PUNJAB (Metro Rail News): The Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala, Punjab, is set to roll out its first rake of 19 LHB broad gauge passenger coaches for Bangladesh Railway on 12 August 2026.
The rake will include three AC sleeper cars, three AC chair cars, 11 non-AC chair cars and two power cars. The rake features several passenger-friendly amenities such as fans in AC coaches, integrated CCTV surveillance, passenger alarm systems, partially openable windows, a baby care room and a prayer room.
The seating arrangement incorporates specially designed reclining chairs with stainless steel armrests and footrests offering multiple reclining positions for better comfort of passengers.
Safety and technical features
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The coaches feature a crashworthy design that complies with European Standard EN 15227. This required a complete redesign of the car body shell to improve collision performance and passenger safety.
Electrical systems are configured for 415 Volt operations, unlike the 750 Volt system used in Indian Railways coaches. The roof structures have also been strengthened to handle additional load from passengers travelling on the roof during peak traffic.
These coaches have been specially customised to meet the operational and passenger needs of Bangladesh Railway.
RCF earlier supplied 120 LHB broad gauge passenger coaches to Bangladesh Railway in 2015-16. Building on that success, Bangladesh Railway placed a new order in 2024 through RITES for 200 broad gauge passenger coaches in seven variants.
The rollout highlights the growing role of Indian railway manufacturing units in supplying customised rolling stock to overseas markets and further strengthens railway cooperation between India and Bangladesh.
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