The newest and third Vande Bharat Express train has clocked a speed of 100 kilometres per hour (kmph) in 52 seconds during a trial. The train took 2.6 seconds less than the previous train to reach this speed. It is all set to hit the tracks soon. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav revealed the information about the maximum speed of the third train being 180 kmph, which is 20 kmph more than the previous train’s maximum speed. The Indian Railway has a target of launching 75 Bande Bharat Express trains for commercial use by the next Independence Day. The trial run was done between Mumbai and Ahmedabad and will be launched officially this month.
The new Vande Bharat train’s trial was done on Friday, September 9. The train covered a distance of 492 kilometres in 5 hours and 10 minutes. Shatabdi express takes 6 hours and 20 minutes for the same distance and route. Vande Bharat Express train left Ahmedabad at 7.06 am and reached Surat in 2 hours and 32 minutes as compared to Shatabdi which takes 3 hours for the same.
Rail Minister Ashwini said that the new train took 130 seconds to reach the speed of 160 kmph while the older versions took 146 seconds for the same. The new train will also have more amenities for improved passenger experience. The weight of the train has been reduced to 290 tons from 430 tons and it will have a battery backup of three hours.
Ashwini also revealed that the train will have Wi-Fi-enabled content on demand which the passengers can watch on a 32-inch LCD TV. The air-conditioning is 15% more energy efficient. The current Executive Class facility of recliner seats will be available for all classes and the train will be equipped with a photocatalytic ultraviolet purification system in the Roof Mounted Package Unit (RMPU).
Along with all of this, the train will also have vacuum-based bio toilets, automatic sliding doors, GPS based information systems and CCTV cameras.
