For the first time, Indian Railways develops a prototype coach for loading automobiles with improved features

For the first time o­n the Indian Railways network, a prototype coach has been developed by the Central Railway zone with side entry and other improved features for loading of automobiles. Last year, Central Railways in coordination with Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) as well as automobile manufacturers developed High-Speed Automobile Carrier (NMGH), from released and unused passenger coach, with a speed potential of 110 km per hour and a higher payload of 12 T with various improved features such as wider opening, natural pipe light, strong floor with a chequered sheet, pavement markers as well as retro-reflective tape for guidance, improved fall plate arrangement for smooth entry and improved end door design with barrel lock for ease of locking.

According to Central Railways, based o­n the interaction with the two-wheeler industry as well as feedback received from Business Development Units, the Parel workshop along with RDSO in Lucknow has created a new design automobile carrier with the side entry (NMGHS) with a higher payload capacity of 18T compared to 12T capacity of an earlier version of NMGH. A higher payload of 18T with side entry makes the coach universal which can be utilized for a wide variety of automobiles and also for parcel traffic. This prototype coach is developed by Parel Workshop in association with RDSO, Lucknow in 30 days’ record time.

Anil Kumar Lahoti, GM, Central Railway inspected the prototype coach at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai. According to the GM, NMGHS coach with side entry design and higher payload can prove to be a game-changer in safe and fast transportation of the wide variety of automobiles as well as parcel traffic. During recent years, a quantum jump has been witnessed in automobile traffic o­n Central Railways, he said. During the financial year 2019-20, as many as 118 rakes were loaded which increased to 278 rakes in fiscal 2020-21. During the period from April to October, the Central Railway zone loaded 200 automobile rakes which is 133 per cent more as compared to last year’s same period (86 rakes).