of perishable commodities like vegetables, flowers, butter, milk and eggs at a temperature of four degree Celsius, the second compartment is a deep freezer capable of maintaining a temperature of 20 degree Celsius. It can carry five tonnes of commodities like ice-cream and frozen meat. This service, to begin with, has been introduced on Southern Railway. It will be extended to other Zonal Railways subsequently.

Meanwhile, manufacture of state-of-the art, energy efficient, light-weight passenger coaches fit for 160 kilometre per hour high speed at Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala with transfer of technology from M/s Linka Hoffmann Busch of Germany, has commenced. First service with import of 24 coaches was introduced on New Delhi-Lucknow section in Janaury 2002. Shortly, the railways will be introducing such coaches in New Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani Express trains.

Yet another innovation in coaches has been introduced in Jan Shatabdi class of trains with non-air conditioned coaches with improved interiors, comfortable chairs and wider windows like air-conditional coaches, rail-mart and pantry for catering services. The coaches are fitted with modular toilets.