New Train 18: Updated Vande Bharat Express launch with protection against stone-pelters, cattle soon

Vande Bharat Express or Train 18 is going get a makeover after the train suffered damages due to stone pelting during its trial run and ran over bovines on the tracks, damaging the front portion of the coach last month. The new Train 18, expected to be operational by mid-April, will reportedly come with sturdier window glass and cattle guards to safeguard it when bovines suddenly come in front of the train.

According to a DNA report, all the 16 coaches of the new train are nearly ready. A railway official said that until fencing is completed along the tracks, trespassing will remain a problem. However, the new Train 18 is behind the schedule, as the initial deadline was March 31, 2019, the report said.  Windows of the train will get an extra layer of protection so that these can withstand the force when miscreants throw stones.

The Train 18 was designed at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai and it is considered to be one of the fastest trains in India. During a Varanasi-Delhi non-commercial run, it ran over bovines on the tracks, damaging the front portion of the coach. Railways may apply vinyl coated sheets on the windows. 

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Since the train runs at a high speed, window materials need to be stronger, which can protect any solid materials come from the opposite direction, the report said citing an official. Train 18 is an indigenously-developed train, which has caught the attention of the nation. Train 18 has all the comforts, and it is engineless, which can run at a speed of 160-km per hour.