India’s fastest 'Train 18' to begin operations in January, run at curtailed speed

Train 18 will run at a curtailed speed of 130 kmph. Notably, the train a potential to run at a speed of up to 200 kmph.

India’s fastest train, Train 18, is set to begin operations in January 2019, reported news agency PTI quoting sources on Thursday. The report further said that the train will run at a curtailed speed of 130 kmph. Notably, the train has a potential to run at a speed of up to 200 kmph.

A video of the trail run of Train 18 was recently shared on microblogging site Twitter by Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal wherein the train was seen running at a speed of 180 kmph. The trial confirmed that Train 18 was the fastest train in india.

"Train 18 is likely to run in January after the report of the Chief Commissioner Railway Safety (CCRS) is approved by the board. The report has suggested several conditions which need to be met before we can run the train at 130 kmph," the source said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the train.

According to PTI, The CCRS has given the go-ahead to run the train at a maximum speed of 160 kmph but 20 conditions have been imposed, including fencing along the tracks. For maximum speed of 130 kmph, the CCRS has suggested fencing at vulnerable points to avoid any accident. The first Train 18 is likely to run between New Delhi and Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier reports had said that the train would be flagged off by Prime Minister Modi from his Lok Sabha constituency on December 29. The timing which has been decided is that the train will start from New Delhi station at 6 am and is expected to reach Varanasi at 2 pm. For the return journey, the train will start at 2.30 pm from Varanasi and reach the national capital at 10.30 pm on the same day.

Facility and key features of Train 18

The fully air-conditioned train will have 16 chair-car type coaches out of which two will be executive chair cars and 14 non-executive chair cars. The executive chair can seat 56 passengers, while the non executive chairs will be able to accommodate 78 passengers.

The train with a Swanky interior and world-class facility boasts a host of passenger friendly amenities which include inter-connected fully sealed gangways, automatic doors with retractable footsteps, onboard Wi-Fi and infotainment, GPS-based passenger information system, modular toilets with bio-vacuum systems, halogen free rubber-on-rubber flooring, rotational seats which can be aligned in the direction of travel (available only in the executive class), roller blinds and diffused LED lighting, and disabled-friendly toilets.

(With PTI Inputs)