The newly designed rail cars of Nilgiri Mountain Railways, in India by
Integral coach factory Ministry of Railways - India. are finally here. Here's a thread on how they look from outside and inside.
Nilgiri Mountain Railways, a UNESCO Heritage Railways, is one of the oldest Railway Systems in Indian Railways dating as back as 1899. This 120 years old Hill Railways is unique in many ways including the pinion and racked meter gauge track between Mettupalayam and Coonoor that boasts of coaches being hauled by nostalgic X Class Steam Locos albeit with a modern tech added to it.
The coaches that are being used at the NMR are more than 4 decades old and have been refurbished and retrofitted time and again. For the first time, ICF has come forward and took up the task of designing and developing new age steel bodied coaches for the Heritage NMR Railway system. Totally, 15 coaches are being planned to be manufactured by ICF for NMR. Of these 12 coaches will make 3 rakes comprising of 1 first class, 2 second class seater and 1 luggage-cum-passenger car formation, each. The remaining 3 coaches will be spare coaches in case of any replacement needs.
The first formation of 1 rake comprising 4 new all steel stainless steel coaches for the NMR have been just rolled out from ICF and they are now on their way to Mettupalayam by rail.
• New stainless steel coaches for NMR
• Three variants, First class, Second class and Second class luggage van (SLR) with passenger seating
• Large windows for Panoramic view
• Meter Gauge bogies with rack-pinion arrangement in leading axle
• Total Seating capacity 146.
• 1 First class – 32 seats, 2 Second Class – 44 seats each, 1 Second Class Luggage Van (SLR) – 26 seats with a separate space for PWD (persons with disability) passengers to place their wheel chair and sit in it.
• Cushioned seats
• Wheel chair space and wider door in SLR coach
• LED lights
• Hand brakes for pinion and also for wheels
• Covered space for Brake man in every coach
• Inter vehicle coupler for Driver-Guard-Brake man communication in the form of a mic-cum-speaker at each cab for talking between Driver, brakeman, and the guard.
The first dispatch of 4 coaches will shortly reach Salem Division of Southern Railway for operation in NMR section.
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Trivia: The world
Nilgiri means Blue (Neel) Mountains (Giri). The same is reflected in the color of trains on this lovely railways.
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