9,932 LHB coaches built between 2014-19, no ICF coaches built in last two years, says Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (March 17) that 1,866 modern Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches were built between 2009-2014 and rest of the coaches built during the same time period were Integral Coach Factory (ICF) coaches. Goyal remarked that the LHB coaches are much safer than the ICF coaches.

The Union Minister also informed the Upper House that a total of 9,932 LHB coaches were built between 2014-19 and Indian Railways has stopped building ICF coaches in the last two years.

2009 से 2014 के बीच में 1,866 LHB कोचेस बनाये गये, बाकि सब ICF कोचेस बनते थे, जबकि LHB कोचेस का सुरक्षा रिकार्ड बेहतर रहता है।

वहीं 2014 से 2019 के बीच 9,932 LHB कोचेस बनाये गये हैं, और गत 2 वर्षों से रेलवे ने ICF कोचेस बनाना ही बंद कर दिया गया है। pic.twitter.com/sr05GOCnqh — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) March 17, 2020

The LHB coaches are developed by a Germany-based company named Linke-Hofmann-Busch, while the ICF coaches are manufactured at Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, Punjab.

Advantages of LHB coaches over ICF coaches:

- The LHB coaches can travel at a much higher speed than ICF coaches. The maximum permissible speed for LHB coaches is 160 kmph, while the ICF coaches are permitted to travel at a maximum speed of 110 kmph.

- The LHB coaches are anti-telescopic, which means that these coaches do not penetrate into the adjacent coaches during accidents.

- The LHB coaches do not climb onto adjacent coaches during collision or derailment because they use Center Buffer Coupling (CBC) and not the Dual Buffer System used in ICF coaches.

- The LHB coaches are 1.7 meters longer than the conventional ICF coaches, which enhances there seating capacity.

- The LHB coaches are equipped with FIAT bogie, which has lesser moving parts than the ICF coaches. 

- The LHB coaches are easier to haul because the weight per meter of these coaches is is less than the ICF coaches.

- LHB coaches are equipped with "Controlled Discharge Toilet System" (CDTS) and Bio-toilets, which are environmentally friendly and they use "Advanced Pneumatic Disc Brake System" for efficient braking at higher speeds.

- The noise generated by LHB coaches is 40% less than the ICF coaches and there air conditioning is of higher capacity.