KOTA (Metro Rail News): Trials of India’s first Vande Bharat Freight EMU prototype officially started on Wednesday, 29 July 2026.
The 16-coach electric freight train, developed by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, is now undergoing nearly a month of intensive testing on the Kota-Nagda-Sawai Madhopur high-speed corridor. The tests are being conducted by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).
During the trials, the train successfully touched a top speed of 145 km/h. A minimum of two round trips will be conducted every day to evaluate its real-world performance.
Features of the Vande Bharat Freight EMU
The weekly brief metro & rail professionals read.
The Vande Bharat Freight EMU consists of 16 coaches in total, including 2 Driving Trailer Coaches (DTC), 2 Non-Driving Trailer Coaches, and 12 parcel coaches.
Designed for heavy cargo movement, it offers an axle payload capacity of over 20 tonnes and a total payload capacity of 397 tonnes.
The train is equipped with modern features such as refrigerated parcel facilities, forced ventilation, pneumatic retractable roller flooring, and an advanced propulsion system.
Compared to conventional cargo trains that typically run at 60-70 km/h, this Vande Bharat Freight EMU aims for a much higher average operating speed of 80-90 km/h.
Safety features-
From a safety point of view, all doors automatically lock when the train’s speed exceeds 5 km/h. Additionally, the rake cannot be operated unless all doors are fully closed.
The train is also equipped with Indian Railways’ indigenous Kavach anti-collision system.
Details of Testing & Safety Trials
The tests include, oscillation and speed trials at speeds of 120,130,140 and 145km/h will be carried out in loaded and inflated conditions.
Other tests are Emergency Braking Distance (EBD),Coupler force trials, curve performance test,traction,breaking and jerk test, regenerative energy and PAPIS tests, signal and telecom interference test, door operations and other safety test, static test related to interior system such as CCTV, lighting, onboard electrical systems and short circuit.
If the current tests become successful, the Vande Bharat Freight EMU could transform India’s cargo transportation with faster, safer, more reliable, and eco-friendly freight services.
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