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The much-awaited Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and coastal Karnataka will turn into a reality soon. The South Western Railway's Mysuru Division will begin trial runs of the train from August 11, bringing it closer to commercial operations.
Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Trial Runs
Earlier, Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna had announced that the train would start running on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route by June. However, the launch was delayed because the Vande Bharat train required for this route needed an Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system, which was not available at the time.
Now, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai has supplied a 20-coach Vande Bharat train fitted with the AEB system to the Mysuru Division. The train is currently stationed at Pandavapura Railway Station in Mandya district, and trial runs will take place from August 11 to August 20. A team from the Research, Design and Safety Organisation (RDSO) of Indian Railways will oversee the tests before approving regular passenger services.
Why is the Automatic Emergency Braking System Necessary?
The AEB system is necessary because the railway line between Bengaluru and Mangaluru passes through the steep Western Ghats. As the route has a sharp gradient, the track rises or falls by one metre every 50 metres, the Commissioner of Railway Safety has fixed a maximum speed limit of 30 kmph for trains on this section.
However, regular Vande Bharat trains already have advanced electro-pneumatic disc brakes and regenerative braking, which help save energy during braking. However, these systems alone are not enough for the challenging ghat section.
At present, ordinary trains use additional banker locomotives fitted with AEB to travel safely through the steep stretch. Attaching these engines to a Vande Bharat train would require removing its aerodynamic nose, making the process longer and reducing the train's speed advantage. To avoid these delays, the Railways decided to wait for a Vande Bharat train with a built-in AEB system. With the arrival of the new rake, the long-awaited service is now expected to move closer to its launch.