First trial run of Indian Railways' Train 18 tomorrow, here's why it's special

Engine-less trains till now have been limited to metro networks and suburban travel in India, but on Saturday, Indian Railways is all set to conduct first trial run ofself-propelled semi-high speed train set for inter-city travel. Codenamed Train 18 based on the year, this self-propelled train would be able to travel at speeds of 160 kmph and will eventually replace Shatabdi Express trains on the Indian Railways network. Swanky, world-class and state-of-the-art, Train 18 will offer a host of amenities that passengers will love. 

Railways will conduct its first trial run tomorrow on Bareilly-Moradabad section on a standard railway track. Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO) team has also reached Moradabad for the trial run. 

Manufactured at ICF (Integral Coach Factory) in Chennai, first train set has 16 chair-car type coaches -- executive and non-executive. There are two executive chair cars and 14 non-executive chair cars. The maximum seating capacity of executive chair cars is 56 passengers, while those of non-executive is 78.

Train 18 offers onboard WiFi and infotainment for passengers. There is also GPS-based passenger information system. Charging points for the gadgets are right below the seats.

Automatic doors come with the facility of a sliding footstep that will open when once the train arrives at the platform.

Train 18 has automatic interconnecting doors and the connecting areas are spacious for easy movement. There is halogen-free rubber-on-rubber flooring, concealed roller blinds for improved aesthetics and better view from the window and continuous energy-efficient LED lighting. Train 18 boasts of zero discharge bio-vaccum toilets and touch-free bathroom fittings.

Built at a cost of Rs 100 crore, the first trainset is set to have a few imported components such as French-made seats, brakes and couplers from Germany, along with a Czech-made door system.

On the safety front, the Train Management System in the driver's cab will ensure precise brake control. It also has automated doors control like that of a Metro train.