Kota: The newly developed Vande Bharat sleeper coach train has begun its testing in Rajasthan's Kota Railway Division on the instructions of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav.
The trial started on December 31, with the train being tested on the Delhi-Mumbai railway track, specifically between Nagda and Sawai Madhopur to Kota. During the trial, the train is tested for various factors, including braking system efficiency, air suspension, and coupler force, while running both with weight-equivalent passengers and empty at different speeds.
The train was first tested at a speed of 130 km/h, which was gradually increased to 140, 150, and later 160 km/h on January 1. On Thursday, the train was tested at speeds of up to 180 km/h for a distance of 40 km between Kota and Laban, with weight equivalent to passengers being carried to simulate operational conditions. The trials are conducted on different track standards, including straight and curved sections.
Saurabh Jain, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Kota Railway Division, said, "The Vande Bharat sleeper rake is being tested under different standards by the team from the Operations Department, along with experts from the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) from Lucknow."
He added, "The trials are expected to continue for the next month before the final report is submitted to the Ministry of Railways and the Railway Board."
The trials, coordinated by Movement Inspector Sushil Jethani and Loco Inspector RN Meena, will provide valuable data to ensure the train's readiness for full operation. The report from these trials will be crucial for determining the train's operational safety and performance across various conditions, officials said.
