New and upgraded coach of Deccan Queen is ready

A model of the new second class chair car

The first rail coach, a second class chair car at par with Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches, of the new classy 17-car Deccan Queen train is finally ready at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai manufacturing unit. Once all the coaches, coloured a shade named ‘restrained imperium', are ready, the train is expected to arrive in the city by year-end.

Central Railway chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar confirmed the development. Sources said the delay occurred due to finalisation of the designs to upgrade the dining car which were approved in February 2021 .

Officials said the designs of the new train were approved by premier design institute National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad after due approvals from the Ministry of Railways in May 2020. mid-day was the first to report about the new colour shade and related developments of the iconic train.

Sources said as per the finalised designs, the dining car will be a 40-seater one with 10 dining tables and four chairs around each of its panoramic windows. Half of the coach will consist of a well-equipped kitchen with provisions for pantry storage, electric cooking range, deep freezers and a refrigerator as well as a service table, multiple sinks and service counters for the manager. This will be the first LHB-class dining car of Indian Railways.

LHB coaches have an improved suspension system with more riding comfort, and have a speed of 160 km per hour that could go up to 200 km per hour. The Deccan Queen, when introduced, was the fastest and most powerful train in the country.

mid-day had in its February 23, 2019 and May 2, 2019 editions reported how the Central Railway, in a rare gesture, had taken feedback from commuter surveys on how the LHB conversion of Deccan Queen be made special.

17
No. of coaches in Deccan Queen