Jamshedpur, May 10 : The most important link between Tatanagar to Howrah Steel Superfast Express has been replaced with the state-of-the-art LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches currently in use in Rajdhani and Duronto.
Officials at Garden Reach, the Kolkata-based headquarters of South Eastern Railway (SER), said the new rake comprising 22 LHB coaches manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory at Perambur, Chennai, has arrived and will be soon on the tracks.
According to a senior railway official, LHB coaches run using an end-on-generation (EOG) system which means power to the coaches is supplied by generators in the power cars.
Made of stainless steel on the outside and aluminium on the inside, the coaches are lighter than conventional ones. They are equipped with an advanced braking system for increased safety at higher speeds and are �anti-telescopic�, that means they do not flip even if the train derails.Built with German technology the coaches also prevent climbing on each other in event of accidents.
Considered to be a lifeline of the steel city, Steel Superfast Express equipped with 23 coaches ferrying over 3,500 passengers. Its conventional rakes run on self-generating system, which means each coach generates its own power through a dynamo fitted under the coach and a battery that is used in case of an emergency or when the coach is not in motion.
The LHB coaches include 15 ordinary chair cars, 3 AC chair cars, one executive AC chair car, a pantry car and two generator cars. The manufacturing cost of each coach stands at Rs 1.5 crore.
Meanwhile, Chotanagpur Passengers Association has welcomed the move. U K Srivastava, senior functionary of the association said that the step taken by the Railways will help improve safety of the passengers. �I think these coaches ( LHB) are need of the hour and passengers will benefit from the move,� he noted.
The Tatanagar station assumes importance in view because it is located on the Howrah-Mumbai main route. Several important trains travel via Tatanagar, including the high-profile Rajdhani Express and Duronto Express. The station sees a daily traffic of 90 mail, express and passenger trains, besides a footfall of more than 60,000 passengers.
