Aimed at starting high-speed train services utilising existing infrastructure between important destinations, the Railways will conduct trial run of a 160 kmph semi-high-speed train between New Delhi and Agra on Thursday.
Senior railway officials, including Commissioner Railway Safety and Divisional Railway Manager of Delhi and Agra, will be on board the test train, officials said.
Equipped with a locomotive, capable of hitting 200 kmph, the train will comprise 10 coaches formerly used in the Bhopal Shatabdi Express operating on the same route.
The test train, which will leave New Delhi station at 11-15 a.m., is scheduled to complete its journey in 90 minutes. The fastest train moving on the route, the Bhopal Shatabdi Express, currently covers the distance between New Delhi and Agra in about two hours.
While the Bhopal Shatabdi carries 18 coaches, Divisional Railway Manager (Delhi) Anurag Sachan said the number of coaches for the trial run have been reduced on technical grounds. “The number of coaches impact the braking system of the train running at different speeds,” he said.
The team working on the project, officials said, has also introduced certain technical interventions on the tracks.
“Certain adjustments like increasing the height of the outer rail have been done at the curves in order to keep the centrifugal force in check. Similarly, special switches have been installed at the points where the train changes tracks,” Mr. Sachan said.
The railways are targeting a commercial launch of the semi-high-speed train service on the route by November.
Officials said one set of trial run on the route, to be held on Thursday, will help assess the technical changes required to launch regular services on the route.
While the trial run is being done between New Delhi and Agra, Mr. Sachan said regular service of high-speed trains will be available between Nizamuddin and Agra.
