Indigenous Aluminium trains to bring greater speed and cost-efficiency link
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"These lightweight aluminium wagons are a great innovation for Indian Railways. They combine the best of global technologies and local resources, so railways logistics is more efficient and adds greatly to Atmanirbhar Bharat."
"These wagons will help Railways towards its freight share target of 45% by 2030. Benefits to India's economy are huge, as 1% increase in Railways' freight share saves ₹2.32 lakh cr (or 0.9% of GDP)!!" link
On 16th October 2022, Indian Railways flagged off the first indigenous aluminium goods train. It is manufactured by Besco Ltd (for wagons fabrication) and Hindalco (which supplies HS plates and extrusions). Its design and development were done in collaboration with RDSO. Alu rakes are extensively used in Japan, Europe and US. IR plans to acquire over 1 lakh wagons @15% shift to alu wagons. Benefits of alu freight rakes are listed below.
On the passenger side, Railways will introduce 'next-generation' Vande Bharat, or Vande-3 design (see insert) with light-weight alu bodies. Whereas Vande-3 trains that are made of steel are able to cruise at 200kmph on existing tracks, the alu versions are 40-50% lighter and have a top speed of 225 kmph. Speed is increased because rakes can tilt into the curve. Alu coaches are widely used in USA, Europe, Japan, China and S Korea. They are revolutionary because of much lower operating costs, and longer lifespans by over 10 years.
Railways will acquire at least 200 next-gen VBs at cost of Rs 26,000cr in both normal AC chair and AC sleeper versions. Trains will come after a few years when prototyping and testing (of Vande-3 design) are concluded and after the order of 75 Vande-2 is completed. In the next tender of 400 Vande-3, first 200 are expected to be steel-bodied. But if alu version is available, perhaps all 400 Vande-3 trains will be made of aluminum. IR workshops will manufacture the trains. Hindalco is likely to supply aluminium, whose TOT comes from South Korea.
➖ Rakes are 180 tonnes lighter than existing steel rakes, so carrying capacity is increased. [19% higher payload to tare ratio @2.85]. These rakes have lower haulage fuel cost per kilometre, lower annual maintenance costs and higher speeds. Speed is increased because rakes can tilt into the curve.
➖ Rakes have a 10-year longer lifespan because they are not prone to weather corrosion and have abrasion resistance. So, there is minimal wear and tear to rolling stock and rails!."They are 100 per cent recyclable and even after 30 years, they will be as good as new!" Resale value of scrap is 80% of cost!
➖ Although rakes are 35% more costly, they don't use imported nickel or cadmium; and the "fully lock bolted construction with no welding on the superstructure" is superior. As such, it will spur growth in domestic aluminium mining, alu fabrication and precision manufacturing.
➖ Rakes have lower carbon manufacturing & operating footprint. 14,500 tonnes of carbon is saved by a single rake (~ 60 wagons) over its lifetime. A 20% shift to these wagons will reduce CO2 emissions/year by a whopping 60 million tons.
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