Indian Railways to launch freight version of Vande Bharat Express soon - details

Indian Railways will soon introduce a freight version of the Vande Bharat Express. It will be the first such service of the semi-high speed train. The freight version of Vande Bharat Express will be operated between the Delhi and Mumbai regions.

"These services are being planned via new 'Freight EMU' rolling-stock built on Vande-Bharat platform, the first rake of which is likely to be introduced in service very soon," the Ministry of Railways said in official release.

These trains will be operationalized to capture additional high value and time-sensitive cargo.

"Necessary infrastructure and facilities at the identified terminals may be created in a time-bound manner, within the next three weeks," the national transporter added.

Salient features of Freight EMU rakes:

• Operational speed potential: 160 kmph
• Designed for palletized container transportation
• Distributed power, with 50 per cent powering
• 1,800 mm wide automatic sliding plug doors
• Pneumatically retractable roller floor system with locking arrangements for easy handling of pallets Provision for loading of reefer containers for temperature-sensitive cargo
• Payload: 264 tonne (in 16 car formations)

Vande Bharat freight trains have been designed for palletised container transportation at a speed of 160 km/hour.

The 1,800-mm wide rakes with automatic sliding doors would have provisions to load reefer containers for temperature-sensitive cargo, a pneumatically retractable roller floor system with locking facility for easy handling of pallets, and a total payload of 264 tonnes.

To ensure successful launch, Zonal Railways have been requested to identify and interact with the potential customers at the Zonal/Divisional level. They have also been asked to identify the terminals, necessary infrastructure and facilities for running the initial services.

The Railways said that other potential routes for the running of subsequent services of Freight EMUS would be identified in consultation with potential customers and other stakeholders.