New Delhi: In a major move towards expanding the electrification across all zones, Indian Railways for the first time ran its first passenger train entirely on electric traction in the Northeast Frontier Railway zone (NFR) from Delhi in the last week. The train/ 05956 Delhi - Kamakhya (Brahmaputra) Mail Special covered more than 2000 km on electric traction and reached Kamakhya station on October 22.
An official said, "Earlier the electrification was done till New Cooch Behar of NFR, but on October 10, the work had been completed to Kamakhya and Guwahati railway stations. On October 21, the first parcel goods train reached Kamakhya station on the next day, the first passenger mail train."
Again after an hour, the special mail train left for Delhi from Kamakhya station at 2.30 pm through electric traction, the official added. An official statement of Indian Railways mentioned, "After successful completion of 'Railway Electrification' works up to Kamakhya station and authorization granted by CRS/N. F. Circle after inspection from October 7 to 9, the section from New Cooch Behar to Kamakhya was opened for the operation of electric traction. With this, a total of 760 Route KM/1701 Track km has been electrified on NFR."
In mid of 19th century and after that the electrical traction offered several benefits over the then predominant steam traction, particularly in respect of its quick acceleration- ideal for urban (metro) and suburban (commuter) services and it is ideal for heavy freight trains through mountainous or hilly sections. Later a plethora of systems emerged to make it more viable.
Electric traction further helps in higher speed potential enabling faster trains, saving of time and energy, increase energy efficiency with a higher power to weight ratio, regenerative breaking, higher hauling capacity with high horsepower locomotives, improve reliability and line capacity, pollution-free mode of transportation, cost-effective due to lesser maintenance and operating cost etc.
The Indian Railways further officially claimed that a total of 46711 Route km have been electrified so far, which is 72. 2 per cent of the total. In the last three years, the electrification work has been done in 15669 Route km.
"Uptill now, the trains with electric locomotives were coming from Katihar and Maldaup to New Cooch Behar, where the electric loco was being detached from the train and diesel locomotive was being attached for its onward journey. Now both passenger and parcel trains will come directly up to Kamakhya without change of traction," an official said. Trains with electric traction will also be run in many routes i.e, Delhi to Patna, Delhi to Gorakhpur, Delhi to Kanpur, Delhi to Prayagraj, Lucknow to Varanasi via Amethi, Raiberilly and
Prarapgarh.