An old ICF passenger coach was converted into newly modified goods – high speed coach for transportation of two wheelers and four wheelers. , Photo Credit: Srinath M
The old passenger coaches of trains manufactured at Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, which have completed their codal life of 25 years, are now being given a new lease of life at Tiruchi.
The coaches are being converted into New Modified Goods-High Speed (NMGHS) coaches to serve as automobile carriers for transportation of newly manufactured two-wheelers and cars. Modifications and innovations have been carried out in these converted coaches for active operation to increase their life span by another 10 years.
The 94-year-old Golden Rock Railway Workshop at Tiruchy, which has been entrusted with this work by the Railway Board, has converted and dispatched 78 NMGHS coaches since it joined this new activity in July this year. The workshop was given the task of converting a total of 176 old ICF passenger coaches into NMGHS. Presently the work of converting 20 more coaches is going on in the workshop.
With the introduction of new generation Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) passenger coaches in many mail and express trains, it was decided to use old ICF coaches which were found fit even after completing 25 years of their life. A workshop official said that old coaches were condemned and sent to be converted into scrap.
Revised, Strengthened
Several modifications have been carried out as part of the conversion work, including strengthening of the underframe chassis for increased loading and higher speed operations as well as strengthening of the coach roof. Provision of sliding doors in each converted coach for easy loading and unloading of automobiles at stations, provision of natural lighting inside the coaches and provision of double stack arrangement to accommodate maximum number of two wheelers in each coach are innovative. Modifications were made, the official said.
The modifications have been made as per the specifications of Lucknow-based Research Design and Standards Organisation, Research and Development Organization of the Indian Railways. Each converted coach can be loaded with 60-70 two-wheelers or three to four cars, depending on their size and design. The coaches can also be used to transport parcels.
The converted coaches can run at speeds of up to 110 km/h, making them high-speed, and are essentially meant for transporting new vehicles that roll out from factories to various destinations.
The official said that the Golden Rock Railway workshop has emerged on top in terms of dispatch and conversion of old coaches into NMGHS coaches, though the work was also given to 13 other railway workshops across the country. The British built workshop also manufactures a variety of wagons.