New AC locals to have cushioned seats, enhanced cooling and higher speeds

Mumbai: With the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) earlier this week with the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai for supply of 120 new air-conditioned local trains, railway commuters can look forward to more comfortable journeys with improved seating, enhanced cooling and higher speeds once the new rakes arrive

Mumbai: With the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) earlier this week with the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai for supply of 120 new air-conditioned local trains, railway commuters can look forward to more comfortable journeys with improved seating, enhanced cooling and higher speeds once the new rakes arrive.

The new trains would have cushioned seats, replacing the steel and carbon fibre seats in existing AC locals, following complaints from railway passenger associations about steel seats becoming extremely cold due to the air-conditioning (HT Photo)

According to senior railway officials, the new trains would have cushioned seats, replacing the steel and carbon fibre seats in existing AC locals, following complaints from railway passenger associations about steel seats becoming extremely cold due to the air-conditioning. The capacity of ACs would be upgraded from 15 tonnes to 17 tonnes, and the trains would run at speeds up to 130 kilometers per hour, as against the current top speed of 100 kilometres per hour.

“Rakes manufactured by the ICF would also have better acceleration and deceleration, advanced thermostats and temperature control equipment, and regenerative braking systems that will help save more energy,” a senior official said, requesting anonymity. “All coaches in the trains would be connected via vestibules, allowing for seamless movement.”

The 120 local trains that will be manufactured by ICF are among 238 new AC rakes that the MRVC hopes to induct into the suburban railway network by 2030. As per the railway ministry’s plans, another 71 rakes would be manufactured by the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala, while the Modern Coach Factory (MCF) at Rae Bareli would manufacture 47 rakes.

A prototype of the new trains was expected to be ready by 2027, railway officials said.

The MRVC had earlier planned to appoint a contractor for manufacturing and procuring 238 new AC locals, with production being undertaken in phases through technology partners. In September 2025, the corporation floated a tender seeking bids from interested parties, and the deadline was extended thrice, the latest being this August. But since the tendering and procurement process was likely to lead to delays, the rail ministry subsequently decided to manufacture the rakes simultaneously at three Indian Railways production units.

With the change in plan, the timeline for delivery is likely to be advanced by around four years, with the first AC local arriving in 2030 and the entire fleet by 2034. As per estimates, each coach in the new trains would cost ₹7 crore, and a 12-coach AC rake would cost around ₹84 crore. Routine maintenance and repair of the new trains would be carried out at upgraded yards of Central and Western Railway. For major maintenance and repairs, the MRVC shall establish dedicated facilities at Bhivpuri and Vangaon, with the capacity to handle around 60 rakes each.

The Western and Central Railways currently operate 23 AC rakes, including five rakes in which most of the equipment is installed beneath the coaches, creating additional space for commuters in the compartment.