jis
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It looks like there is a push to convert all electrically hauled Rajdhani and Shatabdi Expresses (which is a majority of them) to push-pull operation with an engine at each end.
https://www.railpost.in/faster-rajd...-converted-to-push-pull-config-by-march-2020/
The claim is that with this setup they can reduce the running time by an hour to two hours on a 16 hour overnight run due purely to faster acceleration and quicker deceleration. This is apparently pending the conversion of those trains to distributed power over time to gain some more average speed, together with increasing max speed to 160kph (100mph) from the current 130-140kph (80-88mph).
It should be noted that for the typical 20 car train merely by adding one additional locomotive, assuming WAP-7 Class, increases the HP available from 7,000 to 14,000. Also distributes the tractive effort to both ends of the train thus improving general operating performance.
In any case reducing running time of an overnight train Rajdhani Expresses 16 hours to 14 hours makes a world of difference because now a schedule with 6pm departure, 8am arrival becomes feasible, making the train way more attractive to business type folks for whom 5pm - 9am was borderline.
https://www.railpost.in/faster-rajd...-converted-to-push-pull-config-by-march-2020/
The claim is that with this setup they can reduce the running time by an hour to two hours on a 16 hour overnight run due purely to faster acceleration and quicker deceleration. This is apparently pending the conversion of those trains to distributed power over time to gain some more average speed, together with increasing max speed to 160kph (100mph) from the current 130-140kph (80-88mph).
It should be noted that for the typical 20 car train merely by adding one additional locomotive, assuming WAP-7 Class, increases the HP available from 7,000 to 14,000. Also distributes the tractive effort to both ends of the train thus improving general operating performance.
In any case reducing running time of an overnight train Rajdhani Expresses 16 hours to 14 hours makes a world of difference because now a schedule with 6pm departure, 8am arrival becomes feasible, making the train way more attractive to business type folks for whom 5pm - 9am was borderline.