Vande Bharat train, running at 160 kmph, stops automatically before red signal in first 'Kavach' trial
automatic braking system installed in eight-car Vande Bharat trains as part of the indigenously developed anti-collision device 'Kavach', an official said. «In the first-ever trial, the loco pilot did not apply the brakes and still the train, running at a speed of 160 kmph, automatically stopped 10 metres before the red signal. This parameter will now be freezed for all eight-car Vande Bharat trains across the country,» Agra Railway Division PRO Prashasti Srivastava told PTI.
All Vande Bharat trains are fitted with a 'Kavach' system which can apply brakes on its own in case the loco pilot fails to do it due to any reason.
Since this system needs several other components such as station Kavach, RFID tags throughout the track length and Kavach towers along the tracks to work simultaneously, the Indian Railways is in the process of implementing these components across its network to enhance operational safety.
Under the supervision of Kush Gupta, Deputy Chief Signal and Telecommunication Engineer, North Central Railway zone, the trial started at 9:30 in the morning between Mathura and Palwal and the whole exercise was repeated in both up and down directions till 2 in the afternoon.
Srivastava said that the exercise will now be done for 16-car Vande Bharat trains.
Before this trial, the Agra division, under the supervision of Gupta, successfully conducted two more Kavach trials at 140 kmph and 160 kmph for other mail and express trains.
The Agra division has developed a complete Kavach network on the 80-km stretch
