Aimed at ensuring passenger comfort and safety, a team from Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) began intensive trials on Kochi metro trains from Monday.
They fitted transducers and sensors on different components of the trial train and also did a few trial runs on the 9-km-long Muttom-Palarivattom corridor. This is to record values when the train passes through different parameters.
The team will initially operate empty trains. Later on, they will fill coaches with sand bags to assess their performance when they are jam-packed with 900-odd people – the ‘crush load’ of each train. “This will go on up to October 5,” said a senior metro official.
Parameters such as braking distance at different speeds and gradients, and efficiency of third traction from which power is sourced will be measured.
A whole range of other mandatory oscillation trials too will be done.
Later on, tests like whether a train can pull another train that is stranded on the track and tow it to the yard or nearest station will be carried out.
The RDSO’s report is expected in a month. It will be submitted to both the Commissioner for Railway Safety (CRS) and Railway Board. “After verifying the report, the CRS is expected to do a bird’s eye inspection of the metro system and grant permission to commission the metro,” sources said.
The Electrical Inspector General to the Government of India had inspected the third traction laid between the track and other electrical components and accorded his nod to charge the viaduct up to Palarivattom. Integrated trials are expected by November, once communication-based train control systems are in place.
Deadline
As per latest schedule, the 12-km-long Aluva-Palarivattom stretch will be ready for commissioning by April, while the 6-km-long Palarivattom-Maharaja’s College Ground corridor will be ready by June.
ON TRACK
Transducers and sensors fitted on different components of trial train
Team to initially operate empty trains; later they will fill coaches with sand bags to assess crush load
Braking distance at different speeds, efficiency of third traction to be measured
