More than two years after they were put into service on the city's suburban railway network, the better quality trains can finally be seen ferrying passengers.
Over the past seven days, commuters of the Central Railway's (CR) Harbour Lline have been pleasantly surprised to witness the presence of two unusual visitors on their neglected line: the swanky new Siemens AC-DC trains procured under the much-touted Mumbai Urban Transport Project.
More than two years after they were put into service on the city's suburban railway network, the better quality Siemens AC-DC trains can finally be seen ferrying passengers on the Harbour line, the route which is usually the last to get the benefits of any major improvement brought about by a change in policy of the railways.
Prabhat Nair, a regular commuter, felt the number of new trains on his line should be increased. “They have better ventilation and are more comfortable. The railways should lessen the number of the old, noisy and inconvenient trains with these,” he said.
CR officials say the new trains are being brought gradually on the Harbour Line to facilitate the conversion of the Western Railway's network from Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC).
Thus, two new trains are making their trips on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus-Andheri route which is partially on the Central and the Western network. Eventually, when the entire conversion process of the WR to better quality AC network is completed, 14 AC-DC trains will ferry passengers on the route and once the trains leave the Mahim station, they will use the WR’s AC electric system.
Referring to the operations of the new Siemens trains on Harbour line stretch from CST to Panvel, Chief Spokesperson of the CR, V.A. Malegaonkar, explained,"It is an unintended benefit. Sometimes, when one of the two Siemens trains is at the CST on the Harbour platform and a service for Panvel is scheduled, it goes on that route. We will eventually bring 14 AC-DC trains to facilitate the conversion from DC to AC of the Western Railway. The 14 trains will include the Siemens rakes, retrofitted rakes as well as those rakes which we are taking in exchange of new retrofitted rakes from the Western Railway's fleet."
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