What makes the Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains special? The Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches, which not only support acceleration, but help reduce injuries during accidents
The Centre Buffer Couplers will be strengthened in all coaches of passenger trains, including the August Kranti Rajdhani
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What makes the Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains special? The Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches, which not only support acceleration, but help reduce injuries during accidents. But there is a catch to using them - the couplers that join two coaches. At a time when the Indian Railways are planning to replace the regular coaches of the long distance trains with these LHB ones, they are also trying to find a solution to the issue with the couplers, which is sudden jerks.
The LHB coaches support trains at high speeds and this is the reason why they are used in Rajdhani, Shatabdi and other high speed trains like Gatimaan and Tejas. These coaches are joined by Centre Buffer Couplers (CBC). They help the coach move independently; accommodating track curvature and elevation while remaining connected together.
Received complaints
The rakes fitted with CBCs can be run with comparatively high speed. But sources in the Railway Board said that CBCs need to be improved. At present when the trains with LHB coaches ply, they suddenly jerk. The railways have also received complaints about these sudden movements, even in trains like Rajdhani and Shatabdi.
Strengthening couplers
"We will condemn the regular coaches in all trains by 2017-18 and replace them with LHB ones. We are working on a system called Balance Draft Gear that is expected to strengthen the couplers used in LHB coaches," said Ravindra Gupta, member Rolling Stock, Railway Board, to mid-day.
The CBCs will be strengthened in all the 63,000-odd coaches of passenger trains in the years to come. The LHB coaches are also better when it comes to derailments and accidents. The officials claim that the couplers put pressure on the ends of a train and so the passengers in the centre aren’t affected much. This minimises the casualties.
63,000 No of coaches of passenger trains in which the CBCs will be strengthened
LHB coaches
Before 2015 only 550 coaches were used.
From 2015, they have been used gradually.
- 2015-16: 1,041
- 2016-17: 1,679
- 2017-18: 2,423
- 2018-19: 3,075
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