RAIPUR: The South East Central Railway (SECR) in Chhattisgarh created history by amalgamating three goods trains as one unit of a 2-km long freight train that successfully ran between Bhilai and Korba rail stations.
The nation’s most profitable railways zone SECR came up with the idea of connecting three goods trains using the latest technology of Distributed Power Control System (DPCS) where the leading (front) diesel loco (engine) can control the entire train along with the simultaneous functioning of the rear loco through electronic transmission while running on the track.
“With technology breaking new grounds, this novel concept in SECR of amalgamating 177 wagons creates a national record. The initiative carries multiple benefits. It saves the rail path and the crew members (manpower) besides the remotely electronic controlling of other two locos (engines) by the leading engine improves efficiency, running quality with higher transporting potential. By amalgamation the maximum number of goods trains can run on one path reducing the pressure on rail traffic,” Tanmay Mukhopadhyay, senior Divisional Commercial Manager (SECR-Raipur division), told the Express.
One freight train is usually 700 metres long.
Whatever command the leading loco gives is electronically communicated through DPCS technology to other rear engines having no crew. In Raipur division, there are around 30 diesel loco engines with inbuilt DPCS technology.
“The front loco commands (powered and brakes) the entire goods train through DPCS. The 2 km long train moves only with one set of crew — two in the engine and a guard instead of nine for three different goods train”, said Senior Divisional Operation Manager (Raipur division) Prakash Chand Tripathi, who supervised the plan.
Usually, one freight train takes 7 hours to cover the given distance of 250 km from Bhilai to Korba but “Anaconda” took just 6 hours in a successfully executed plan, said Tripathi.
There is no restriction on using any category of railway wagons for transportation. Such an experiment consumes less fuel or power, saves on manpower cost and runs more freight trains by saving of paths, said SECR officials. “Definitely, it's a boost towards earning more while reducing the incurred expenses,” Mukhopadhyay added further.
It was a challenging task as officials kept a close watch on any potential technical issues that might crop up as the long train passed through various stations.
Earlier this year, the East Coast Railway in February conducted trial run of a two-km freight train in order to reduce manpower, ease congestion on tracks and make goods transport cost effective.
The train having four engines, three brakes and 147 wagons ran between Godbhaga and Sikir railway stations near Titlagarh in Sambalpur Railway Division covering 145 km.