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SN
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Financial Year
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Broad Area of Achievement
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Title of Achievement
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Description of Achievement
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Likely Benefits
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Current Status of Implementation
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1.
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2011-12
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Passenger Safety
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Development of Crashworthy Design of LHB Coachm in accordance with latet EN norms 15227.
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In order to prevent deformation in passenger occupied areas, energy absorption in non-passenger areas through controlled collapse, low accelerations (decelerations) to avoid injuries to occupants and climbing of coaches one over the other, an improved design of LHB coach has been developed. Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala built prototype on the basis of detail design given by RDSO. The prototype crashworthy LHB coach was turned out by RCF, Kapurthala in Jan 2012 and crash test was conducted on 16/3/12 at RDSO on the prototype in association with Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune, which was witnessed by Member Mechanical/ Railway Board, DG/RDSO, Commissioner of Railway Safety and other senior officials from Railways and RDSO. The prototype coach was designed by RDSO and was manufactured at RCF, Kapurthala. The instrumentation for the crash test was done by M/s ARAI, Pune. The crash test was carried out by rolling an upgraded design LHB GS coach into a platen wagon at a speed of 43.2 kmph. The coach absorbed the collision energy without damage to the occupied area. The coach remained on the track after the collision. In the crash test body-bogie connection remained intact. Also, the coach followed the sequence of event like shearing of break-away connection, buckling at the buckle initiator etc. as predicted in the simulation. The test results will be compared with simulation in the final report after the test report and data is received from ARAI.However, a preliminary analysis of test data indicates tremendous resemblance of pattern of crush force. A preliminary report on crash test of upgraded LHG GS coach has been prepared by RDSO. Detailed report of the crash test is expected to be finalized by M/s ARAI, Pune within a week. On receipt of the detailed report from M/s ARAI, Pune, fine tuning of the existing simulation with the actual behaviour of the coach observed during the test shall be carried out and final report for improved design LHB coach prepared by RDSO. The design of improved LHB coach will be finalized after analysing the test results. Crashworthiness design of ICF coaches of all variants was earlier developed by RDSO and they are in series production at RCF. More than 500 of such coaches have been produced and are in service on IR.
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Safer passenger travel.
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Final design of the crashworthy LHB GS coach is under development.
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2.
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2011-12
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Passenger safety
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Development of Fire Retardant material for coaches.
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To prevent spread of fire from one coach to another & reduce the number of causalities owing to such accidents, specifications for a number materials used in coach furnishing which delay/ retard propagation of fire, prohibit release of toxic fumes and smoke besides do not melt and drop in case of fire inside passenger coaches have been developed and a Fire Lab is also proposed to be set up at RDSO by December 2013.
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Enhancement of passenger safety in case of fire related incidents.
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Fire Lab is proposed to be set up at RDSO by December 2013.
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3.
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2012-13
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Throughput enhancement
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Development of Double Decker Coach Design
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RDSO has developed design of AC Double Decker coach with an entirely new shell design. After series of validation trials and clarifications furnished to CCRS and Board, Board vide letter no. 2011/CEDO/SR/21 dated 26.09.2011 have permitted the operation of 1st series of double decker coaches (3135 mm width) for commercial operation on Howrah-Dhanbad section of Eastern Railway. Commercial services have started from 01.10.2011. Next series of Double Decker coach with reduced width (3050 mm width Mark-I) are currently being manufactured at RCF, Kapurthala. Train services have been introduced on Delhi-Jaipur and Mumbai-Ahmedabad routes.
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In the Double Decker coaches (3050 mm) seating capacity is 120 nos. as against 78 nos. in standard LHB AC chair cars. Thus seating capacity of double decker coaches is more than 50% as compared to standard Chair Cars. Assuming marginal reduction in the fare of about 20%, additional earning to the tune of 20% is anticipated on account of increase in carrying capacity. Thus Double Decker services can give cheaper & safer (based on crashworthy design) travel and at the same time carry more passengers with higher revenue for Indian Railways
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Further, Double Decker coaches with width below platform level of 3050 mm and 3250 mm above platform level (Mark-II) have been designed and cleared for production at RCF, Kapurthala. Board has instructed RCF to manufacture one prototype of such coach which will have differential width of lower and upper deck. These coaches will exploit the existing maximum moving dimensions completely and hence, will provide maximum comfort
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