All you need to know about Train 18, India’s first engine-less train

The self-propelled train, fitted with CCTV cameras, would have two executive compartments in the middle with 52 seats each

Train 18, the country’s first engine-less train which is being regarded as a successor to the 30-year-old Shatabdi Express, has hit the tracks for the test trials.

A view of the first Made-in-India engine-less train - named Train 18 at Safdarjung station, during its trial run in New Delhi, India, on November 14, 2018. (Photo by Mohd Zakir/ Hindustan Times file photo)

ICF General Manager Sudhanshu Mani had told PTI that it cost nearly Rs 100 crore to build the prototype and subsequent production would bring down the cost.

The train is a successo to Shatabdi, which was introduced in 1988 and is presently running on over 20 routes connecting metros with other important cities.

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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INDIA’S FIRST ENGINE-LESS TRAIN IN 10 POINTS

1. The fully air-conditioned train, built at a cost of Rs 100 crore in 18 months, can run at a speed of up to 160 kmph

2. It also comes with technical features for enhanced quick acceleration.

3. The swanky 16-coach train is deemed as a successor to the prestigious 30-year-old Shatabdi Express.

4. The train will cut travel time by 15 per cent compared to the Shatabdi.

5. It has been developed by the city-based Integral Coach Factory in 18 months.

6. The full AC train is designed in such a way that passengers can have a look at the driver’s cabin.

7. Train 18 is driven by a self-propulsion module sans a separate locomotive (engine).

8. The self-propelled train, fitted with CCTV cameras, would have two executive compartments in the middle with 52 seats each, whereas trailer coaches would have 78 seats each.

9. Train 18 has diffused lighting, automatic doors and footsteps besides GPS-based Passenger Information System.

10. The footstep in a coach’s doorway slides outward when the train stops at a station enabling passengers to alight safely with comfort in view of the variation in height between a train’s floor and the platform.

Also watch | Watch: Train rolls over man, but he escapes unhurt

with inputs from agencies