The Hindu : Metro focus on keeping trains sparkling

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 08, 2003

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Metro focus on keeping trains sparkling

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI APRIL 7. In the eight hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. that Delhi Metro operations halt for the general public, all the trains undergo extensive checking and cleaning and washing of coaches at the Shastri Park Train Depot.

To show how this period of eight hours is utilised, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation today held a special demonstration. The trains are examined on the basis of a check list for Daily Checks, Schedule Checks `A' which are conducted after every 5,000 kilometres and Schedule Checks `B' which are done every 15,000 kms.

During the Daily Checks performed at night, besides interior cleaning of coaches, checking of undergear, brake blocks and safety equipments is also done. The technical details including any abnormal condition/defect in the train are downloaded from the Train Information Management System of each train and analysed in details for immediate detection and rectification of defects.

In Schedule Checks A more extensive checking of undergear, roof equipments and safety equipments is done along with replenishment or replacement of oil.

As for the cleaning and washing, the DMRC said the interior of the trains are vacuum cleaned daily inside the depot with vacuum cleaners and mopping devices with manual efforts. While at present this activity is continuing in the inspection shed, later this activity would shift to the stabling lines where the rakes are stabled during night and off peak hours in day.

The exterior washing, it was pointed out, was done by an automatic coach washing plant that operates without any operator and does the cleaning of the exterior walls and part of the roof of the coaches of the train as it passes at the slow speed of between 3 and 5 km per hour through the wash plant. And to economised on the cost, the front and end of the trains are manually cleaned.

The DMRC said at present the rakes are being cleaned on alternate days and the wash plant in the fully automatic wash plant. It claimed that water is recycled for the purpose to reduce the need for fresh water in washing.

The plant is able to sense the presence and speed of the incoming train and only activates if the speed varies between 3 and 5 km per hour.

The wash cycle comprises various workstations along a 90 metre length. First the exteriors are sprayed with recycled water by nozzles and then a detergent mix is sprayed on the trains. As the trains moves further it is brushed from the exterior. By now the detergent solution loosens the grip of dirt on the surface and another round of spraying of water and brushing cleans it up.

The last spray station sprays soft water generated through a reverse osmosis plant. The soft water so generated does not have the sulphates and phosphates dissolved in normal water and therefore no water streak marks are left behind on the coach wall surface.

For heavy cleaning of the interior and exterior, a separate line with covered shed and side platforms has been prepared. Here all those parts of the rakes are cleaned which are not reachable by the wash plant. The roof is cleaned here and along with the recessed areas of the vestibules. The interiors are also cleaned here for removal of head stains and other kinds of stains.

Since the cleaning of the underbelly requires the maximum effort and caution, every six months the trains will be taken to the "Under Frame Blow Down Plant'' where dirt is first blown off using a compressed air jet and the air mixed with dirt is then sucked off through the vacuum system. The filters are then cleaned for the disposal of dirt so collected.

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