Kalka-Shimla rail travel set to improve with RCF designing : The Tribune India

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Kalka-Shimla rail travel set to improve with RCF designing

RCF would undertake the manufacturing of executive AC chair car, AC 2nd class chair car, general sitting and SLR coaches.

Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, July 20

Rail Coach Factory will manufacture 30 narrow gauge Vistadome coaches for Kalka-Shimla Railway. Ministry of Railways has advised RCF to take up manufacture of coaches in the next few months with upgraded state-of-the-art passenger interface areas.

Presently, Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, is manufacturing such type of coaches. RCF has been the manufacturer of LHB coaches for premium and mail/express trains, besides manufacturing metre gauge coaches for export.

Giving details RCF PRO Rajinder Singh said, “RCF has developed the initial designs for new NG coaches based on LHB technology. This includes a light weight shell design configured to provide different types of coaches to meet various business demands and passenger aspirations including Vistadome designs with panoramic windows. In addition to the new shell, it is planned to upgrade bogies and the brake system helping in to bring a significant improvement in speed potential from existing 25/35 kmph to 40/55 kmph. The coaches will also be equipped with modern safety features viz. CCTV and fire alarm etc.”

He added, “The main attraction of coaches will be design incorporating large and wider windows with provision of opening that offer a panoramic view of the passing landscape, see-through glass rooftop for mesmerising views, aesthetically textured interior panels, reclined seats that can rotate up to 180 degrees in the direction of the train’s movement, restaurant-type sitting arrangement with snack table for each seat, automatic body side plug doors etc. The RCF built NG coaches on iconic Kalka-Shimla railway track will embark a new outlook towards the stretch and provide a magical view to witness as the train chugs along the mountains.”

He added that the RCF would undertake the manufacturing of executive AC chair car, AC 2nd class chair car, general sitting and SLR coaches. The first prototype rake of these narrow gauge coaches would be ready by December, this year, said the RCF official.