Passengers on board Cheran Express beginning Wednesday (November 8) from Coimbatore and Thursday (November 9) from Chennai will have the pleasant experience of travelling in Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches made of German technology.
Recently, the Southern Railways suspended the rake sharing arrangement for Cheran Express with Navjeevan Express on the Chennai Central - Ahmedabad section. LHB coaches are being rolled out of Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala.
The LHB coaches bring in more passenger capacity as the coaches are 23.54 m long and 3.24 m wide. Each coach with a tare weight of 39.5 tonnes are made of steel with modular interiors. The coaches could be run at 160 to 200 kmph.
Biotoilets, designer washbasins with mirrors and cell phone charging points are added advantages, say officials. Coaches will be elegant, sleek and compact and are designed as anti-telescopic and will not turn over or flip in the event of collisions and the coaches are equipped with pneumatic disc brakes. LHB coaches have centre buffer couplings while the conventional coaches have side screw type couplings. Coaches come with lightings in ceilings and luggage racks and improvised suspension guarantees a smooth ride and the air conditioning(AC) capacity is higher and the noise level is only 60 decibel as against the 100 decibel in conventional coaches.
Originally, Cheran Express had 24 coaches, of which one coach (pantry car) was not used on the night journey on Coimbatore - Chennai - Coimbatore section, practically reducing the number of coaches to 23. Now, there will be 22 LHB coaches still bringing in higher passenger capacity.
As against the 792 berths in 11 second sleeper coaches in conventional coaches, the 10 LHB coaches bring in 800 berths, five third AC coaches in conventional coaches had 320 berths and now it stands enhanced to 360 berths, one second AC coach in conventional coach had 46 berths and now it stands improved to 54 and the first AC cum half second AC conventional coach had 10 first AC berths and 20 second AC berths. Now, the LHB coach will have ten first class AC berths and 28 second AC berths.
