Union Budget: Indian Railways Likely To Go For Hyperloop And Hydrogen Fuel-Based Train-Set

Hyperloop technology, lightweight aluminium coach, articulated/tilting bogey and hydrogen fuel-based train-set are slated to be a part of the next Union Budget plan as the national transporter is firming up proposals to make the train journey faster and comfortable for passengers.

According to the plan, the railways is exploring possibilities of acquiring hyperloop technology for a demonstrative project to showcase its capabilities in the rail sector.

Hyperloop, the new mode of transport, is to build a tube over or underground along the rail track for the super fast travel that involves high cost.

We are examining the various aspects of hyperloop technology in the Indian context for a demonstrative project on a pilot basis, said a senior Railway Ministry official.

With the focus now on the energy efficiency, plans are afoot for induction of lightweight aluminium coaches and hydrogen fuel-based trains.

Currently, our coaches are made of stainless steel and we want to shift to lightweight aluminium coaches for faster and energy saving travel, said the official.

According to the plan, aluminium coaches would be manufactured in all three production units of the railways in the country after acquiring technology for it.

Besides the lightweight coach, the railways is also planning to reduce the travel time on the existing track with the tilting or articulated technology.

Articulated technology does not require much work on track and as a result a train does not lose speed while negotiating the curves.

So the journey time would be less with a constant train speed, said the official.

Since the railways is already on the job for upgrading its signalling and telecom system along with power supply in Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes for trains to run at 160 kmph, the aluminium coach with tilting technology is expected to be operational between these big cities.

While efforts are on for solar and wind power generation in a big way, steps are being initiated for running trains on hydrogen power.

Since the railways is opting for more and more train sets rather than loco-hauled trains, there is a move to introduce hydrogen fuel-based train set, which will be first of its kind in Indian Railways.

Manufacturing of aluminium coaches, acquiring hyperloop technology, opting for tilting bogey and launching a hydrogen fuel-based train set are likely to be a part of the upcoming budget 2022-23 proposals in February.