Volume 8, Issue 37 – January 2017
ISSN No. 0976-254X www.railbizindia.com
BROAD SPECTRUM RAIL IMPRESSIVE INDUSTRY DISPLAY IN LUCKNOW
Cover Picture courtesy: Integral Coach Factory, Chennai
` 100
FIRST WORDS Not all of us can do great things... Even as senior IR executives attending IR s Rail Vikas Shivir (development summit) were getting ready for the concluding session on Nov 20, reports of mounting fatalities on an express train derailment (possibly due to a rail fracture) filtered in. This turned out to be IR s gravest accident in last 5 years, with a near 150 fatality count. The Shivir proceedings rightly began with a silence to honour the victims, but after that it was business as usual. Particularly noticeable was the visible effort that the programmes are politically correct and do not ruffle feathers. The summit was undoubtedly a new effort but what struck was that the word reliability was not even mentioned once during the near 3-hour concluding session of structured presentations that listed strategic shifts that could be made, mostly wish lists rather than executable plans. All this in the face of IR losing at least 10 % of its capacity due to equipment failures , including rail fractures that caused recent accidents. The many aspects of IR working that were bandied in the 3-day event excluded any mention of reliability. IR s operational failures span all equipment, signals, tracks, power supply, locomotives, everything. The data is indicative of a non-concern, reflected in the Summit. The zero-fatalities plan failed to mention any need to improve reliability, whether by better design, construction control or maintenance quality. With mounting staff costs, that will only see northward trend in coming years, the inability to highlight the need for control is avoiding a home truth. Multiskilling is a subset of the issue but tinkering the looming problem by a mention will get IR nowhere except the bottom of the revenue pit. After all, multi-skilling as a directed effort has been part of IR plans for over two decades and there is little to show because action to merge the jobs has been considered politically incorrect. It seems that inconvenient truths were best left out of the Summit presentations. We hope that this was not deliberate but an oversight and that the outcomes will be translated into actions and not just yet another white paper. As of now, even as the presentations figure in the Shivir s web page, formal action plan is not in sight. It is a pleasure to add GK Mohanty to our list of volunteers who believe in the causes that RAIL BUSINESS serves. Mohanty, a well-respected IR senior manager, retired as Chief Operations Manager on the South Eastern Railway and is now the rail logistics adviser to India's largest steel producer. His skill and passion was on display as he published 'Freight Legacy of BNR' in May 2013, a well-received history of freight operations on the Bengal Nagpur Railway (later SER). G K Mohanty
Welcome aboard.
(Vijay Raina) Editor
...but we can do small things with great love. ... Mother Teresa of Kolkata
Volume 8, Issue 37 – January 2017
CONTENTS www.railbizindia.com Consulting Editor Sumant Chak, AITD
Special interview
14 16
Honorary Adviser G K Mohanty Editor V. K. Raina For Advertisements and Circulation Dr. Rajni Raina Business Manager Phone : +91 80170 62121 Disclaimer : Views expressed by various authors are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of their corporates.
INNORAIL 2016 in RDSO Lucknow
18 1
Tathagata Roy, Governor of Tripura
Special interview PK Srivastava, Director General RDSO CP Sharma, Chair, INNORAIL 2016 The show is about the future
20 21
Indian Railways 3 4 28
Finances Sanjoy Mookherjee on ballooning staff pensions
22 From the stalls
Rail Vikas Shivir A participative effort for a strategy course
15
Contract arbitration Rajesh Prasad, ED RVNL
17
European Correspondent: Ms Geetha Munikoti, Berlin
19
IT Support Dilip & Rajat Designed & Printed by Headliners Advertising Services Pvt. Ltd. 87, Monohar Pukur Road Kolkata 700 029 e-mail: headlinersadvertising@gmail.com
A big leap in the second event
ABB VTG turbochargers to go on trial on IR
24
25
7 8
Technology
10 12
A tarnished record IR coach designs High fatalities on ICF coaches: corrections planned Rail fractures A continuing issue with few solutions
27 29
Fluid Control: taking care of pipe fittings
26
Anti -vibration pads from Getzner
31
Rail Business
2E Alipore Avenue, Kolkata 700 027, India Phone : +91 94323 64001, +91 80170 62121, 033 40088827; e-mail : railbizindia@gmail.com Five issues published in a calendar year
Korea Rail Research Institute
Potpourri 30
For subscriptions & a complementary copy, please e-mail at railbizindia@gmail.com
A widening range from Bharat Forge
KYOSAN India: signalling for freight corridor
Rail based urban transport
Trial on new real time technology
TCAS: RDSO leads multiindustry development
Transmash: the Russian edge
Apollo industries: the growing MSME
20
V K Pal: options for reducing diesel loco emissions
BONATRANS India: adding value
Insulated driver cabs-PRAG
Operational safety
Nalin Jain: GE timeline for new locos for IR
WABTEC and TEXMACO JV
Alstom locos to come with ABB transformers CII partners in Indian push for innovations
VR Simulator from Poland
32
Travelogue: of fog and fatigue Steam Congress 2016 extends its range Ananda Shankar Jayant: soaring achievements
I N CO N V E RS AT I O N TAT H AG ATA R O Y
From railways to government, a career built on multiple aspirations A railway man, who served about 20 years in IR. A civil engineer. Currently Governor of Tripura, an Indian state in the North-East. An academician who set up a new department in the Jadavpur University (Kolkata). A legal mind who achieved distinction in various arbitral assignments. An author with 5 books to his credit. A politician with an ideology based on convictions. Governor Tathagata Roy has straddled all these seemingly diverse roles with ease and finesse. He admits with humbleness that his ability to work in tough situations came from initial experiences as an Assistant Engineer in railways at Ranaghat (WestBengal), as he faced quite a few severe labour union protests and gheraos (a very Indian protest form that was in its peak during Roy s initial work years). Roy remembers that on the 8th day of his work in Ranaghat, when mostly innocent of field experiences, he was recalled from a field tour due to a gherao in his office. He literally walked into the storm, where the union officials tried very hard to extract a written commitment from him on what was not within his domain. And he did not lose his cool despite verbal provocations. This incident, where he held fast and refused the concession, has stood him well in facing such dire situations in later years. Multi-modal to Agartala
Now that Agartala, the Tripura capital, is linked by broad gauge trains, Roy recounted how he has travelled from Kolkata to Agartala across East Pakistan: from Sealdah to Guolundo by train; by ferry across to Chandpur, then by MG train to Akahura and the last 40 km by road to Agartala. Good progress has been now made on the Akhaura (Bangladesh) to Agartala rail link and better connectivity is likely in coming years. With the Bangladesh Railways likely to go in for dual gauge network, travel by a broad-gauge train across the neighbour to Agartala may be possible in coming years. As the Governor in Tripura and with ancestral linkages to these parts, Roy does seem to hide a wish for that to happen soon. The MTP years
Roy joined IR s Service of Engineers (civil) in 1968 after a distinguished academic career. A posting to the Calcutta Metropolitan Project (MTP) followed the Ranaghat stint as he was part of the team for developing the Suburban Dispersal Line SDL (later commissioned as circular railway) and the Rapid Transit system (the Dum Dum Tollygung Metro project). Roy recounts that in 1969 plans for Kolkata Metro were quite ambiguous, though the SDL had progressed to the final location survey stage before it was abandoned in favour of the Metro. Roy was assigned the construction design activity for stations, that afforded him a chance to develop real engineering skills. Metro work, based on a Russia report, had started in 1973 but the years up to 1978 were one of uncertainty and restricted progress. The project really took off in 1978
Tathagata Roy, Governor of Tripura (a state in North-East India) started his career in Indian Railways and was associated closely with the construction of Kolkata Metro link. Here in a freewheeling conversation with RAIL BUSINESS.
leading to commissioning in 1984. Roy attributes the Metro project success to the skill and leadership shown by his seniors like VCA Padmanabhan, the Member Engineering, JN Roy who led the survey team, E Sreedharan, A Roy for electrical engineering and Narasimhan on signalling. I oversaw station design without ever having visited any Metro station . Basic skills, honed with inputs form seniors like E Sreedharan, helped him design the Maidan station with success. Roy recounts that the team deputed for Metro studies abroad (except Sreedharan) quickly dissipated and hardly contributed to design development. Roy recollects that the team including the Director Finance, due to retire soon, would not let the visit sanction proceed unless he was included. Roy laments that this anomaly in skill development has stalled many an IR expert. Public apathy to rail projects
The Calcutta Metro was not perceived positively in those years and there were many voices claiming that we do not need a Metro in a poor country . Roy recounts a typical incident when the water supply to a resident was disrupted due to construction and even as Roy was arranging for a plumber to help the resident, he was harangued by the resident for the need for a Metro in Calcutta. Roy reiterated with a terse in that case why do you need running tap water, you can as well go to the next well! and that calmed the situation. Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
1
I N CONVERSATION TATHAG ATA R OY
Tathagata Roy, then with Calcutta Metro, explains the construction process to Railway Minister Bansi Lal (ca 1982)
Is the current reaction to high speed rail on similar lines: we cannot afford high speed rail? Roy believes that the time is right for a high-speed project. We have been through why-do-weneed computers period and this is yet another regressive thought process . Different dreams
As Roy recounts his experiences of those years, we could sense his passion for achieving different goals; he was destined to chalk an alternatecareer as he obtained a degree in lawthrough part time study. The combination of engineering and law excited him, may be as result of an initial assignment of a technical arbitrator. Roy attributes this interest in a way to his legal mentor , M Sen Gupta, then a Law Officer in the MTP. With little physical progress in Metro construction, Roy could also get two technical papers published in international journals. That, he feels, helped him later to get the academic position in Jadavpur University startup. Retirement from Jadavpur in 2010 permitted greater activity in arbitration related matters. Roy s experience in handling complex contracts during his long association with Kolkata Metro construction and
the interest in contract laws was a good recipe for what was to follow: active association in arbitration processes. The recipe was complete as he took arbitration cases: first hand construction experience, a cultivated interest in legal matters and the academic profession. Roy has been much sought after particularly in the Eastern region for arbitral proceedings in large contracts. The political association with a major political party stemmed out of experiences in his youth relating to migration from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He was in fact the state president of the party in 2002-2006. The retarded East-West Metro
We were keen to know why, in his opinion as a construction manager and an astute politician, the progress on Kolkata s EW Metro is slow, even as Lucknow Metro has started trial operations within 2 years of start of physical construction. For Roy, the two aspects in any project like the Metro is that the route alignment is frozen to begin with. every decision here in West Bengal is a political one: in engineering, in academia, in industry; we reduce everything to politics . Kolkata Metro has suffered because the changes forced much after as the project was near halfway stage. Roy also feels that the decision for standard gauge was an error, based on the premise that existing stock and structures from other countries could be adopted faster. To that end, he differs with his Metro mentor Sreedharan. The availability of multiple gauge in the same city was avoidable and not based on right reasons. He is now
hopeful of on-time progress, as he hints at his intervention to ensure that. Rather reluctantly Roy quotes a similar effort, made for extraneous reasons, for changing the alignment at Sangaldan on the Jammu-Banihal rail project, something he hints at having stalled. The big chasm
Roy has bridged the divide between a technocrat in the government sector to a politician and we could not but ask why the two sides keep on blaming the other for mismanagement in Indian polity. Instinctively Roy asserted that both sides of the divide should share the blame; there is a need to work with each other rather than work at each other. The railway management is often isolated from the political process, living in a cocoon. That has also led to the senior IR management not being in touch with political processes, leading largely to under-investment in IR. Roy also added that IR public relations efforts are devoid of professionalism and the management is not even sensitive to better efforts. For investments to grow, this effort is needed quickly. The often-prevalent top-down management style often used is counterproductive and insulates various layers of management. Consequently, HR leadership and relationships are bad and antiquated. The long conversation had only a lone question he was hesitant in answering: about hypothetical actions he would take if he were the Minister of Railways. One could sense his restraint, but that seemed to be hiding some dreams.
IR Appointments
From left: V P Pathak is now General Manager, Chittaranjan Loco Works; he moves from his position as Controller of Stores, DLW Varanasi. Shahzad Shah, now Financial Commissioner, will steer the 2017 IR budget, the first after merger with the Central budget. DK Sharma, earlier Chief Electrical Engineer on the Western is now General Manager on the Central Railway, Mumbai. SN Agarwal, earlier Principal Chief Engineer on the Central, is now General manager on South Eastern Railway, Kolkata.
2 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
I N DI AN RAI LWAYS FI N A N C E S
Ballooning staff costs strangle IR finances The financial health of the IR is being animatedly discussed in the context of its budget being presented in the Parliament as a part of the Union Budget. Even as the Railway Ministry s enhanced dependence on debt to finance the modernization of its creaking infrastructure looms large, very little has been spoken about the increasing liability of this gigantic organization for paying its employees and pensioners. At the beginning of this fiscal, the number of IR pensioners had reached 14.34 lakhs against 13.25 lakh working employees! 95 per cent of these pensioners are served through Nationalised Banks, 4 % through Post Offices and balance 1% through treasuries. The current profile of IR pensioners including family pensioners, indicates that 11% are below 60 years of age, 40 % fall in the 61 to 70 years bracket, 39 % are between 71 to 80 years, and 10 % are above 80. With access to improved lifestyle and healthcare, the number of pensioners above 80 is expectedly showing a gradual increase. Unlike other departments, whose pensions are paid by the Government of India, IR manages its pension payments for pre-2004 entrants through a specially constituted Railway Pension Fund, fully funded by the Railways revenue surplus. However, post 2004 employees are part of the Government s Nationalised Pension Scheme (NPS), where a corpus is created by pooling in employee contribution for funding pensions post superannuation. 2016-17 poses a real challenge to IR, since the rate of increase of pensionary liability is much higher than the revenue growth, due to subdued performance of the core sectors which IR serves. Even if the budget projections of 2016-17 are achieved, contribution to the Pension fund will require ` 42 thousand Cr. out of the working expenditure of ` 1.24 lakh Cr., at 34 %. Even as late as 2012-13, this share was only 24.5%. There has been a significant increase of over 10 % during the last four years, which is quite disturbing. Of course, the largest jump this fiscal has been due to impact of the 7th Central Pay Commission. With an additional ` 8500 Cr provided in the Railway Budget 2016-17, the impact is likely to be more. It is expected that the IR may have to save the day by scraping the bottom of the Pension Fund balances; the closing balance of the fund at the end of this financial year might end up with a paltry sum of ` 560 Cr, against an opening balance of ` 6143 Cr. On the other hand, the scope of significant revenue enhancement this year seems a distant dream, given the tough competition from other modes of transport. An analysis indicates that, with the current trend of IR revenues increasing at 10-11 % annually and the pension liability increasing at 17-18 %, the pension expenditure will cross 50 % of its revenues by 2024-25. Only thereafter, when the share of NPS increases, will the demand of funds for IR pensioners get moderated. We must however not forget that the working Railway employees also need to be paid, whose emoluments at present account for almost
Sanjoy Mookherjee, Ex. Financial Commissioner (2016), IR Board.
40 % of the working expenses. This means that salaries, allowances and pensions will soon engulf almost 3/4th of the IR working expenditure budget. With the increased emphasis on borrowing for developing infrastructure, the Railway Ministry might soon face a Catch 22 situation, at least during the medium term of 5 to 10 years, until the capacity enhancements projects such as DFC s, multiple tracks, etc. begin yielding returns their DPR s have promised. Till then, the Government of India will perhaps do well to brace itself up to financially support Railways for the next decade or so in the national interest, as is being done in several countries, which, like India, use Rail as their transportation backbone. Post 2004 scenario
IR is regularly crediting its contributions towards NPS from its working expenses. The deferment of actuarial calculation and non-provision for its payment is only in respect of the old pension scheme. This can't be managed with the present financials of IR; the government s help will be essential, since IR may need to create a sinking fund for existing pensioners to the extent of `15 to 20 lakh crores. A study for a smaller IR zone like NWR, Jaipur has thrown up a figure of ` 29,000 Cr. IR s pension outgo can inflect around 2040 when employees recruited after Jan 2004 are likely to retire. That was the year when the Government kicked in the National Pension System (NPS) wherein pensions [like the US 401(k) scheme] are linked to returns on employee contributions, as different from the assured pension option, prevailing till then. The new scheme is regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority created by an Act of the Parliament. NPS is credited as one of the cheapest pension plans in the world. The annuities received would be dependent on how well the investments by the fund managers perform in the long run, which will also depend upon how the economy performs during the service years of an employee.
Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
3
I N D I AN RAILWAYS DEVEL OP MENT STRAT E GY S U MMI T
IR launches a unique mega strategy exercise IR has successfully conducted a mega strategic session, the Rail Vikas Shivir RVS (development summit) over 3 days, with Prime Minister Modi attending the concluding event on Nov 20. The event was preceded by a large participatory effort that involved the entire organisation in (as claimed) 10,000 poster messages, 1,50,000 meetings (hope we got that right) and 1,05,000 suggestions. The enterprise-wide schedule was set up through an initial message on Sep 9 from the Chairman AK Mital seeking to generate several innovative yet practical ideas in achieving its commercial and societal objectives and become a world class organisation . The suggestion set finally chosen was set for the PM s monitoring. Under the scheme laid out, each IR zone would present up to 15 ideas in RVS, after a series of internal meetings, termed as crowd sourcing ideation workshops and expert/customer consultation . Members of the IR Board were nominated as mentors to individual units. Each zone would filter their participants that covered various levels down to the base into 27 member teams (10 for production units and corporates) who were present during the summit. Awareness of the initiative and its constituents was spread through visual media including multiple video conferences. The proceedings of the Summit were web cast publicly setting a new option for employee involvement. IR also granted a few hundred patents to the teams presenting their ideas. Pre-selected themes
Mital had directed IR units to generate ideas under 8 broad themes: l
Create a 3 times bigger IR
l
Ensure each passenger journey is a pleasurable experience
l
Make IR the preferred freight carrier
l
Dramatically improve non-fare revenues
l
Move towards near zero accident fatalities
l
Modernise by using best-in-class technologies
l
Foster innovative culture
l
Significantly improve on operational cost.
45% Rail Freight
1% 2011
41
Road Freight
15%
2013
2014
Report presentations
The eight group reports briefly presented by senior members of the teams, in general presented what IR should aspire for but are short on how to get there. This may have been forced by the widest possible spectrum chosen as themes: growing 3 x the current size, in a short span of may be 5 years, can be daunting for any corporate vision document and presenting that in 6 slides over say 15 minutes would be expecting utopia. The public web casts on Nov 18 also heard CEO, HDFC Bank on how public perceptions on IR are negative and need long term correction. He stressed that over the years IR has lost its ability to prioritise even as historic expectations from it have been high, expecting IR to generate its own capital through operational margins even as it remained constrained as government department. Marta Lauren of the World Bank traced the US experience in driving growth through the post -Staggers Act private operations model as she stressed the need to reposition operations through greater share of the multi-modal traffic. It is learnt that the private consultant engaged by IR had a large role in shaping the eight reports, in what a participant termed as a sanitising drive . In general, the timelines indicated would pressure the IR Board into a hectic schedule. Railway Minister Prabhu did indicate his intention to set up a Corporate Transformation Directorate to oversee and push action. We present a limited overview of the reports, with some editorial comments embedded. Cutting costs
19
2012
On Nov 20, Prime Minister Modi spent nearly 45 minutes in visiting the innovations exhibition set up at the venue; exhibits included those on End of Train Telemetry, passenger information display networks, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, anti-collision signalling TCAS, improved coach interior fittings, on board services like net-based catering options & media, bio-waste management etc. Reports indicate that he took interest in details of the various technologies presented, offering many middle management IR executives an opportunity for direct interactions. Following this, the participants heard the Prime Minister s motivational speech, in what we can term as a rail-based Mann ki Baat (a heart to heart talk, now a monthly broadcast by the PM), exhorting railway managers not to take a laid off approach (mera kya) but to contribute effectively to IR well-being. His reference to the early association he had with railways as a vendor-boy set a receptive mood and his address was well appreciated. It did turn out that the summit originated from a seeding idea by the PM.
The presentations
Carrying cement Yearly cumulative increase in primary freight
30%
Mera kya
2015
IR expects reductions in its margins, that could turn negative in 2017. Rigidity in 80 % of its expenditure due to on-roll staff, fuel and maintenance is expected to leave little margin for corrections in these dire projections. IR continues to avoid any mention of control on further
4 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
INDI AN RAI LWAYS DE V E LO PME N T S T RAT E GY SUM M I T lutions offered include one for allocate 25 % seats in each department for officers from other departments, mandate cross departmental orientation for promotion into senior management cadre .
IR freight (mt)
2015
1,100
Current growth 3% 2025 scenario
400 1,500
Cement
200
Steel Other bulk
250
New markets
230
Containerization 170 of domestic cargo
Others 2025 aspiration
2,480
recruitment in non-core and other functions that could be outsourced for better efficiency. A reduction of ` 10,000 Cr is projected in next 2 years through optimised diesel oil procurement, reduction in average electric energy cost (from ` 6.6 to 5.0 per kWh) and multiskilling staff. The fact is that technology like End of Train telemetry, that was mooted about 15 years back, will save on train guards only if IR can do away with this position; that is something that will take hard sell within IR management and the trade unions. A beginning has not even been hinted at. Road map for such cost control in rigid cost areas seems to be wish-based, like energy cost reductions based more on external factors than any IR strategic thinking. The unwillingness to address staff costs continues to be a roadblock to any hard actions. Zero accident fatalities
Plans mooted include creation of specialised investigation task forces, create open change culture to encourage correct reporting of incidents & additional input of ` 1,19,000 Cr (!) for safety works by 2018. The R word for Reliability has been conspicuously avoided during the Shivir. This is discomforting as most safety problems on IR are related to poor equipment performance. Best in class technologies
Bulk required to reach 2480
50
The identified areas are: ultrahigh speed wireless corridor along IR network, enterprise wide resource planning (ERP), heavy haul and high speed trains, customised rolling stock and passenger information displays. Time lines indicated are uncomfortable and unachievable e.g. for high speed trains a time line of 5 to 7 years has been indicated.
Pleasurable journeys
Components: access control at all train platforms, temperature controlled coaches, levy of user development fees, customer surveys, to start within mid-2017 and complete within three years. The wish list is complete. Non-fare revenue
Preferred freight carrier
IR modal share with a current 3% CAGR is projected at around 23% in 2025; an aspiration of 37 % share requires an 8.5% CAGR instead. To reach that stage, IR needs to record huge increments in bulk commodities like steel (+ 50 mt) & cement (+ 200 mt) plus 400 mt in containerization etc. for getting to 2480 mt annually by 2025. IR has a less than 2% share in high margin segments like FMCG, just 1% in auto sector and textiles. IR efforts at new traffic streams like building new sidings takes up to 7 years, and about 400 proposals are at present pending approvals/execution. A typical case of how IR actions have been exact opposite of a growth scenario is on tariffs for cement : while road freight has gone up by 19% since 2011, rail freight has gone up by 41%. The need for an on-time delivery with timetabled running has been highlighted. For parcels business, the scenario is similarly saddening and setting up a separate unit for parcel business has been mooted. With March 2017 targets for a key issue like implement freight train time tabling , progress made by IR cannot be too far way. It will be interesting to watch near term delivery on these ambitious steps in coming months. Working culture shift
Result of a straw survey: long term orientation, taking initiative and innovations are identified as qualities whose absence is most keenly felt. This survey has also recorded disconnect in perceptions of senior management from middle and junior levels . Solution with outcomes expected within one year: redesign performance management system for outcome base, propagate innovation through a structured forum. The so-
It recognizes that IR managers get no training in areas of market analysis, financial modelling, analytics and legal frameworks. A separate parcel business unit is sought to be in position fairly soon. 3 times more capacity
The studies identify that most detailed (DPR) project reports that form the basis of IR works are of low quality, with challenges in financial and physical estimates ; there is suboptimal allocation of resources, lack of sophisticated methods of project monitoring, and weak linking of project teams to deliverables. 90 % of DPRs must be reworked, indicating that projects are started in haste, to be delayed disproportionately later during execution. The good aspect is that these shortcomings are being admitted though solutions presented lack any deep workout. Targets indicated seem to reflect an attitude of to get the weight off my shoulder . The Summit effort has now passed into IR records and results could be visible in coming months. IR intentions and objectives should be under test now onwards, more than ever before. Strategic shifts and implementation timeline Milestone
Suggsted completion
Implement and track freight train time table
March 2017
Set up Railway Planning and Investment Organisation
July 2017
Redefine pricing policy
September 2017
Amendments to policy framework to enable expansion in infrastructure
November 2017 terminal
Special purpose rolling stock for selected commodities
December 2017
Industry
Market size (mt)
% IR Market share
FMCG
300
2
Automobiles and engineering
150
1
Textiles
50
1
Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
5
I N D I A N RAILWAYS SAF ETY
Over 100 passengers were killed and more than 200 injured when 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express derailed near Pukhrayan in Kanpur dehat district of Uttar Pradesh. At least 148 people were killed after the Gyaneshwari Express was derailed by Naxals in West Midnapore district of West Bengal. 100 passengers were killed and 150 hurt after a bogie of Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani Express plunged into the Dhave river in Bihar's Aurangabad district. At least 290 passengers were killed after two trains carrying a total of 2,500 people collided at Gaisal in Assam. At least 212 people were killed as the Jammu Tawi-Sealdah Express collided with derailed coaches of the Frontier Mail near Khanna in Punjab. 81 people were killed when five bogies of Ahmedabad-Howrah express fell into a river in Bilaspur district of Madhya Pradesh. 400 people were killed after the Puroshottam Express rammed into Kalindi Express near Firozabad railway station in Uttar Pradesh. 107 were killed, when the Island Express plunged into Ashtamudi lake in Kerala. At least 75 people were killed when the Karnataka Express derailed near Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Disaster written large: passenger fatalities after the derailment of an express train, possibly due to a rail fracture, were aggravated due to the legacy coach design that provides little passive safety measures. Rail (and weld) failures are a rampant daily feature on the IR network.
6 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
I N D I AN RA ILWAYS SAFETY
Long awaited adieu to the ICF coach design tional vendor bases for coach body structural, bogies, key sub-assemblies and internal furnishings. Mani expects LHB coach manufacture to reach 650 in next FY (current 474), and cross 1000 in 2018-19 (current around 1500 per year). Works in progress
LHB Bogie Frame: Unlike the ICF bogie frame, manufacture to this design requires precision machining in pre- and post-fabrication, often on 5 axis machining centers. Vendor capacity limitation has been a key factor restricting full migration to this design.
IR has long known that passenger casualties and collateral damages on major train derailments of ICF design coaches are much higher, as the bogie and coupler designs permit easy separation of the shell from the bogies and from each other. These coaches are also prone to mounting , where trailing coaches separate from the existing screw couplings and pile up one atop the other. This aggravates the damages, vividly reflected in the images from recent accident sites. By contrast the LHB design, with its centre buffer coupling (CBC) and the more current bogie design stand together, absorbs the high kinetic energy and minimises casualties by a scale of 10 or more. 2018 change over
Sudhanshu Mani General Manager ICF, Chennai
In major decision that involves additional expenditure, IR has now decided to stop bulk manufacture of the ICF design (traceable to 1950s) coaches and try to convert the on-line screw coupling ICF coaches to a CBC version. It is expected that IR production units in Chennai and Kapurthala will shift to production of LHB design coaches mainly from March 2018. The coach factory at Rae Bareilly is geared up for LHB design only.
This change over is going to be easier as ICF has been working on the plans for additional assembly bays (project cost ` 345 Cr) and machines. As a result, three of the four new fabrication bays under construction should be ready by end 2017. Additional plant like 5 and 3 axes machine tools for bogie frame welding and machining & sheet metal processing will also be in place in mid-2017. It is estimated that ICF will need slightly lower manpower per LHB coach and manpower will not impact the production numbers Higher outsourcing, particularly on coach shell fabrication parts, is an option under consideration. Mani s plans include a tighter control on in-process inventorying by better controls and developing near justin-time supplies from vendors located preferably around Chennai. Close coordination with the growing vendor base is on the cards too. The effort will be not to let production numbers dip by any significant number in 2018. Cost control on the LHB design should be possible with larger volumes and a consciously planned cost control exercise. All these will receive attention through 2017. The Kapurthala plant, originally envisaged for LHB production only, will face lesser change over issues as it does not have a wide product mix like ICF does. Coach springs
An area of attention will be the requirement of bogie springs, currently sourced from imports and IR spring plant in Gwalior. ICF is in the process of improving its spring plant (project cost ` 86 Cr) to higher numbers in the LHB design with commissioning expected in mid2017. In a parallel development, IR has already tried out second class coaches with air springs, that provide a better ride control. Another mitigating aspect will be an adequate indigenous vendor base for air springs. The following sketch shows the mechanics of overriding.
S Mani, General Manager, ICF Chennai has now set up actions required for the full scale 2018 change that will see limiting the ICF design to multiple units as IR does not have any alternative design for electric and diesel train sets. ICF and RCF Kapurthala have been progressively ramping up LHB design production, but the increases were limited due to the higher costs of the LHB design (` 50 lakhs plus per coach; typical for AC coach: ICF ` 171 lakhs, LHB ` 203 lakhs) and inadequate vendors particularly for the LHB/ FIAT bogies. Mani asserts that the 15month time gap is enough for his team to develop addi8 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
1
3
2
4
Mechanics of overriding - catapulting from coach bending at the end
I N DI AN RAI LWAYS SA F ET Y Retrofitment
IR is planning big on converting its near 40,000 in-service ICF coaches from the screw coupling to CBC designs. It has announced an intention to convert all less than 20-year old coaches in its own workshops and involve the private sector. Experts expect a conversion cost of around ` 9 lakhs per coach, an amount that will be difficult to allocate from existing resources. IRÂ’s ability to withdraw many coaches from service for a conversion time of up to 2 months needs also to be factored. In addition screw coupling and CBC fitted coaches must run as separate sets and cannot be intermixed. The conversion process involves cutting of the two coach headstocks and
related areas and replacing these in situ by some pre-fabricated assemblies, scrapping the screw couplings and fitting CBC couplers instead. The contracting process for private sector involvement will also require a process definition with some forethought and clarity. It is expected that many private companies in the wagon manufacturing may opt for this work, particularly as new wagon orders will continue to be skimpy. What next?
But that avoids a serious issue: how long will IR continue to manufacture the LHB design that traces back to early 1990s. The only plan on the horizon are the HSR coaches (light weight Shinkansen train sets ) that cannot replace the ICF/ LHB legacy.
The ICF bogie suspension is prone to separation from the coach body due to less than fully secured suspension elements, causing the coach to suffer additional damage in case of a derailment.
WAG 12: a new kid on tracks Builder: Alstom India and IR, expected launch 2018 General aspects: design to mirror Alstom Prima Kz8 locos built for Kazakhstan, main features include a Bo-Bo+Bo-Bo wheel arrangement, monocoque car body, flat frame bogie with rubberized suspension based on Prima DJ8 loco with, underslung ABB transformers, IGBT based Palix water cooled propulsion system. Performance parameters: 180 t (upgradable to 200) total weight, 785kN starting tractive effort, 9000 kW at rail, 40 % adhesion, haulage of 6300 t max at 25 t axle load providing balancing speed of 60 kph on 1: 150 grade, 563kN max braking to provide a stopping distance of 900 m from 100kph.
Farewell Event
Getting together in appreciation: from a farewell event in Kolkata for Hemant Kumar, Member (Rolling Stock), IR Board, from left: S C Gupta, T K.Biswas, A Dutta, M C Chowhan, O P Chaube, Debashish Ray, Hemant Kumar, A K Banerjee, P C Sen, Satish Kumar, H C Joshi, P Bhattacharya
Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
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I N D I AN RAILWAYS SAFETY
Rail fractures dominate IR safety concerns as they provided detection that needs to be verified by walk-by recheck before it is taken up for attention. The replacement process requires traffic disruption for more than two hours and IR inability to programme such attention windows is a prime cause for the unattended number of suspect locations. In many networks in Europe, Japan and North America, the prevailing practice seems to be to trail a high-speed inspection car by a verification team. This is necessary as the state of the art technology still reports false alarms on suspect joints.
RAIL FRACTURE MONITORING
India
Germany
China
Australia
S. Africa
US
Ultrasonic testing
Carried out intermittently in India with poor reliability
In existence for 20 years
Adopted from an IR publication
If there is one issue that will determine freedom from major rail accidents on IR, it relates to reduction of rail (and their welded) fractures in service. Timely detection before a fracture leads to a disaster, is a key part of modern railway technologies. Many IR accidents and traffic disruptions have shown that this is an area that has not received as intense resourcing as its impact demands. As with any other engineering equipment, reliability and freedom from service failures requires attention to manufacturing and installation details and rails are no exception. IR track suffers many incipient rail cracks and fractures: typically, one major zone reports up to 600 incidents every month that call for immediate replacement /attention. Installation of suspect rail steel batches, lack of control on field weld processes, the large proportion of thermit welds, non-attention to suspect locations and assignment of this responsibility to track engineers alone, with little emphasis on providing traffic free windows for such attention, are some major causes. Ultrasonic
The prevalent technology for incipient rail crack detection uses ultrasonic waves. Detection reliability can range up to a reported 85 % in the best case. This corresponding figure for IR is not metered, but may be as low as 20%, and at that level, safety will continue to be chancy and of high risk as the recent express train tragedy has shown.
Undetected Defects Undetected Rail Break (Derailment) Rail Break Detected by Visual Inspection
Rail Break Detected by Signal
10 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
Detected by NDT Car
Planned Maintenance
Detected by Hand Held
Needs to be reduced
Needs to be reduced
False defects detected by NDT Car
Networks generally use walk-by ultrasonic units to detect rail cracks, though many systems now use vehicle mounted ultrasonic systems that can traverse at up to 60 kph even
IR is currently stuck with inspection only with walk-by machine units, where outputs in harsh weather and uninterrupted train flow is restricted and suspect in quality. Reliability of such output is poor, may be due to visual fatigue that an operator suffers on having to watch a cathode ray screen continuously for a blip. Modern units provide a soft ware capability of red buttoning large cracks but here again IR data on efficacy is contested by its experts. IR has stipulated track inspection based on the traffic handled on the line: this varies from every month on a line handling more than 80 gross million t per year (gmtpa) to every 24 months on lines with throughput below 1 gmtpa. The much higher frequency on higher traffic line is a response to the crack propagation rate expected, the idea being to catch a bad crack before it can grow to the metastatic stage. A crack of 10 mm in a rail is expected to receive immediate attention (classified IMR) and the rest fall under observation category (OBS). A zone would have scores of IMR detections every day, limiting its resources for correction and worry-free track. Check frequency on other system is similarly designed though actual comparison is difficult to make. In the absence of any systemized detection reliability effort on IR, it is unknown if IR can meet with international inspection norms in the field. IR depends fully on in-house inspection, though past contracts to a specific US based company were tried but are reported to have been stopped due to unacceptable number of false positives. Elsewhere outsourced inspection is followed widely. IR norms
Walk-by inspection is mandated once every two years for lines < 5gmt, increasing in steps to every six months for 12 to 16 gmtpa, and every two months for lines at 40 60 gmt. Once a month inspection is mandated for lines above 80 gmt. For thermit welds, the first after-installation check is after one year. In Europe, one contract company is active in leasing flaw detection equipment. The instrumentation used carries up to 11 testing probes per rail head Generally, the probes used are structured for 0o to detect horizontal cracks on rail head, web fillet and foot fillets, 70o for all transverse head cracks, 35o (*varies over networks) for bolt hole locations and 30o* for slanting cracks.
I N DI AN RAI LWAYS S A F ET Y Vehicle mounted equipment
IR has long recognised these limitations, responding with the many efforts at tendering for rail-mounted inspection systems that can deliver 20 km track output per hour on line, despite various pressures. A 500-km output per day, repeated many times a week, may be with alternate staff, will be able to scan the system effectively for likely cancerous locations. It is learnt that IR has now tasked Northern Railway with a fresh round of tendering but this is aiming an open process without a timeline. Another difference over other networks seems to be that monitoring of rail/weld cracks detected along with suspect rails changed is not taken as a complementary metric on IR. A rail changed for any reason should be a pointer to underlying problems and research reports from some networks suggest the efficacy of such an approach. Additionally, comparison of time data on IR is an often-inconclusive effort due to a near uncontrolled of data doctoring that the field managers are permitted to present a rosier than actual picture. Unless IR takes few years window of no questions asked if your reliability data is not too good, the malaise will continue. The rail crack lineage
A rail crack originates due to repeated stresses of sufficient magnitude and propagates with continuing traffic. The direction of crack propagation depends on the steel type, the point of initiation and metallurgical processing / heat treatment method adopted during manufacture. Surface cracks originate mainly due to rolling contact fatigue (RCF) that is an area of much research these days. Crack development process consists of three phases: crack initiation, propagation and fracture or rail break that is the result of the crack development process. The first two phases are critical for track engineers for location by visual means or techniques followed by suitable maintenance or replacement action. The big task is to assess how frequently these cracks can initiate. by understanding the process clearly and then establishing risk based maintenance or inspection policy, reduction in the crack initia-
tion process can be achieved and rail life extended. The expertise is to find how much time/traffic volume it takes for the cracks to propagate into a potential risk of a break. Cracks initiate in a very thin surface layer of the rail and develop inside the rail head. If the crack propagation is in the upward direction towards the rail surface, pieces of rail material detach from the rail surface, but if these cracks propagate downwards, they may cause a rail break. Cracks initiated by ratchetting (head checks) grow perpendicular to the direction of the resultant traction force. A model for crack growth divides growth into three phases: shear stress driven initiation at the surface, transient and tensile and/or shear driven growth. By improving the inspection techniques and more efficient equipment, reduction in undetected and falsely detected defects is possible. In the late 1990s RCF defects accounted for about 60% of defects found by East Japan Railways, while in France (SNCF) and UK (Railtrack) the figures were about 25 and 15%, respectively. RCF is a major future concern as business demands for higher speed; higher axle loads, higher traffic density and higher tractive forces increase. Rail grinding that removes surface metal from the rail head is done to control RCF defects and rail wear. Rail grinding became increasingly recognized for controlling RCF defects from 1980 onwards, prior to that it was mainly focused on corrugation removal. In the late 1990s, grinding as a treatment of RCF of rails became a more established approach and began to be adopted on some European railways and is now widely followed in Europe. Rail grinding has two approaches, corrective and preventive. Corrective grinding requires deep and infrequent cuts whereas preventive grinding requires thin but more frequent cuts. Generally the minimum interval for rail grinding is in the range of 10 15 million gross tons. Rail welding issues
Imperfection in welds can cause cracks to initiate. A defect free weld requires skills, better weld material and better welding techniques along with better welding equipment.
Axle box temperature monitoring
India
N. America
Europe
Brazil Australia
China
Hot box detector Sensor technology First used in the 1970s Adopted from an IR publication
Track engineers also assess that the high dynamic loads (the extra forces that occur when trains pass the track) on IR freight stock has a major role in the relatively high number of cracks on IR network. Undetected wheel skids are reported to have caused a series of rail fractures: in a much talked about accident some years back, track engineers ascribed near 150 fractures to a single train with a badly skidded wheel. US practices
FRA regulations in USA require that if the defect is located by an inspection vehicle, it needs to be handmapped straightaway and removed immediately if above a limiting size further testing is pointless once sufficient defects have been found for the chase crew to deal with. Inspection frequency is less rigorous. Generally for tracks capable of passenger speeds above 100kph, internal defect inspection is required yearly or once every 40 gmt. For less severe risk operations, inspection can be every 30 gmt even if takes years to accumulate. On major US railway like BNSF mainline and high density tracks, risk management in the form of acceptable level of broken rails per year per mile is being implemented. In conventional Ultra Sonic checks, the operator interprets all the results, watching screen and an analogue (A scan) signal all the time. He can recheck if the signal seems to indicate a threshold defect, talking near 30 minutes for the process. Now fully digital signal processing is possible. It is reported that for vehicle based inspections in USA, a typical 40 gmt per year line will receive two or three inspection cycles (FRA limit is once) and some high tonnage lines (> 140 gmtpa) will get inspected every 30 days . Practices vary over various networks but the overall scheme remains similar. Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
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I N D I AN RAILWAYS SAFETY
New option on real time rail crack detection HH
UBRD typical system diagram
ALARM TERMINAL
Rail Transducer with Mounting Clamp
SOLAR POWER SOURCE SOLAR POWER SOURCE
TELEMETRY
SOLAR POWER SOURCE
TRANSMITTER ELECTRONICS
RECEIVER ELECTRONICS
TRANSMITTER ELECTRONICS
1000 METERS
TRANSDUCER
1000 METERS
TRANSDUCER
TRANSDUCER
RAIL TRACK
The Ultrasonic Broken Rail Detection System (UBRD), developed by Institute of Maritime, South Africa for use on South African freight lines OREX, uses guided waves in rails to continuously monitor rail for breaks. The system transmits guided ultrasound waves every few minutes between equipment spaced at about 1km intervals and if these signals are not received at the receiving station, an alarm is triggered. The currently installed system interrogates continuously welded rail in sections of 900 meters long on average. The South African line handles iron ore and coal trains, 2000 to 3700 m long and up to 37000 t. In its current form a complete installed line can be scanned for rail breaks down at interrogation interval to 3 minutes. UBRD has proven its worth on these freight rails, detecting 3 breaks in a 34-kilometer section in 15 months, and the system is now being installed over the entire 850km network. The system can pre-warn about fractures and will be helpful in enhanced safety of train operations. During IR trial testing, the system detected six fractures over Moradabad Division. This is a new technology option that can be spread if the pilot installation on the now contracted North Central Railways is proven effective. The set up
of two separate analogue amplifier and filter circuits which generate triggers when received signals comply with the signal discrimination criteria, i.e. frequency, burst length, and amplitude. A code detection algorithm is used to recognize valid burst trains and to reject spurious noise.
The system consists of transmitter and receiver modules, power supply and communication equipment, ultrasonic transducer and cable and accessories. The receiver consists
Operation is based on a simple transmit-receive confirmation protocol: an acoustic signal is generated and inserted in the rail at one location (transmitter), propagates along the rail and is received at a remote location (receiver). The integrity of the rail between the transmitter and receiver is confirmed as long as an acceptable signal is received. Should the rail develop a clean break between the transmitter and receiver, the inserted signal will not be received resulting in the generation of an alarm. Transmit and receive stations are interleaved along the length of the rail. Transmitters generate high voltage driving bursts which are converted into acoustic energy by the rail mounted transducer, propagating in both directions in the rail. Arriving at receiver station, the acoustic energy is converted back into electrical signals by the transducer. These signals are amplified and processed to ensure that only valid signals are recognized. The main problem is to select the correct frequency and excitation configuration that will result in an effective propagation mode for signals to reach a reasonable distance, and to construct a low noise amplifier/filter enabling detection of minute (<1 uV) signals at the receiver. It is essential that the system does not produce false alarms. The system can be solar powered if required. Limitations
No broken rail detection is available while a train is present in the section. It may not be suitable for real-time broken rail detection purposes; instead can be used for passive broken rail detection through continuous monitoring of the track condition. It is not classified fail safe although many fail safe principles have been incorporated to detect and reveal most of the equipment failures.
Action in times of crises
IR often reverts to a standard practice of suspending an officer or two for every mishap on rails, particularly when it has no other viable action for control. The tragic loss of lives in the derailment of Indore - Patna Express, possibly due to track failure, has resulted in suspension of a senior mechanical engineer with no known role in the causes that could have led to this disaster.It is reported that when aWAG7 transformer caught fire, an engineer in Vadodara was suspended. When an empty rake was being piloted onto VT platform and it collided with a train just leaving the same platform. Board instructed that some officer should be punished, the General Manager instructed the Divisional Manager(DRM) to suspend an operations officer(AOM) and a mechanical engineer
12 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
(AME). DRM protested that both these officers were very good, getting a retort to suspend officers who were not good. We then had the sorry sight of an AOM being suspended who had been hospitalized for a month. The AME suspended was looking after Kalyan area not even remotely connected to the accident. The suspension order had to be issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer who decided with the GM that if within two days he did not get the reason for suspending the AME he would put him back on duty. And that he did. And everybody lived unhappily after that. (adopted from e-mails)
Japanese Ambassador Hiramatsu and Vice Minister Hiroshi Tabata were special guests at the inaugural events of CII organised INNORAIL event in RDSO. Also in the picture (left) PK Srivastava, Director General RDSO and (far right) Deep Kapuria, Chair, CII Trade Fair.
INNORAIL 2016: IndiaÂ&#x2019;s rail innovation show grows big and effective IREE 2016 (RDSO Lucknow) has grown in stature and expanse. With exhibitor count going up from less than 50 in the 2014 inaugural event to 130 now, a wider industrial footprint and the special participation by Japan as a partner country, INNORAIL is now firmly set on the railway calendar in India. The Japanese pavilion
30 Japanese exhibitors connected with rail sector, the largest ever in any such rail event in India, were led by Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador in India and Hiroshi Tabata, Vice Minister. Coming quickly after the Indian Prime MinisterÂ&#x2019;s visit to Japan that included a special ride on the Shinkansen and a visit to the Mitsubishi coach factory, the ensuing cooperation in rail sector for the high-speed rail project has been cemented. RDSO has already signed 14 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
a collaboration MoU with Japan for future projects. Tabata lauded that railways in Asia originated in India and affirmed that their plans would be for a 2018 start of physical construction on the Mumbai Ahmedabad link, with targeted opening in 2023. This is a real ambitious plan that will require close contact between Indian and Japanese counterparts and INNORAIL provided an excellent base for that. The 2018 INNORAIL should be celebrating progress on the HSR. Shared railway values
Ambassador highlighted that railway men everywhere share common devotion. This was shown in Hiroshima when the first train with 200 victims of the nuclear bomb moved out within two hours and in Nagasaki where the first train left just after three hours. Reports from the
Bhopal disaster in 1984 affirm that railway staff at the close by rail station never abandoned their posts, caring for the damage inflicted at their platforms. He stressed that railways worldwide have overcome the declining industry, without a future tag that was flaunted some decades back.
took the key decision of agreeing to an embryonic CII proposal without any formal approval from the IR Board. Such local decisions are not common and Srivastava s vision would become a benchmark for better industry collaboration.
Recognising vision
HS Pannu, Srivastava s predecessor in RDSO, formally inaugurated the event, stressing that it is now easier to introduce innovations but IR processes need complementary changes too. The career risks that IR engineers perceive in pushing new developments must be recognised and addressed. A more development oriented purchase policy must evolve as the monopoly buyer status , that IR has in the Indian rail market, has also limited industrial innovations.
Participants like CP Sharma, INNORAIL Chair, appreciated that this show owes its presence to the sustained efforts by PK Srivastava, Director General(DG) RDSO who
In a brief intervention, Amit Kalyani, MD, Bharat Forge (BF) indicated that for major Indian industries the absence of a long term (10+ years) technology horizon that IR plans lim-
The best draw
In addition to regular stream of visitors to the exhibits and the large presence in various theme discussions with Japanese industries, the Mitsubishi full size static driver training simulator for high speed trains was the most popular draw amongst all the exhibits.
its corresponding development and investment plans of large corporates. Major industry CEOs need to have reasonable basis for branching into new technologies and product lines and IR needs to look at this gap. BF has already invested in key component manufacturing, particularly for DLW built locomotives, many of which (crankshafts for ALCO and EMD diesels, turbocharger turbine assemblies, major forgings for EMD diesels etc.) were on show in an impressive ambience. Minister Suresh Prabhu in his video address announced a likely round table discussion with Indian industries for assessing steps for new technology introduction as an upgrade to Design in India is required in coming years. He would also get into interactions with major investors like pension fund managers to identify rail project that can provide returns and identify related policies required.
ABB s VTG Turbochargers set to provide low emission options
A cut section of the ABB VTG turbocharger that will be tried out on a WDG3 diesel loco ex Diesel Modernisation Works (DMW)Patiala.
At the topic presentation by Robert Deutl, ABB Switzerland, SK Luthra, Chief Administrative Officer DMW and Ashish Khanna, ABB Vadodara.
Reducing the carbon footprint and increasing fuel efficiency in diesel traction goes hand in hand. Amongst other measures, the turbocharging system which provides pressurized air supply to the diesel locomotive prime mover can actively contribute to save fuel, helping decrease exhaust emissions.
power notch and will have positive effects on fuel consumption, cycle temperatures at part load, improves load acceptance & minimizes black smoke during transient phases of the engine operation. Simply stated, this is achieved by proactive change in the nozzle angles for incoming hot gases. VTG can also compensate for change of ambient conditions such as high temperatures or altitude operation.
Introduction of the technology of Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) turbochargers into IR ALCO diesel engine fleet is now scheduled for 2017 Q1. This technology, successfully introduced by ABB to the traction market in recent years, allows to optimize the air supply to the diesel engine in each
Prototype TPR61 VTG turbocharger fitment on a WDG3 loco in the IR s Diesel Modernisation Works, Patiala within the 2017/ Q1 will be followed by extensive field trials.
Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
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I N N O RA IL
Walking the talk in INNORAIL 2016 large scan outputs because of the operations pressures that stall the test trains as other trains are run on priority. The absence of any maintenance windows on the busy IR sections handling freight and passenger trains simultaneously is a big hindrance that cannot be wished away. Thinking aloud
These are not cheap options and implementing network wide will be a long process. More optimal options are required and the possibility of using existing audio frequency and other track circuits (installed for signalling controls) exists. Srivastava opines that these could be set to lower thresholds to enable large crack sizes being detected with high reliability. He is clear that this is not yet a viable technology and a long period of development and application will be required. RDSO is also working on various technical options of condition based monitoring that can lead to predictive maintenance, particularly to minimise undetected rail cracks. Unfortunately, the progress so far has been limited mainly due to management in action. PK Srivastava, DG/ RDSO ( left ) and HS Pannu, his predecessor in RDSO, at the IREE inauguration
Fresh from the strategic Rail Vikas Shivir, and not too long after the tragic express train derailment about 200 km away from Lucknow, it is not surprising that train safety is uppermost on what PK Srivastava, Director General, RDSO has on his palette. Even as the cranes were working non-stop in the RDSO stadium building the outdoor structure to host RDSO sponsored showcase INNORAIL exhibition, Srivastava listed where RDSO and IR need to prioritise and the changes in direction he would like in the last few months of his tenure. The express train derailment is said to have been the consequence of a rail or weld failure, and as experience has shown , the high frequency of these is worrisome. About half the derailments are caused by such failures and some of these turn out to be disasters. Timely detection is a key and directing more frequent ultrasonic inspections may not be feasible. Srivastavas stresses that development and adoption of better technologies is the only option. It is here that RDSO has pushed an evolving technology of continuous rail monitoring of rail fractures. A pilot project should establish gains before a wider application on the IR network. IR is still dependent on walk-by ultrasonic machines, whose effectiveness in incipient rail crack detection has not instilled confidence. Multiple tenders for high speed car mounted ultrasonic devices (the Spurt cars) have been closed and this method, now in ever increasing use on all large systems, is still not available. Technologies exist for speed monitoring up to 60 kph; even with restricted runs, average coverage of 500 km a day is feasible. Detection reliability and traceability is of much higher order. It is learnt that IR is now working on a fresh tender through the Northern Railway but the hope of early introduction is slim. Often these cars are unable to deliver 16 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
The speed push
IR has identified seven sections for semi high speed trains @ 160 kph operations. Even as RDSO and Talgo have completed the safety certification and time saving trials on the loaned Talgo train on the New Delhi Mumbai route, substantive action seems to be facing the expected road block of setting up a feasible commercial contract for supply and maintenance of such train sets. It is reported that reservations have been raised on the validity of these trials as parallel measurements by track engineers on curves with 125 mm cant deficiency are being addressed by a 3 member senior engineersÂ&#x2019; committee. This in a way is an internal challenge to RDSO certification and needs early resolution . Some ambiguity can be perceived in IR on whether the tests already done are for speed certification or for determining a speed potential. The tests carried out have clearly demonstrated the potential and actual certification would depend on getting the tracks to match the IR standards. Some track experts are reported to feel that the trials have shown that Talgo trains can successfully manage even 160 mm cant deficiency on curves and that if the IR track is maintained to the specified IR standards, these train sets can run safely up to 220 kph. It is difficult to judge whether that is too optimistic a picture but it is known that IR tracks do not meet with the laid-out standards. IR has already set up a dedicated Mobility Directorate for the speed increase projects. For the 160 kph extensions, some road blocks need early address: the large use of Â&#x2018;joggle fish platesÂ&#x2019;, an added layer for preventing major damage due to rail cracks is one. Tracks fit for 160 kph operations need to be free of such fittings, but the large number of suspect locations and the large proportion of thermit welds on rails will make that tough. A 200 kph coach set under manufacture in Kapurthala is also expected later this year and a parallel development of a 200 kph
electric loco should follow. The very elusive test track
Such re-examinations clearly highlight the absence of a test track. RDSO tests rolling stock on underpressure tracks and struggles to get lulls in trains to get a test window. IR has over the years sanctioned at least four projects for developing test track, floated a one-party tender for consultancy and then cancelled that. Srivastava indicated that this need has now been pegged along with the Shinakansen project, a freight test line to be part of the high-speed project. Several engineering teams have visited test centres in USA, Japan, China, Korea etc. to develop concept plans. An expert team has recently visited test tracks in Japan and Korea and inputs would be used to develop IR plans. In effect the test track may be available in 5 to 10 years unless IR does another U-turn on the need and resourcing. An option of using a notin-use new track around Latur has also not been pushed through. Quality assurance role
RDSO has been carrying out vendor development and quality assurance activities and these are often prioritized over research and development. We were keen to know if IR has any plans for changing this structure. Srivastava seemed hesitant in framing a concrete answer and pointed
out to Board s decision to merge Part 1 vendor classifications as good indicator of IR responsiveness. It seems that IR production units have shown their reluctance to take over QA function from RDSO. Elusive research push
IR's reluctance in pushing rail based research has become evident in that none of the Technical Mission for IR (TMIR) projects have taken off so far. Progress is stalemated due to a stipulation that IR cannot release any funds for these projects unless the other parties (Department of Science and Ministry of HRD) do that first. This chicken and egg syndrome lies unresolved and the much hyped ` 300 Cr research initiative lies buried in procedures. Prime Minister Modi had mentioned such a how-does-itmatter- to- me (mera kya) attitude in his address to the High visibility IR strategic meet but the IR Board seems not to believe in R&D as a strategic course. RDSO and the TMIR team have already identified 25 core projects for such funding. In the meanwhile, the Government has been talking of SHRESHTA, another initiative that is acronym-impressive but without any action on the ground. The Dedicated Freight Corporation, unconnected with the research process, is perhaps expected to develop a road map based on external consultancy. Yet another diversion to a
mera-kya syndrome. Look back to the future
Srivastava will be retiring after a long career on IR and it was time for a look back too. He counters our request for what should be different with a I would rather look ahead than look back but expresses his thoughts precisely. First, he would have liked that key IR projects were taken up in mission mode so that plans and actions do not linger for years. A mission mode result is possible if RDSO is empowered for complete development and prove out decisions, with adequate financial delegation. It is with this view that Srivastava opted for a Management Audit conducted by HS Pannu, ex DG RDSO. Development of core teams with a mission long tenure in RDSO would be needed as the selection of experts for these projects does not get any focused attention and mid-project turnovers are too frequent. Interference in these details by IR corporate offices leads to delays when many projects are upended too often. It is not surprising that safety critical technologies like condition based monitoring and on-board ultrasonic detection of rail flaws pend for decades. Srivastava would have liked dedicated teams for at least two projects: heavy haul freight and high speed passenger operations.
ABB India made transformers for Alstom India locos ABB s Compact and reliable traction transformers will be used on the 800 new Alstom electric freight locomotives manufactured in India. The transformers will be manufactured in ABB s Vadodara facility, supporting the Make in India initiative.
factured state-of-the-art transformers are an example of how, as part of our Next Level strategy, ABB delivers differentiated customer value by leveraging its technology strengths and global footprint.
Such 25 kV(kV)/50 Hz compact traction transformers (2 units per locomotive) are designed for the most demanding conditions, including extreme temperatures and voltage fluctuations. ABB has been supplying traction transformers for Alstom s electrical locomotives for more than a decade and this order confirms our position as a supplier of choice and a reliable long-term technology partner, Claudio Facchin, President, ABB Power Grids division. These locally manu-
Traction transformers feed power at safe voltages to essential train functions like traction, brakes, lighting, heating and ventilation, as well as passenger information, signalling and communication. ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitising and driving the Energy and Fourth Industrial Revolutions, with its 135,000 employees operating in more than 100 countries
Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
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I N N O RAIL CP SHAR M A
INNORAIL is about the future of rail are talking about moving from slower to faster speeds and safer journeys. We want to see more people travelling by train and move more goods by rails. This event is not just about marketing what industry is doing, But what more Industry can do, What more Industry should do, What more Industry can improve, What more IR can expect from the Industry. ItÂ&#x2019;s not about the past and presentÂ&#x2026;it is about the future. Getting into high speed C P Sharma, Chairman INNORAIL 2016, has been actively pushing the cause of railways and the associated Indian industry. He is closely associated with CII activities in the rail sector. His companies have progressively increased their product range through India based manufacture.
From the past many decades, Indian rail industry has provided unrelenting support: for rolling stock equipment, engineering, wagons, coaching, signalling or any other component; the industry has gone in step with IR. And I am confident that given a chance we can do it again with HSR and urban mass transportation. A foremost guiding principle of these projects should be IR commitment to off-take certain quantities and in return the private companies invest in these projects. Indian industry has been kept out of these projects by using unfavouring eligibility criteria that only allowed international companies to bid. Given an opportunity, Indian companies have the capacity and calibre to invest and will prove out to be more competitive than foreign counterparts. Are we going to be the partners in progress or we will be the forgotten companions? Our policy makers need to understand, support and hand-held Indian industry at this crossroads. At the same time, Indian industry should also prepare itself to objectively develop technology at par with international standards. It is about the FUTURE
I should express my gratitude & congratulate PK Srivastava, Director General RDSO, the inspiration behind this event. Two years ago, it was he who steadfastly supported the idea of this event in RDSO with a clear intent to exchange ideas between RDSO, industry and leaders/ CEOs. INNORAIL has showcased the industry capabilities to experts in RDSO and brought forth challenges and aspiration of industry and IR. INNORAIL VersionII, 2016 is an event that provides a unique opportunity to exchange ideas with our partners from other countries and learn from each other. World is getting to know of the strong wave, a strong current of change India is going through. We are on the high-speed track of change and are taking drastic steps to change for better. This change is sweeping IR too. We 18 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
We have our individual visions for an Indian high speed rail network, including answers to whether this network should proliferate to tier B & C cities also, develop this in an Indian context or keep importing these technologies in the future and providing opportunities for Indian manufacturers. Most of these questions could be simplified and answered if we keep Make in India as the main guiding principle. This policy is truly in national sprit, aimed at supporting Indian industry. IR has issued some guidelines for implementing this policy and we are seeing some measures taken effectively and a beginning has already been made. We can endlessly argue on pros and cons on the priority of this policy, but we should be aware that wherever in the world HSR has been successful, local manufacture was the first and most important condition. Some opportunities for Indian rail industry will be to l
Create a cluster / JV / consortium of Indian companies to design and develop complete HSR and Metro Rolling Stock.
l
Provide last mile connectivity solutions those are greener, economical and safer.
l
Invest in products and services that improve passenger amenities.
We need to join hands to translate such ambitions into reality to put the India in the lead, both economically and commercially. Overcoming pessimism
Considering how few of the elite opt for railway journeys in India, there is a relative pessimism about railwaysÂ&#x2019; current ability to deliver, to compete as a mode in a tough competition with road and air and an emerging competitor in waterways. The key to beat the competition is offering a competitive, safer and smarter operations. And delivering all these in the current infrastructure, time and rolling stock, is a huge challenge; that are the opportunities in disguise for the industry. A recent trial of a train from Spanish company has tried to exhibit their capabilities by run on existing tracks and reduce considerable time of the travel. Many such solutions are in store as opportuni-
ties for industry. Industry must offer innovative solutions and explore opportunities. We have a challenge to offer lower emissions using alternative and nonconventional fuel systems, switching over to reliable signalling system and replacing the existing rolling stock. There can be big learning from Urban Mass Transport too as the Delhi Metro is embarking upon driverless oper-
ations and many other towns are emerging with Metro systems. We must be open to embrace innovation and technology. Digitisation, intelligent transport systems are the future of our rail systems. In next two years time INNORAIL 2018 should be a bigger event, a better display of technology. I assure you that much water would have flown under the bridge by then and that
would be towards better future of Indian Rail Industry, together with our partners from many parts of the world. I hope we will be able to present the world with a better mode of transport that is green and affordable, fast and accessible. A mode of transport which offers new customer friendly mobility service and logistics solutions as well as a thriving and innovative rail supply industry.
Pushing innovation by seed funding Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) is a notfor profit Section-8 (Companies Act 2013) Public Private Partnership company promoted jointly by the Central Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). GITA is a unique platform to encourage industrial investments in Innovative Technology Solutions through mapping technology gaps, evaluating technologies available across the globe &forging techno strategic collaborative partnerships appropriate for Indian economy. GITA connects industrial and institutional partners for effective matchmaking and collaborative industrial R&D projects providing funding.
India has signed bilateral Science and Technology Cooperation Agreements with more than 70 countries to encourage, develop and facilitate collaborative activities in the fields of common interest and mutual benefit. Within the context of such agreements, funding mechanisms have been streamlined, through which universities / colleges, research organizations and industry may seek support for joint bilateral R&D projects. For some of these countries, GITA, on behalf of DST, extends financial support in the form of soft loans/grant to the Indian applicant for joint R&D, scientist exchange programmes etc. Counterpart agencies implement the programme in the partnering country.
Insulated locomotive driving cabs Prag Group displays included composite track sleepers manufactured from recycled plastic, a multi-bore ultra-filtration water purifier for railway passengers, locomotive auxiliary power unit, a railway eco-driving simulator for minimal-energy driving and a fully-insulated air-conditioned locomotive cab. The full-scale mock-up of a WDG3A diesel locomotive cab had been completely insulated and equipped with a working prototype of bespoke heating and air conditioning unit. This uses a low voltage split-type lightweight cab HVAC that fits snugly into the roof profile of the cab and does not require
any modification or cutout in the cab structure. IR has placed a trial order and field trials are expected by summer 2017. The cab insulation is based on special impregnated polyurethane with sound absorbing and thermal insulating properties. As a demonstration of acoustic insulation properties, a power pack generating 93 dB sound had been placed just outside the cab and the noise level measured inside the cab with doors closed, was an impressive 70 db. Thermal insulation test results provided a comparison of solar loading on one fully insulated and one non-insulated cab mock-up.
A product range that began in 1974 Apollo product range is the result of continuing efforts since 1974 for research & design, manufacture, test & validation and supply of products for IR locos. Many of these are currently on approved vendor status with RDSO and CLW/DLW, including diesel engine assemblies of pipes & tubes, industrial cooling solutions of compact aluminium plate fin heat ex-
changers, axial impeller, power drive and other accessories. Apollo has also been supplying diverse components including Aluminium Brazed Charged Air Cooler to DLW (since 1993) and Aluminium Transformer Oil Cooler and Converter Oil Cooler (since 2004) for CLW builds.
Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
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I N N O R A IL
Ensuring leak proof joints Proving it on the spot: Sophie Moochhala, Managing Director, Fluid Controls at the corporate stall in INNORAIL 2016.
R uses multiple design options, with legacy based variations between its manufacturing units. IR stock faces service reliability issues on high pressure joints, seemingly due to innocuous fittings used. This need not be so. Standardisation can help improve reliability.
Stock type
Joints used
Steam locomotives
Original: screwed joints, using jute; brazed end, pipe unions in copper pipes /tubes
Electric Locomotives
Original ABB: Double ferrule fittings with stainless steel(SS) / brass (WAG9/H, WAP 7, WAP 5) ferrules, seamless SS/ copper pipes/tubes
Diesel locomotives ALCO design
Original: single ferrule (Ermetto) fittings, seamless steel pipes/tubes, Teflon tape, some threaded and welded joints; part replacement by double ferrule for some lines, seamless steel pipes/tubes.
EMD design
Double ferrule & single ferrule fittings, threaded/welded/flanged joints, carbon steel pipes
Coaches
ICF design
Screwed joints, with steel ERW and seamless pipes; part replacement by double ferrule SS with SS pipes/tubes
LHB design
Single ferrule (Ermetto) fittings in carbon steel, SS pipes/tubes
Berlin to Lucknow: VR simulator for Eco Driving
Drivers are not always aware how they can affect the environment through more effective driving and smaller energy consumption during acceleration, coasting or braking. The differences between drivers can reach up to 15% of energy consumption. That is where such products can deliver.
Case study on energy efficient driving 120 kph 100
60
20 46,169 49,225 Station location
53,486
56,866
797 kWh
61,767
667 kWh
66,876
674 kWh
71,847
75,251
673 kWh
20% more expensive trip by driver 1 (in orange)
Virtual Reality (VR) is the new tech that is catching on. Polish Railway Eco Driving System (REDS) that aims at driving more effectively and consuming less energy was displayed effectively in INNORAIL, attracting a steady queue of visitors. The current version was earlier displayed in Innotrans 2016, Berlin capturing attention with 150 hands-on guests from 35 countries. This device may seem inconspicuous with just a panel and VR goggles, but it can bring significant effects for the protection of environment Marek Cichy, Chairman REDS.
20 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
The goal is to support train driver instructors and provide tools for objective driver technique evaluation. This device provides additional information for instructors on elements of driving techniques that need improvement - and this can only be evaluated by the instructor himself. The fledgling company has already requests from main line operators and Metro companies in America, Mexico, Iran and India besides attracting attention from Helsinki and Belgrade Metros & Polish train operators. Our goal is not to replicate a typical railway simulator but to support training by a simple device to teach good driving habits and practice repairing small defects. REDS simulator is not an offer for a vehicle related simulator but is instead focused on supporting energy efficiency process . Efficacy has already been established in two locations: Masovian Railways and SKM Trójmiasto.
GE : on time for diesel loco ex Marhowra Nearly 70 % of GE s loco manufacture from its under construction factory at Marhowra should be localised with GE s manufacturing facility at Pune likely to contribute the bulk of the traction system. In line with the 'Make in India' vision, GE's local supply chain would be set in place, which will supply over 70% of the bought-in material for the locomotive. For the main diesel engine, about 20 % imports from the parent plant will complement the near 40 % inputs from Indian sources. Nalin Jain, President and CEO, GE Transportation South Asia looks forward to steady progress in various plans, including the onsite construction in Marhowra and Roza. On 30th Nov 2016, GE completed its first year after signing the deal for supply of 1000 diesel locomotives to IR over a 10-year period, a contract valued at `17,000 Cr. Jain can also look forward to these hub facilities being able to export ex India to systems in the Far East and elsewhere.
Nalin Jain, President and CEO, GE Transportation India is leading the prestigious GE project for new loco manufacture in India.
Design development of the 4500 hp diesel locomotive is led by GE's Engineering Design & Development Centre in John F Welch Technology Centre, Bangalore. The product design is in an advanced stage of completion and, the team plans to unveil the prototype locomotive after validation and testing.
Marhowra isn t on any tourist destination lists but it will be as GE is building a high-tech brilliant factory on the edge of town designed to produce a fleet of new IR locomotives. The project involves moving a mountain of earth to raise the 67-acre lot by 9 feet where the plant will stand the area is prone to flooding. We aren t building a factory on an island, we are creating a whole ecosystem that will lift the economy in that state. Nalin Jain
Jain expects an on-time availability of the prototype loco in Q4, adding that our commitment to this project is steadfast and we do look forward with a determination to various milestones .
The GE factory will be suffused with software and connected to the Industrial Internet. The project is running on parallel tracks: building the factory, developing local talent, designing the locomotive and developing the supply chain. They all have to cross the finish line by mid-2018, when the plant is scheduled to start production.
These 4500 hp GE diesel locomotives are based on EVO technology using 12-cylinder Evolution (EVO) engine whereas the 6000 hp version will be a 16-cylinder engine. GE's technology will help increase speed, lower emissions and reduce fuel costs. The EVO Series is the most technologically advanced, diesel-electric, heavy-haul locomotive in the world today.
The design team sits at the GE Global Research in Bangalore. The six-axle locomotive can only weigh 22 t per axle, while its American cousins typically clock in between 25 and 30 t. Unlike in the U.S., the machines will also have a cab at each end and sport broad-gauge bogies and will also be digitally enabled. We will enable our locomotives with software and solutions like remote diagnostics and proactive predictive maintenance, Jain adds.
In addition to supply of diesel locomotives from Marhowra, in Bihar, two maintenance sheds one each at Roza, (Uttar Pradesh) and at Gandhidham (Gujarat) will deliver maintenance services for 500 diesel locomotives. IR has leased land for the factory and the Roza maintenance shed. Construction
The GE team broke ground for factory construction on 6th June this year. GE has also opened its Patna office from where GE s local execution team now operates. Groundbreaking for Roza was achieved on 6th Oct'16 and construction is now in full swing for the maintenance shed to be commissioned by February 2018. GE has JUNE
OCT
6 2016
6 2016
Broke ground on manufacturing facility
Broke ground on services shed in Roza
Adopted from a GE Report already started contributing to the respective local economies in Marhowra and in Roza, as it engages local manpower and local supply chain.
End of
2016 Product design complete
Q1
2017 Prototype manufacturing starts
Q2-Q3
2017 Prototype locomotive unveiled
Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
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I N N O R AIL
IR's emissions tangle can be troublesome USA EMISSION STANDARDS for mainline locos
Tier 0(1973)
Nox g/hp-hr
PM g/hp-hr
HC g/hp-hr
CO g/hp-hr
Opacity % Steady State
8.00
0.22
1.00
5.00
30 30
Tier 1(2002)
7.40
0.22
0.55
2.20
25
Tier 2(2005)
5.50
0.10
0.30
1.50
20
Tier 3(2008)
5.50
0.10
0.30
1.50
20
NOX: Nitrous oxides, PM: particulate matter, HC: Hydrocarbons, CO: Carbon monoxide
MOVING FORWARD
IR may have to rue its delayed actions in coming years on a major issue as diesel loco emissions receive more intense attention. The National Green Tribunal has already asked that IR would deliberate and determine as to what standards have to be provided for emissions for diesel locomotive engines in India as well as indicate the steps that IR should take to bring the emissions within the prescribed parameters . India is the fourth largest polluter with about 2 billion t of CO2 emissions in 2012. IR will need to address key issues of setting up base line standards for future and devising a plan for raising the emission standards to Tier I and II in stages. The need for repower packing the ALCO fleet, that will reduce by attrition, also needs forward thinking.
V K Pal MD NRE, India
Various steps that lead to emission decrease include electronic fuel injection/common rail high pressure, high delivery rate Injectors, high compression ratio with optimized combustion chamber, Miller Cycle/VGT Turbo, high effectiveness plate type after-Cooler (may be with separate system), sizing and redesign of exhaust manifold& intake and exhaust port redesign, variable valve timing and cooled engine exhaust gas recirculation. After treatment of the exhaust, often used in smaller engines, is ruled out for locomotives. Fuel quality is one of the most critical components of an emissions solution. Currently available 50 ppm Fuel is compatible for Tier 1kit for a 710 Engine, the emissions standard can go up to Tier II level with Fuels of 10 ppm, BS VI . It is reported that 10 ppm fuel may be available by 2020. Upgrade kit options
NRE India has developed plans for upgrade kits suited to the IR fleet. For WDG4/P4 710 locomotives currently in production at DLW, the kits would raise the Level of emission standards from Tier 0 to Tier II, based on the quality of fuel used. With currently used 350 ppm sulphur fuel, it is possible to achieve Tier 0 emission standards on a slow speed engine like the 710. With the availability of 50 ppm sulphur fuel from 2019 throughout India, 22 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
Tier-I could be initiated after the successful running of just introduced electronic fuel injection. With the availability of 10 ppm sulphur fuel from 2022, Tier-II emission kits can be introduced. Progressive increase in these tiered standards can be achieved through a road map involving: l
Gen set based locomotives for shunting needs, current fleet about 500 locos.
l
Tier 0 - II emission reduction kits to be installed progressively on 710 engines.
l
Tier II certified 3300 hp Multi gen set locos for ALCO loco replacement.
An evolving option is the use of multi-genset locos (2 already manufactured by Patiala based IR unit DMW). This works on Power on Demand concept, where for example, a single 2400 hp prime mover is replaced by three Gen- sets of 800 hp each, powering the locomotive with sharing the power by microprocessor control system. To start with only one Gen set will be running up to 800 hp requirements and as the power demand increases the Engine type Main features
Emission per US tiers
ALCO 251
In 6, 12 and 16 cylinder May not (bulk of the fleet) meet Tier versions,10.9 liter / 0 norms 200-225 hp per cylinder, mechanical fuel injection
EMD 710
16-cylinder version, May not 11.5 litre/280 hp per meet Tier cylinder, mechanical fuel 0 norms injection, about 2000 locos, current production of about 300 / year
Cummins KTA 50 L
4 stroke, high speed, 3 l / Meets Tier 85 hp per cylinder 0 norms
second engine followed by the 3rd Gen set fires to deliver total power, thereby consuming fuel as per the power requirement and reducing emissions., Tier II emission even with 350 ppl Sulphur fuel is the standard due to the usage of high speed engines. The hard fact is the current absence of any national standards for large (say above 500 hp) diesel engines. Further delay in setting up such standards can only cause huge costs and disruptions in the coming decade. IR has invested in a rail-mobile emissions car but a concrete standard has not emerged yet.
I N N O R AIL
TCAS shows good results, awaiting final certification and Onboard Equipment from all three developer firms viz. Medha Servo Drives, Kernex Microsystems and HBL Power Systems has now been functional since October 2015 in inter operable manner on 40 locomotives in 250 km section of Secunderabad Division and has also been deployed on passenger trains since Feb 2016. A process of Independent Safety Assessment is now under progress. Meanwhile, few next phase features, such as scheme to handle unlimited train traffic density by use of multiple frequencies, have also been tested. User Friendly Tools to configure and test various components have also been developed.
Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) is an under-prove out indigenous Cab Signalling with Automatic Train Protection features. Simulated displays from RDSO and HBL, one of the three developers were on view in INNORAIL. Trackside
A simulated set was on show for Prime Minister Modi s visit to the special innovations exhibition mounted in Nov-2016 as part of the Rail Vikas Shivir. JL Mansukhani, Director RDSO who is championing this development briefed the Prime Minister on the need of Cab-Signalling and Automatic Train Protection.
Now TEXMACO and WABTEC JV in India WABTEC USA has announced a JV, Wabtec Texmaco Rail, with Indian wagon major TEXMACO. This JV at present plans to provide the Wabtec product range of freight and friction products comprising draft gears, bogie mounted brake systems, brake blocks and friction wedges to IR. The JV has been supplying their Mark 70 E Cardwell Westinghouse draft gear for IR freight stock and plans to locally manufacture higher capacity (above 45,000 ft.lb. capacity) Cardwell Westinghouse Draft Gears Mark 325 & Mark 90 AT soon. Incidentally, Cardwell Mark 325 Draft Gears supplied in the past are
already in service on IR stock. A WABCO design to be introduced through the JV, capable of direct swap with RDSO specified design for bogie mounted brake, includes a separate slack adjuster, unlike the in-built one on designs currently used on IR. The product range offered also includes bolster bowl liners Zeftek and constant contact side bearers with 3000 to 8000 lb. preloads. It may be recollected that WABTEC had earlier announced a takeover of Faiveley Transport which has since been concluded on November 30, 2016.
BONATRANS adding value in Indian processing
IR sources its forged wheels from SAIL Durgapur and imports. Companies like Bharat Forge have shown interest in setting up additional forge/rolling capacity, may be in collaboration with an Italian wheel manufacturer, but concrete action has not been announced yet. Companies like the Czech BONATRANS have set up Indian facilities for value addition (machining, assembly etc.) to forged blanks sourced from their European facilities for servicing IR and Metro markets. These facilities could come under pressure from the price cutting abilities of Chinese competitors in the absence of adequate forge/roll facility. This Indian value addition can be continued only if IR and the government take anti-dump steps for Chinese steel . The BONATRANS team in INNORAIL was led by Marek Jaros, CEO BONATRANS, India.
24 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
expands its locomotive footprint An impressive Bharat Forge (BF) presence in INNORAIL attracted Amit Kalyani, Executive Director to visit and interact with IR senior management and visitors. Since incorporation in 1961, BF has steadily increased its footprints in the rail sector, with a 2015 inauguration of a high technology locomotive component manufacturing in Baramati. While BF has been supplying heavy forgings for ALCO diesels since the 1960s, recent additions to the product portfolios have been path breaking: machined crankshafts (2200 kg weight) for ALCO and EMD engines, forged and machined connecting rods, portal axle, bogie forgings, machined turbocharger casings etc. A prototype of turbocharger rotor assembly has been produced but not yet offered for trial fitment. It is understood that BF has been considering possibility of an Indian plant for forged rail wheels in association with an Italian company but plans are on hold.
TRANSMASH, RUSSIA Russian industry has been broadly absent from the Indian rail scene, even though sporadic participation by some technology companies in events has occurred. Past efforts at technical collaboration by RZD (Russian Rail company) with IR have not been conclusive. The INNORAIL presence of TRANSMASH, a company specializing in railway braking, is a good sign. At present the company has the entire range of braking products, including modern electronic controls, that can be adopted to IR usage. The range was competently displayed and explained by the TRANSMASH team to various visitors.
KYOSAN to deliver DFC signalling Kyosan India, together with its parent Japanese company, has won a contract for supply and installation of the signalling system for 422 km between Vadodara and Mumbai on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor. Prime contractor for this section is the Sojitz Japan-Larsen & Toubro consortium
facilitates interlocking logic design and modular remote electronic terminal that allows easy expansion of the system. The 2 layered K5BMC software manages the safe operation of the ROM stored and executes station specific interlocking logic.
Kyosan will deliver the signalling system on the 422 km double tracks over12 stations between Vadodara and the JNPT port location, covering stations and auto-signal locations throughout the stretch, electronic interlocking & train monitoring/diagnostic system etc. A 2020 commissioning is expected.
Kyosan India has already commissioned 20 IR stations and material supply for 67 more made for projects under execution. The company expects contracts for about 75 stations more, bringing the tally for this young Indian affiliate to around 160 stations.
Kyosan solid state interlocking Model K5BMC provides a redundant pair of 32-bit CPUs, a logic data compiler that
Kyosan India is also active in Bangladesh, with work in progress on 4 stations.
Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
25
I N N O RA IL
Korean Rail Research on achievement path ing, certification and testing of stock and train control of HSR trains etc. KRRI has developed near 300 test facilities (with 20 full scale installations) including for super speed maglev train, track bed test lab, bogie testing, derailment test lab etc. The Korean system is now in the process of setting up a 14.5 km test loop in its facility at Osong. Parallel facilities exist for light rail (including trams) and other urban transit. It is interesting that KRRI is organised as an academic, research and certification centre for Korean rail technologies with 258 research professionals including above 230 Ph.Ds, 28 professors in rail system technologies, seven in transport and logistics and four in robotics and virtual engineering.
The Korean Railway Research Institute KRRI, perhaps the youngest such organisation worldwide, has set competitive achievements in technology and product development. Multiple layers of tests and development include full scale test rigs for bogie and brake testing (pictured here).
Considering that the Korean Railroad Research Institute KRRI was set up only in 1996, its achievements in furthering rail technologies in this island nation are creditable. The Korean high speed train KTX that began commercial operations in 2004 has offered this institute an excellent prove out ground and KRRI has in turn responded by successful trials at 350 kph (KTX -II). KRRI started its IR contacts with the Indian Minister visiting its facilities in mid-2015 and is now in discussions with IR and RDSO on identifying areas of cooperation. Prof Myung Sagong, Director General and his colleagues Byung Gwan Cha and Young Park explored various options during INNORAIL 2016. Sagong indicated that KRRI has not yet signed any MoU with RDSO but he is hopeful of a positive outcome. Multiple test installations
KRRI has shown skills and expertise that could help RDSO in diverse areas, particularly ballast less track, sleeper redesign using slag and other available materials, simulated testing of HSR trains, brake performance test-
Specialised test cells
26 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
Functionally the Institute is organised around goals like environment, testing, high speed etc., unlike RDSO that is still organised in departmental divisions. A budget of US $ 142 m in 2016 comprises 42 % project funds, 45 % government grants and 13 % from private R & D funds. Sagong points out some key technologies that KRRI has developed successfully: reduced running resistance (up to 10%) with aerodynamic design nose shape, aluminum extruded composites for car body (5 % weight reduction), blended electric and mechanical brakes and IGBT based traction systems and permanent magnet synchronous motor for a power increase of up to 17 %. In rail infrastructure, KRRI has developed 6.45 m long concrete slabs with rapid hardening shrinkage compensating cement mortar for under grout. On the safety front, developments include real time inspection system based on monitoring of temperature, noise and wheel loads, at a max inspection speed of 50 kph. These are non-contact scanning methods. Similar successful efforts have been made in noise reduction through 3 D monitoring of noise sources and related corrections. KRRIÂ&#x2019;s international outreach outside India covers USA, France, Brazil, China, Russia and many European systems. Sagong considered the INNORAIL exposition as a good beginning and is hopeful of synergic research with IR engineers in coming years.
U RBAN T RAN S PO R T R A I L
Rail based urban transport: critical for Indian cities Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Ayog India was forthright during a personal interaction in laying out that India is on the brink of an urban revolution with its urban population expected to reach 600 million by 2031. A United Nations report draws a similar conclusion as over the last two decades India's urban population increased from 217 to 377 million (the New Climate Economy Report). This will pressurise urban transport and cities need to cater to this massive rise. Transport at the core
Mobility cannot be obviated; it is integral part of a daily schedule. Authorities must plan efficient, sustainable, affordable, safe and economic transport systems which can blend or become an integral part of the urban development programmes. European examples establish that rail based transit systems have become backbone of urban development. During travels to many European countries, I have observed that the core city public transport system has put a check on congestion and controlled pollution level from vehicular emissions. Some European cities have created vehicle free zones that can be accessed only using light rail like trams and metro rail. Integration of the underground rail (the tube) with National Rail network, over-ground services and Dockland Light Rail etc. has enabled London to control congestion in city centre and allow commute from distance with a park and ride facility few kilometres outside the city centre. Indian cities cannot be compared with the Europeans mainly because of differing population densities and demand for travel. What we learnt from them is that we must be well ahead in systematic planning. Smart cities
Rapid urbanisation will add to pollution, congestion, waste and related issues. The Indian Government has listed 20 cities in the Smart Cities Mission which will be the first to receive funds, kick starting the process of developing these into 'smart cities'. Although, definition of smart city is slightly vague, it is understood as adequacy of basic infrastructure, good governance, IT enabled facilities etc.
Of the 20 cities identified in first list, Metro rail is operational or under construction in Jaipur, Kochi, Ahmedabad, New Delhi and Chennai. Other cities still can prepare a robust masterplan with urban mobility as priority; rail based transport is expensive but has undeniably more benefits, but at a cost. Smart Cities should be developed with a masterplan that integrates existing and future public transport systems. Multi-modal integration is key to success of any such project. Most large cities have a regional rail system and refurbishing these networks by integration with proposed MRTS, intercity busing and airports will bring down road traffic considerably. Consider Lucknow Metro that has integration plans for stations at airport, bus and railway stations connecting the city centre. Similarly, Kochi Metro connects the heart of city to the major railway stations and bus stands. The reality about transport is that it s future oriented. If we re planning for what we have, we re behind the curve' ...Anthony Foxx, Secretary of Transportation, USA. Rail to the fore
This is not a do something and forget situation as even cities in the developed world face similar situations. The average commute time in San Francisco has gone up by 70 % in the last decade; US cities have projected an investment bond need of $ 200 b for urban transport needs, rail based in the main. Indian cities can no longer hope that time will resolve the congestion issues.
Prakash Kumar Dy. Country Manager, Ardanuy Ingeniería S.A., Spain
Rail has significantly contributed to the economic development through transit oriented development on corridors, saving time in traffic congestion, reduced road rage incidents inflicted by irritation in traffic, afforded savings in vehicle operating costs and controlled pollution by reducing vehicles. An extensive network of rail based transit system and feeder facilities will allow people to use Mass Transit as primary mode of travel. Rail based systems need to be pushed to the core if any relief is desired.
This welcome effort needs support Abhishek Kumar Singh, a graduate engineering student, has independently developed software to simulate on-run performance of a Metro train. His www.metrotrainsimulation.com shows five online demos. Such efforts need to be backed up by resource support. IR has also developed such software in the past but these showed less than acceptable correlation on run-time with the field operations and have rarely been used. Singh informed that he has not yet carried out any correlation effort and needs collaboration with RDSO/IR to fine tune his effort into a time tabling and energy conservation tool. (abisimulation@gmail.com) Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
27
B U S I N ESS POST- C ONTR AC T
IR arbitration set for smarter pace IR has large number of arbitration cases pending that take away its resources from project execution and reduce the trust that should exist with the contractor/vendor base. Typically, a zonal railway has 100 + arbitration proceedings pending at a time, with settlement rate often lower than fresh generation. Many of the cases can linger on for a decade: typical on a zone, the average age is a troublesome three years and that needs drastic reduction. IR has modified para 64 of the General Conditions of Contract to incorporate the provisions made in the new Act. Bulk of IR cases pertain to works contracts, spread around civil and signalling contracts.
Duration of cases
Case pending
Noticeable amendments that need follow up action: l
Section 12(5) & seventh schedule: specifying criteria for ineligibility of any person appointed as an arbitrator;
l
Section 23(2A): entitling respondent to submit a counter claim or to plead a set-off; Penalties for delays include section 24 amendment empowering the tribunal to impose cost for seeking adjournment without sufficient cause; Section 31A: clarifying the power of tribunal to determine cost having regard to the degree of success of the party, conduct of the parties, frivolity of counter claims leading to delay in disposal of the proceedings and refusal of a party to any reasonable offer to settle the disputes.
Rajesh Prasad Executive Director RVNL Kolkata
l
Section 25: amendment empowering the tribunal to forfeit the rights of respondent to file Statement of Defense or for failure to file it in time;
l
Fast tracking under sections 29A & 29B and imposing time schedule for completion;
l
Fourth schedule specifying model fees. Arbitration cases: typical from an IR zone
Cases (Department wise)
58
Construction
22
Stores
13
Commercial
6
Electrical
9
Signalling & Telecom
4
Mechanical
1
Others
113
28 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
25
> 3 - 4 years
30
> 1 - 2 years
35
< 1 year
23 2014
2015
2016-17
New cases added
26
17
16
Awards
30
31
6
Number of cases
118
102
113
Incentives and penalties
The new Act introduces a timeline and transparency that should ease the time taken for awards. An added feature is a strict time limit for making award under Section 29A: the arbitral tribunal is statutorily obligated to deliver an award within 12 months. The award can be delayed by 6 months maximum only under the special circumstances where all parties consent. Another proviso relates to the incentives and penalties for faster or delayed awards: where the Arbitral Tribunal delivers an award within six months, it shall be entitled to additional fees. Where the award is not made out within the statutory period the mandate of arbitrators shall automatically terminate. While extending the period, if the Court finds that the proceedings have been delayed for the reasons attributable to the tribunal, it may order reduction of fees of arbitrator(s) by not exceeding five percent for each month of such delay. Extension is to be granted only for sufficient cause, substitute one or all the arbitrators and impose actual or exemplary costs on any of the parties. Fast track procedure
The parties to an arbitration may choose to opt for a new fast track procedure with the award made out within six months. The salient features include that l
Disputes are to be decided based on written pleadings and documents only, with clarifications where necessary.
l
Oral hearing may be held only on a request or if considered necessary.
l
Dispense with any technical formalities.
Number
Civil Engineering
> 5 years
Pending arbitration cases (indicative)
The new Act
The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Ordinance 2015, now in force, can contribute to speeding up arbitration processes and in turn impact IR projects and post-contract disputes. The amendment shall not affect pending cases.
Number
The 2105 Act should be a positive step towards making arbitrations expeditious, efficacious, cost effective, curb the practices leading to wastage of time, making the arbitrator responsible for delay in the proceeding and likely to reduce the interference of High Courts. Implementation should see a reduction in IRÂ&#x2019;s backlog of cases & time that cases take to be settled. Such resolution processes are a right move in speeding up project executions.
T E CH N O LO GY PAS S E N GE R C O M F O R T
Improving passenger comfort in Kochi, Lucknow and Sydney Metros The vibration protection specialist Getzner Werkstoffe has supplied elastic bearings for floating floor solutions to three major Alstom Metro projects. The Sylomer® Fireretardant will increase the comfort level for passengers in Kochi, Lucknow & Sydney where it will be installed in 65 train sets (281 coaches). Vibration isolating floors lead to less noise in the vehicle and therefore greater passenger comfort , Sanjay Risbood, CEO, Getzner India. Sylomer® Fireretardant elastic bearings protect joints, electronic components and sanitary facilities, increasing durability and lowering life-cycle costs. Getzner solutions are being installed in 23 train sets (3 cars each) in Kochi, our first floating floors project in the Indian market and the first train sets have been delivered to Kochi where first phase is expected by March 2017. Besides increased passenger comfort and lower life-cycle costs, the highest level of fire and safety classifications was a deciding factor. Anti-vibration material for 20 train sets (4 cars each) for Lucknow Metro sets is for installation in 2017. For Sydney Metro project, Sylomer® will be installed in the first fully-automated Metro network in Australia. As in Kochi and Lucknow, Alstom decided to enhance passenger comfort and durability by installing the high-tech floating floors on 22 train sets (six cars each). External assessments have proven the high effectiveness and the convincing long-term behaviour of the elastic materials in the floating floors. We won these contracts due to the exceptional performance of our materials, our long experience in equipping rail cars and because of the cost effectiveness of our solution. ... Lukas Tschann, Project Manager, Getzner. Sylomer® is used not only in railway and construction
Installation of special vibration absorbing strips in a coach underfloor dampens vibrations and improves passenger comfort.
applications, but also for machinery and other technical equipment. Getzner India is a 100% subsidiary of the parent company and specialises in the reduction of structure borne vibrations and noise using Microcellular Polyurethane Elastomers. Solutions are based on their proprietary microcellular Polyurethane materials, branded as Sylomer® and Sylodyn®. Getzner does not yet have a material manufacturing facility in India but secondary processing like cutting, drilling, gluing is done locally which enables supply to customer s finished sizes. Sanjay Risbood added that they have initiated a dialogue with IR for providing floating floor solution for mainline coaches. Getzner Solutions are under evaluation on few test tracks for ballast protection and reducing maintenance needs, in slab tracks of Delhi, Mumbai, Navi-Mumbai, Bangalore, Kochi, Lucknow and Hyderabad Metros.
TPWS project commissioned Southern Railway s Basin Bridge-Arakkonam section equipped with Train Protection & Warning System has now been commissioned. This is equivalent to a European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 1 solution. The TPWS-equipped section was formally inaugurated by Akhil Agrawal, IR s Director General (Signal) at Ambattur along with AV Siva Prasad, Chief Signal & Telecommunication Engineer. This contract was awarded in September 2014 where Thales was also responsible for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of track-side equipment.
Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
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I R TRA VELOGUE
Long travel through fog and fatigue The ticker tape had changed from the day of solidarity with the Palestinian people to one of computer security and that the train was just 35 minutes late. The late running was a relief, extending my snooze time over the 4:45 am arrival in Kanpur. That was about three hours of sleep snooze, a nice way to start an expectedly long day. Perhaps the anxiety of not sleeping through the early morning arrival at this intermediate halt had caused the 2 a.m. bio-alarm. But that was not to be. Each time the eyes winked at a short nap, overcoming the 2 am . a short and swift jerk on the modern IR coach upset the rhythm, back to the monotone of the ticker tape, this was the railways modernism on passenger delight, that updated the train position.The trend was often broken by the message that harassment to women passengers was a punishable offense. The men of course, can manage themselves. And that ensured that the rest of the morning was spent on anything but sleep. Was the train coach in telepathy with my sleep sync, generating the jerk each time it sensed some peace? Every few minutes, it seemed that the train was slipping back by few minutes, as the ticker box digits rolled on. From a comfortable 35 minutes, the small, may be 18 inch, idiot box was progressing organically to more than 3 hours. It seemed that the software was tuned to be unintelligent, adding a time table schedule to a GPS located position, how so ever dumb that may have been. But that's the only entertainment in the air-conditioned cabin on the Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani express. And the ticker box, rough at the edges, was a special addition to the costliest service on IR schedule. And then some magic happened, as the ticker forecast was perhaps updated manually around 05:15, the slippage was on as the train finally touched Kanpur four hours late.May be the manual intervention upset the visual machine for it consistently showed the train to be delayed
Future power on Lucknow Metro 30 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
by 42:53, difficult to know if that was hours and minutes, or some mind-boggling seconds. By then it was clear that the winter fog season had set on the gangetic plain area, and trains were expected to run slow. The ticker rarely went beyond 60 kph, against the timetabled 130 kph for these tracks. Clearly the dumb driver behind my idiot box was not programmed for being smart. It was something that could show modernity, without being clever. And the enforced wakefulness led to the current declarations by IR of providing passenger delight, but this was certainly not it. The only regular feature were the added delays, added piecemeal as if giving out the expected 4hour delay in one go would have shattered the ongoing delight. And IR of course has an SMS service (139) to update train running. This was equally dumb, mirroring slow but steady delay increase tactics of the ticker driver. Of course, I should have sensed the bad omen at the start of the journey at Howrah, as the train destination boards located on each coach were clearly beyond their use dates, with many of the string LEDs running amok. One guessed that the message they were programmed to give was Welcome to Indian railways . But then like the ticker inside the coach, these were more a show of modernism than reliable functionality. And that was a lot of thought of what passenger delight could really be. Not just symbolic modernity, but things that function and work. Was the fog covering the IR vision in addition? The return trip was well an extension of the same. The train was announced to be about 7 hours late but turned up about 14 hours late, amidst the receding fog, the early morning train left chugging around noon, with promise of further slow but steady added delays . Of course, the 139 responses mirrored the now greatly lowered expectations of a passenger delight.
H E RI TAGE S T E AM CO N G R E S S
National Steam Congress extends reach
ISRS Annual 2016 was a well-attended affair, including LK Sinha, ex Member IR Board, Ashwini Lohani, Chairman, Air India, Sir Mark Tully, several retired IR senior executives and others.
A healthy participation of about 250 participants saw the Congress expand its reach by including content on evolution of transport; aviation, shipping and roadways in addition to the Steam Locomotive nostalgia. Minister Suresh Prabhu lauded these efforts in a recorded video message. Ashwani Lohani, Chairman Air India, Working President, traced ISRS history to the first meeting in 1999. Annual ISRS Awards for support to the cause of Steam Locomotive heritage and maintenance/ operation were presented toDoordarshan, IRCTC, Balbir,Chief Loco Inspector Delhi, retired IR staff connected with the Rewari Museum and loco crews from Darjeeling, Conoor and Shimla narrow gauge.
tion of wheel, horse drawn carriages and palkis to the current sleek and powerful cars and buses. Thakral s vintage photographs collection attracted appreciation. The traditional steam train run on the 20thNov from Delhi Cantonment to Rewari had the Fairy Queen looking very cute in her green livery and brass trimmings gleaming in the sun. 36 guests on board were delighted with excellent maintenance and skilful operation byAmar Singh in the driver s seat. Veiled in Vapour , a new book by Vikas Arya, that brings out the history of the Rewari Heritage Museum was also released.
An international cast
Key addresses included those by Richard S Dann, Boeing, USA on the history of aviation, Dr. Ravi Mehrotra on steam engine application in mining, marine and railwaysectors,Paul Whittle of DHRS on Steam Heritage in the UK,Tarun Thakral, founder, Heritage Transport Museum, Gurgaon on evolution of road transport from the inven-
EVENTS Media Associate
10
th UIC World Congress on High Speed Rail 11 - 14 JULY 2017, ANKARA TURKEY uic-highspeed2017.com
Sharing Knowledge for Sustainable and Competitive Operations
Venue: Vivanta by Taj
R Kochak, President, I Mech E India, presents a special Heritage Award for the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
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I N D I AN RAILWAYS P ER SON AL ITY
Straddling administration, art and adversity Ananda Shankar Jayant, from the IR Traffic Service(joined 1986), has inhabited diverse roles with equal ease: of administration, academics, and arts. Celebrated as one of India s eminent and renowned classical dancers, choreographers and dance scholars, Ananda s artistic body of work, spans mythologies and abstraction, historical chronicles and women studies, poetry, abstraction, philosophy and humour. Ananda was conferred the Padma Shri in 2007 (in the picture, receiving the honour from President A P J Abdul Kalam) and the Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 2009. She was the first lady officer in the traffic cadre on SC Railway, and managed operations on the Secunderabad division as a start to her career.
In her words, I had requested for that. It was a great entry into the service where I learnt so much navigating odd working hours, mainline train operations, accidents, night duties, all of which I did alongside my male colleagues. For them too, it was a new learning experience, the first time they were dealing with a young woman officer. Ananda is a sought after motivational speaker and actively engages with young India on a wide range of topics. Her 2009 talk after her tryst with cancer has been ranked as one of 12 Incredible TED talks on the subject. She has been invited also to the Harvard Business School for the Inspire Series of the India Conference. Ananda, leads Shankarananda Kalakshetra, an acclaimed ensemble, as the Artistic Director besides training and presenting the next generation of Bharatanatyam artists.Ananda, a prolific solo and ensemble performer,is a critically acclaimed choreographer and her work has
stretched the boundaries of artistic endeavour, using the grammar and idiom of the classical dance format, making her choreographies at once contemporary and evocative Ananda and her ensemble have performed in major festivals across the world like the Ramayana festival at Angkor, the Busan Festival in South Korea, Edinburgh Mela, Festival of India in Russia, Greece, Brazil, and China, and many international festivals.Ananda places these critically acclaimed productions in her repertoire Sri Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum; Buddham Saranam Gachchami; Navarasa-Expressions of Life; Darshanam-An Ode to the Eye; Mohana-Krishna Beckons; Sri Rama Namam - Entha Ruchi Ra Taalapatra- Hymns from the Hills; Shringara Darpanam and SRI The Goddess Within; - all in the traditional format. Her artistic diversity is reflected in choreographies like Jonathan Livingston Seagull that was set to Jazz music and What About Me? that raised pertinent gender issues.
On the first of July 2008, as I sat dumbstruck in my doctor's office, I heard other words: cancer," "stage," "grade." Until then, Cancer was the zodiac sign of my friend, stage was what I performed on and grades were what I got in school. As a dancer, I know the navarasas: anger, valor, disgust, humor and fear. I thought I knew what fear was. That day, I learnt what fear was.
was excruciatingly painful, but I did it. I focused on my mudras, on the imagery, on the poetry and the metaphor and the philosophy of the dance itself. Much to the dismay of my oncologist I danced between chemo and radiation cycles and badgered him to fit it to my performing dance schedule; I had tuned out of cancer and tuned into my dance.
How do you keep cheer when you go from beautiful to bald in three days? How do you not get overwhelmed by the despair and the misery of it all? I thought I had complete control of my life. I needed an anchor and I found that in my dance. "Cancer's only one page in my life, and I will not allow this page to impact the rest of my life."
Cancer has just been one page in my life. My story is the power of thought, of choice, of focus. It's the power of bringing ourselves to the attention of something that so animates you, so moves you, that something like cancer becomes insignificant. My story is the power of a metaphor, the power of an image.
I re-learnt everything I had learnt when I was four, it
32 Rail Business [Focus-India] January 2017
I want to be known not as a cancer survivor, but as a cancer conqueror .