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Vande Bharat makes its maiden appearance

LUDHIANA: All eyes were on the gleaming coaches of Train-1 (T-18) second Vande Bharat Express train, when it chugged through the railway station here at its scheduled arrival time of 9:22 am.

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Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, July 22

All eyes were on the gleaming coaches of Train-1 (T-18) second Vande Bharat Express train, when it chugged through the railway station here at its scheduled arrival time of 9:22 am.

The train, a gift from the Indian Railways to devotees, was on its maiden trial run from New Delhi to Mata Vaishno Devi Katra.

Scheduled to run at a speed of 130 kmph, the new generation train will reduce the travel time from Delhi to the holy shrine from present 12 to just eight hours.

Railway officials said the date for commercial run and frequency of the train was yet to be finalised, but it was expected to commence its commercial run sometimes during next month.

As per the tentative schedule, the train will have just three stoppages, each of two minutes duration at Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana and Jammu Tawi through its 650-km journey.

The T-18 train with 16 coaches (14 AC Chair Car and two Executive Chair Car) and a seating capacity of 1,128 passengers, has been manufactured at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, and it is the second train of its kind on the Indian Railway network after the first rake (set of coaches) commenced its inaugural run from New Delhi to Varanasi on February 15 this year.

When it commences its commercial run sometimes next month, the New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express (T-18) will leave from New Delhi at 6 am and arrive at Mata Vaishno Devi at 2 pm. On its way, the train will have three stoppages at Ambala Cantt (8 am), Ludhiana (9: 22 am) and Jammu Tawi (12: 20 pm).

On its return journey, the train will depart from Mata Vaishno Devi at 3 pm and reach New Delhi at 11 pm while halting at Jammu Tawi (4:18 pm ), Ludhiana (7:36 pm) and Ambala Cantt (8:56 pm).

According to the railway officials, unlike other trains running with diesel or electric engines, the T-18 trains are powered by traction motors - fitted underneath each coach, to render them self-propelled, just like metro trains. Again, like metro trains, the coaches have automatic doors, 180 degrees rotational seats, and Wi-Fi and infotainment systems.

Run, frequency yet to be finalised

  • The date for commercial run and frequency of the train is yet to be finalised. It is expected to commence its commercial run somewhere during next month 
  • As per the tentative schedule, the train will have just three stoppages, each of 2 minutes at Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana and Jammu Tawi through its 650-km journey
  • The T-18 train with 16 coaches (14 AC Chair Car and two Executive Chair Car) and a seating capacity of 1,128 passengers, has been manufactured at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, and it is the second train of its kind on the Indian Railway network after the first rake (set of coaches) commenced its inaugural run from New Delhi to Varanasi on February 15 this year 
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