The Indian Coach Factory (ICF) on Tuesday unveiled its 50,000th coach making a momentousmilestone in the history. Minister Suresh Prabhu, said we have to “think differently” for the 100,000th coach. Launching the coach, manufactured at the Integrated Coach Factory (ICF) at Chennai, through video conferencing,Prabhu said it is significantly different from the first coach that rolled out from this factory over 60 years ago in 1955. “There have been many remarkable changes in terms of quality, interior design, speed, fuel consumption, noise reduction in the coach manufacturing technology since the first coach was manufactured here 60 years ago”, consecrating the 50,000th coach, a three-tier AC coach, to the nation. He said, “The 100,000th coach will be different from the today’s coach as the technology is changing and we have to think differently as well,” he said while also stressing on the plans to build a full train on solar power. A non-AC coach of Rewari-Sitapur passenger train is currently being lit by solar panels installed on its roof as part of Railways’ plan to connect the green source of energy.
The Minister also announced Rs 5 lakh reward for ICF staff for accomplishing the milestone of rolling out 50,000th coach. A premier industry, ICF was set up in 1955. Since then the factory has been manufacturing conventional coaches approximately 1,500-1,800 a year, catering to the ever-increasing demand for coaches for new trains. ICF manufactures various types of AC and non-AC coaches including EMUs (Electrical Multiple Units) and DEMU (Diesel Electrical Multiple Units), Metro coaches for Kolkata Metro. Now the ICF will also manufacture LHB coaches, till now made at Rail Coach factory at Rae Bareli and Kapurthala. LHB coaches are mainly used in premier trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto services. Prabhu also inaugurated the upgrading facility at the ICF for production of Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches through video conferencing.
The photos of the 50,000th coach are:
By: Archa Dave
