Mumbai: Fastest local’s glory now in shambles at Virar

The Virar car shed houses the decade-old ruins of the fastest local train which was introduced under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project, which lost its value after failing the railway tests. 

In 2009-2010, the Seimens launched the trains with speed reaching up to 140 kmph. Now, the glory of being the fastest train lies as a piece of junk. 

The rake looks no different from the other rakes that we have all traveled in. However, after careful inspection, one can notice that the structure, which supports the coaches as well as wheels, is bolster-less. 

The coaches are now filled with garbage and cobwebs cover most of its corners. According to sources, the railway authorities were struggling for parts which needed to be imported from Austria. After spending around Rs 10 crore for the research of the ‘high speed rake’ and Rs 25 crore for procuring the internal parts, the massive public money also lay in shambles.

“The rake has the same technology which is used by the German manufacturing firm, Linke-Hofmann-Busch (LHB) coaches. The tests failed as it did not fit the norms of Indian Railways, despite the fact that similar technology is being used in top trains like Rajdhani and Shatabdi,” said a senior railway official.

Speed Racer 

2009-10
The EMU came into being

18 Number of bogies of the rake 

108 Total bogies

140 kmph Speeds at which it was tested