Double-decker coaches on tracks soon

The Rail Coach Factory (RCF),Kapurthala (which has already manufactured Duronto coaches) is currently manufacturing the coaches and will roll out air-conditioned double-decker coaches by next year. These are scheduled to be put into regular operations after successfully completing the trials.

The LHB German-designed AC coaches are re-engineered into AC-II coaches with a capacity of 130 seats. These would be an improved version of the double-decker coaches already operational between Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Surat sections.

According to the railway spokesperson,the RCF has been asked to manufacture a prototype of the double-decker AC coach. Work on its production is expected to be completed by next year.

After a coach is developed,it will be put on a test run for a few weeks. Once the coach successfully clears the test,it will be sanctioned by the railway safety department for putting into operation.

Special emphasis has been laid on the design of these coaches as the existing ones had several problems due to the height of lower deck windows almost at a same level of the platform.

Also,poor ventilation in lower decks caused inconvenience to passengers.

After engineering and mechanical departments of Railways found that height of coaches could not be increased due to overhead electric cables,these coaches have been designed to be AC-II tier.

“As the LHB coaches are already being used on the Kalka-Delhi Shatabdi,it is expected that the double-decker coaches which are a re-engineered form of these LHB coaches can be approved for some of the busy sections under the Ambala Division,” said Ambala Divisional Railway Manager H K Jaggi.