New trains to become faster, smoother in two years

The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation is planning to fit Alternating Current (AC) traction motors or engines in the second lot of new-age trains expected to come in two years.

Beware while crossing railway tracks. You never know when a train with a speed of more than 110 km per hour might pass.

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The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation is planning to fit Alternating Current (AC) traction motors or engines in the second lot of new-age trains expected to come in two years.

AC traction motors will be beneficial, especially when the railways complete converting the 1,500 volts Direct Current (DC) line to 25,000 volts AC line.

“We expect completion of DC-AC conversion between Churchgate and Borivli by 2010 end,” said WR Divisional Railway Manager, G. Pillai. Once done, the maximum speed of trains would be 110 kmph.

The old trains run on DC traction motors while new-age trains on DC-AC trains. “The jerks that commuters face when a train starts will also stop,” said a railway official. “We are enhancing the technology of traction motors so that trains run faster and consume less power,” said another railway official.

The braking system inside trains too would be superior. The axles of the trains will be fitted with disc-braking systems wherein multiple brakes will be installed from the centre of the wheel to prevent accidents when sudden brakes are applied.

Currently, normal brakes are installed on the sides of the wheels, which help the motorman to start applying brake from a distance if he wants to stop at the platform.

The interiors too will be better with the Research Design and Standard Organisation looking at expanding the ventilation.