Title - Railways to run 60 heavy haul trains to augment loading

NEW DELHI: Stepping up efforts to increase freight loadings, the railways is planning to run 60 heavy haul trains on the existing path, a move which will also help to decongest the busy trunk route.Heavy haul trains at present comprise about 118 wagons instead of the convention 59 wagons. These are achieved by joining two freight rakes, thus enabling railways to double up the carrying capacity in a single trip.Our aim is to make railway financially and technically viable and to generate more revenue and create additional capacity, newly-appointed Railway Board Member (Traffic) Debi Prasad Pande said here today.Currently 25 such trains are being operated across the network, transporting raw materials like coal, iron ore and fertilisers to ports, power houses and steel plants.With the new technology and improved track position, efforts are on to run about 50 to 60 heavy haul freight trains to increase the loading capacity, Pande said.Several countries including South Africa, Australia and the US have made great strides in running this type of trains.Railways have set the target of nine per cent growth in the freight loading and eight per cent increase in passenger traffic in the current fiscal.Though there will be two engines of 4,500 horse power (HP) each at both end to haul the train, it will be run with a single loco pilot with the help of remote control system as there is no need of deploying drivers at two locomotives, Pande said.
He also said currently there are no shortage of wagons and all power houses have adequate coal supply.
On passenger sector, he said said "The cross subsidy of Rs 36,000 crore has been reduced to Rs 32,000 crore for running passenger trains after the recent fare hike in fares."
Railways have effected about 21 per cent hike in passenger fares this year.
Pande said, "We are running additional trains, adding more coaches in the existing trains to cater the growing demand of travellers."
More than 100 trains were announced in the Rail Budget this year to meet the increased demand for new trains across the country.
He said in order to assess the requirement and demand for new trains, train-wise and route-wise analysis are being carried out by railways.
About the steps to prevent accident, Pande said, "It is a continuous effort. Recently we are planning to introduce an automatic alarm system for loco pilots. If the train exceeds the prescribed speed limit on a particular stretch, an automatic hooter system will be activated to warn the drivers."