Rail biz India May 2014

Volume 5, Issue 24 – May 2014

ISSN No. 0976-254X www.railbizindia.com

Supported by

Difficult Climb Ahead IR faces a tough financial year

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

MEGA ISSUE

Freight updates from SECR and SER

The strength of Indian Railway workshops

International conference on Emerging Fire Protection Technologies

7

10

12

` 150

FIRST WORDS | OPEN LETTER An event has happened, upon which it is difficult to speak...

Dear Minister Welcome to Indian Railways, the largest family in India. The hectic election season should by now have given way to the intents season when the past is likely to be in focus for its neglects and the future promised to be one of delivery and care. Even if our democratic roots are now firm, we cannot reach you for conveying our aspirations and thoughts. Hence this open letter.

We hope that you will eschew the past tendency to blame the ills of the railways on politicians that preceded you. It hurts when a large organisation starts to belittle its past with white papers of blame. It is time instead to address the atmosphere of indifference that is perceived to have set roots. Business as usual has hurt IR. Instead key issues need to be addressed.

Wise political leadership is perhaps in letting the managers do what they can best do. Your leadership is required most in re-establishing that the nation cannot advance unless government spend in rail network is enhanced manifold. This has been advised by all planners and independent agencies. You have to engage the IR management in changing inefficient procedures and methods.

Can you be the champion for higher investment in railways? The railway managers can deliver on everything else.

The present attitude is summed up in a brilliant phrase disengaged toleration used in another context by Amartya Sen. It is time for better engagement and lesser toleration of the inefficiencies in management and operational deliveries. It is time for the IR management to be seen and heard by the nation. It is perhaps time to adopt a single point programme of projecting railways as a mandatory brand.

IR has a dedicated cadre in place but somehow more is expected of you than from the IR management. May we suggest that the first intoleration required is for IR management to deliver. The toleration' shows up when nearly half the senior executive positions fall vacant, when key capacity projects starve for funds and attention even as political projects get unlimited money and weekly attention, when many categories of staff don t and are not expected to deliver on full day s work, when skills are not recognised and promoted, when the motivation of the cadre is allowed to ebb, when the nation is permitted to lose hope in railways.

Intoleration should lead to some simple outcomes like better project delivery, enhanced service levels and adherence to schedules.

IR has many tough climbs ahead and multiple actions on many fronts are mandated for course correction. RAIL BUSINESS will always try to make humble supporting contributions for this purpose.

We wish you a satisfying time in the family .

(Vijay Raina) Editor

...and impossible to be silent.

...Edmund Burke (on the French Revolution, speaking in British Parliament).

Volume 5, Issue 24 May 2014

CONTENTS www.railbizindia.com This publication is supported by Asian Railway Association & Asian Institute of Transport Development 13, Palam Vihar, New Delhi

In Conversation

Arunendra Kumar, Chairman, IR Board

1 2

Looking ahead Pushing for higher train speeds

Consulting Editor Sumant Chak, AITD

3

Principal Regional Associate N S KasturiRangan

4 5 6 28

Editor V. K. Raina

Dynamic pricing on premium trains

Maintenance 10

IR workshops provide key strength

Industry 26

Wagon manufacturing industry travails

34 SAIL as an infrastructure major

Missing management cycle

Safety

Faster additional capacity

4 12

Railway man by accident Monitoring IR performance

30 38 22

Sanjiv Handa on his lone hand of dissent

36

A case for high speed links

20

Delhi Metro in Phase 3

Pot Pourri

Freight Operations 7 8

14 37

South East Central Railway South Eastern Railway

Media review M Akhtar - distinguished map maker

Technology

Lucknow Coordination B P Singh

Photo acknowledgements Plasser and Theurer Zaibulla Syed Ismail

Merits in running allowances

Metro

European Correspondent: Ms Geetha Munikoti, Berlin

Designed & Printed by Headliners Advertising Services Pvt. Ltd. 87, Monohar Pukur Road Kolkata 700 029 e-mail: headlinersadvertising@gmail.com

Staff in obscure places

Opinions

Disclaimer : Views expressed by various authors are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of their corporates.

Delhi Coordination Vinod Raina

International Conference on Fire Safety.

Operations

For Advertisements and Circulation Dr. Rajni Raina Business Manager Phone : +91 92306 39001

IT Support Dilip & Rajat

Concern on rail fractures

17 24 32

Signalling alternative for semi high speed IR test track-a nowhere road ICF rolls out 3 phase DEMU

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I N CO N V E RS AT I O N CH AI RMAN , RAI LWAY B O A R D

Looking ahead, optimistically When the weather is nice and calm, the captain can relax.

His skills will come into play mostly when the weather gets rough to rock and flip the ship. His passengers are likely to remember only the bad weather and their travails, unaware of the skilful steer that saw them through. Only stories of the troubles will be recounted, a successful manoeuvre forgotten.

In a way that reflects the times that IR and its managing Board is traversing now. With growth figures under threat, government investments at a plateau, adverse public and media perceptions & low internal motivation, it cannot be the best period to manage the mammoth IR set up.

Crossing another difficult year

Various initiatives for resurrection and growth are in place and should see results in the mid-term. The FY has ended with ` 3,000 Cr lesser than hoped net resource availability , impacting funding capacity projects adequately.

Freight revenues have risen 13.1 % mainly due to tariff revisions even as a 4.2 % increase in originating freight loading (1050 mt) was negated by a disappointing 9.3 % reduction in average lead. Freight loading was impacted specially by problems in the coal sector, like in South East Central Railway. These issues have now been addressed.

A 15.5 % increase in total revenues in 2014-15 is based on optimistic projections. Kumar is worried, even puzzled, by the mere 0.6 % growth in passenger trips, even though increase in the low fare suburban traffic has been reasonable. One reason could be the delay in reconciliation to the increased tariffs introduced last year after a long gap.

The Board does expect this trend to reverse towards a robust 5. 6 % increment in current FY and has budgeted a hefty 24 % growth in revenues.

Considering that working expenses are expected to grow by near 13 % and growth in freight volumes is linked to overall kick up in the economy, lack of increase in the non-suburban passenger traffic should impact on overall resource availability.

Kumar adds his optimism for the year with a hopeful there is likely to be a distinct improvement in internal resource generation. This, coupled with higher budgetary support expected from the Central Government, would surely enable to aim at higher Plan Outlay for modernisation and capacity generation .

That is the best expected scenario but one fears another year of less than expected revenues and ever increasing operating costs could eat into capacity generation projects.

Freight corridor in Dec 2018

Major capacity generation is twined to the completion of the ambitious freight corridors. Kumar expects the first segment to be operational by Dec 2018. A recent visit to Japan has led to another tranche of Japanese funding for another stretch of the Western corridor. Good progress has been made in sectional execution of the new tracks for these corridors.

Arunendra Kumar, Chairman, IR Board reflected on the various issues facing his Board in a chat with RAIL BUSINESS.

A forward looking effort at speeding up passenger services has been switched on, with the first operationalisation of 160 kph trains on the New Delhi -Agra section by the year end. IR is also pursuing the medium high speed (by JICA) and high speed link (by Systra). Both these projects are as yet far into the horizon and no predictability was forthcoming as resource availability is at best gloomy.

A continuing area of concern is the on-run punctuality of trains. At present a software based system is in place for capturing actual runs and approx. 83 % on time performance is recorded. Steady improvements are in hand. Installation of an integrated Coaching Management System has permitted a single window monitoring of coaching Metric

2012-13 2013-14

Loading (in million tons ) 1008 Lead (km) 686 Yield per mt (` in Cr) 84.6 No. of Passengers (m) 8421 Revenue Passenger (` Cr) 31323 Goods (` Cr) 85263 Total Earnings (` Cr) 123901 Appropriation Pension Fund 20710 Net Resourse availability 15144

1050 621 89.0 8425.6 36452 93512 139097 23700 12314

YOY 2014-15 (2013-14) Planned % 1101 4.9 625 -6.0 96.0 7.9 8896 5.6 45255 24.1 105770 13.1 160725 15.5 26700 12.7 17388 41.2

Optimistic projections for current FY may not come about. IR can expect a difficult year on the revenue front.

Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

1

I N CONVERSATION N EW DIR EC TIONS A difficult year ahead

April 2014 Revenue (` Cr) 12064 (+9.6%) GoodsRevenue 8204.00 Loading (mt) 88 (+6%) Passenger Revenue 3407 No. of Passengers (m) 686 Suburban 362 Non-suburban 324

April 2013 11010 7624 83.7 2916 695 371 323

operations. This system includes a Punctuality module and Coaching Operation Information subsystem that generates on-line status of stock, helping in better utilisation of coaching resources.

Non-government funding

Successes have been recorded in stake holder investment in sectional capacity addition projects but not much can be expected in the near term on private sector funding of any megaprojects. Kumar was reticent in commenting if IR needs to engage a banking /investment sector expert to add to its managerial resources for devising workable schemes for PPP initiatives.

Kumar foresees a resolution of issues that have impeded setting up of two new locomotive private sector plants.

The purchase price model proposed earlier was linked to price variation formulas that would have led to unre-

alistic prices, much above the current production costs in DLW and CLW. In his view, the long term (25 year) purchase agreement entered for the proposed forged wheel plant in Rae Bareilly with RINL (a Central PSU), could provide a viable model for these units. IR needs to develop additional loco manufacturing capacity for the planned throughput increases and cannot let go of this additional capacity within the country. A similar exercise for the EMU manufacturing unit at Palakkad could also be useful in developing an acceptable model.

Technology induction

Kumar recognises lack of significant successes in modern technologies by captive production units. The low exports from Indian railway industry as a whole is also a consequence. IR units have no exports contracts in current FY. Kumar added these units can commit to exports on first priority basis, a reversal from the past when any export possibility was stymied by concerns on internal rolling stock needs. These much needed changes will naturally take time and perseverance to produce any results.

Restructuring

In a way, IR was last structured in 1920s with the formation of the Railway Board and in 1950s with the formation of railway zones. Kumar admits that IR organisational reforms,

though long intended, have never taken off and a concentrated effort is needed. Kumar has high hopes in the IR management cadre even as he would like a reorientation in general approach to career paths provided to the managers in various streams. Possibly a thought has been given to creating an integrated traction cadre (at present separate Mechanical and Electrical cadres exist, often in isolation) but has not led to any concrete concept initiation.

Kumar adds that he would like that placements in department heads and some other positions be aspirational .

For him a longer tenure of may be even 10 years in technical expert positions, like in R& D/RDSO, is also desirable. Another way would be to provide options for each manager to choose his career path in management or technical expert groups. IR has as yet not moved beyond general ideas to a concept paper.

We close with an issue of relevance as a new government is likely to take shape. For him, balancing the political with pragmatic management is an essential need. He would advise his younger colleagues to be open and truthful with the political establishment. For him, that gives sustainable long term results. Perhaps easy to say, but he certainly knows how difficult it can be in the Indian reality.

Steps for higher speed: a worthwhile legacy Indications are that IR is now on the way towards incrementing the maximum train speeds on select routes. IR speeds have been stuck at a low plateau of 130-140 kph on few sections, limited to too few trains to make a dent in passenger perceptions. As Arunendra Kumar traces back the reasons for getting stuck on speeding up projects, it is clear that after a gust of activity that led to the Shatabdi/ Rajdhani class trains being speeded on to 130 kph (from the IR modal 110 kph), the IR board concentrated on increasing freight train throughputs . Periodic statements of intent for 200 kph + new links never saw any actionable progress towards this goal.

In a major thrust, Kumar was on board a 20 th April trial special train that mapped the route from New Delhi to Agra touching 160 kph in short stretches. The train also carried the General Managers and key department heads from two zones. Key IR Board executives like some members, additional members & advisers in signalling, electrical 2 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

and infrastructure accompanied. The fastest train on the section takes 126 minutes that Kumar would like to compress to around 90 minutes. He assembled this team with a definite timeline: start this pioneering service by the year end. And more importantly, that could set a trend for similar reductions on select trains to Kanpur and Chandigarh within the next year. One can sense a hope of a path breaking effort leading to IR coming out of this self-imposed restriction of 110 kph is good enough for us in coming years.

Using Kapurthala manufactured LHB coaches and WAP7 loco from Chittaranjan, the trial helped clearly define the road blocks and set teams to resolve issues and implement on-field changes. Chiefly the impediments on this 200 km run include: l

8 speed restrictions ranging from 15 kph in New Delhi yard and 60 kph on the nearly 3 km from Hazrat Nizammudin to Tuglakabad (suburban areas).

I N CO N V E RS AT I O N S PE E D I N G UP l

Inadequate cant and transition curve lengths at 57 locations (Mathura to Agra section).

l

Need for 38 thick web switches at a number of stations.

l

Relaying about 20 km track with 60 kg/m rail (in place of 52 kg/m).

l

Fence protection of tracks at vulnerable locations.

certification by the Commissioner of Railway Safety thereafter. The project will clearly need a push that Kumar intends to provide till completion.

We learn from diverse sources that preliminary targets include: l

Replacement with 60 kg/m rails: Oct. 2014.

l

Identification of vulnerable track locations by a nominated group , development of fencing design and execution: Nov. 2013.

l

Completion of automatic signalling works on a stretch of North Central Railway.

l

Route Relay interlocking (RRI) at Agra yard.

l

Readjustment of curves/ transitions : August 2014.

l

Minor works and certification for overhead power supply.

l

Automatic signalling in NCR zone: July 2014.

Verification of mobile train radio communication.

l

Proving run: by July 2014

l

It is learnt that actionable targets for all these have been set up to deliver a proving run say by July. Statutory procedures will include preliminary permission for the proving run and final

Why stuck at 110 kph

Most IR express trains are limited to a max speed of 110 kph; that is almost antiquated considering that 60 miles/hr (= 96 kph) was the norm in early 20 th century on the main

routes. These were the days of fish plated tracks, kerosene lit semaphore signalling, no train communication radios, wooden bodied coaches mostly with laminated springs and steam traction. IR infrastructure could be able to increase this modal plateau to 130 kph if the IR Board were to accept it as a strategic goal.

What is needed is large number of similar efforts in various zones. That is an aim Kumar would seemingly like to install for future acceptance. But right now, he is clearly concentrating on the 160 kph prove out and commissioning project, hoping to kindle the hunger for speed.

The project will have to overcome internal why increase speed hurdles that have been ingrained into IR management culture-set for a couple of decades now. On the positive side, that could be a big Kumar legacy that will re-establish IR concerns for the wary passenger liable to shift to the road at every opportunity.

Dynamic pricing on premium trains The IR Board was able to push through a revision of passenger tariffs after a near 10 year hold on political considerations . IR had indicated possibility of a demandcentered dynamic tariff policy for long distance travel.

The Board has now successfully started these trains and results in the current summer should help determine the scale and nature of such tariffs.

After initial trial runs on a few trains between New Delhi and Mumbai early this year , IR has now started a series of summer specials with special pricing.

IR runs more than 1500 express trains per day and special trains are scheduled in the rush seasons (mostly in summer, year end and around Sept./Oct. to cater to festival rush). It has now announced 570 trains this summer that will be covered by a flexible tariff (5 more routes are planned but have not been notified at the time of this report). The trains will vary from 13 to 21 coaches and offer differing classes of travel. Expectedly nearly 150 of these will cover the Northern Railway.

For many years now, IR has also tried to generate additional revenue through sale of a limited number of seats (generally in coach units) on popular trains through the Tatkal = urgent scheme that includes a fixed surcharge.

Earlier in march, IR laid down a policy set for dynamic pricing that centers around: l 15 days advance reservations only. l No concessions, no waiting lists, no cancellations

l l l

l

Full refunds in case of service default Catering price included Only reserved sleeping class (AC and non-AC) accommodation Minimum charge: normal fare plus Tatkal charges .

The Minister of Railways had announced introduction of 17 trains with dynamic pricing and it is presumed that regular services (besides rush season specials) would be offered. The details on these trains can emerge only as the new Minister takes charge, may be late in May. The premium pricing of the summer special trains seems to be an additional effort.

Recent trends in passenger traffic show a declining increase in non-suburban traffic that has depleted revenues.

A rough assessment of the patronage of these trains has been made by tracking the seats on offer and tariffs offered for an Ahmedabad- New Delhi train chosen randomly.

In the pre-season April, this train had more than 380 seats on offer even a few days prior to travel and included a premium of ` 400 per seat. It is guessed that many of these trains have not run to high load factors but the real results should await assessment after the summer rush in May and June.

With 100 % forfeiture in case of a foregone travel and only a 15 day advance booking (60 days for normal travel), the price conscious passenger has not yet taken a liking for the premium special trains on offer.

Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

3

I N CONVERSATION C ON C ER N S

Avoiding the missing management cycle Arunendra Kumar admits that IR has got used to an annual cycle when many senior executive positions, particularly zonal General Managers, remain vacant for months. The practice reached a nadir last year when unsavoury practices, used to fill in some positions, came into public scrutiny. Kumar contends that he has set in motion better procedures and few recent placements made in time are proof of changed intentions.

There are multiple reasons for these delayed postings. The first is preparation of a competent panel based on past performance reports. Reportedly this panel process will now start in December (instead of the following March-July) and, keep-

ing in view the multi-tier government clearances required, anticipatory processing will be based on expected retirements.

Delayed postings are also often related to manipulating status in favour of favoured managers. Corrections in place should go a long way in arresting the indifference visible often in railway managers.

In another development, IR has adopted a new management transfer policy that is said to remove discontent with many of the current pick and place practices, particularly for places in better urban centers.

Kumar is confident that procedures are capable of timely delivery. Recent placements have raised hopes.

Rail fractures: an overriding concern For the IR Board, periodic major accidents are a constant worry. The Chairman s initiative in organising an International Conference on Fire Safety should lead to additional corrections particularly for choice of materials used in coaches.

Kumar lists two areas that are simmering: rail fractures and instances of trains overshooting stop signals (SPAD). Rail fractures in particular can have disastrous consequences as in the passenger train derailment and capsize on the Konkan railway in late April when 19 passengers were killed. Ongoing efforts have resulted in a near 17 % drop in recorded fractures but the absolute numbers are far from reassuring (6632 in 2010, 6759 in 2011 and 6247 in 2012).

Such fractures occur on rails as well as on rail-welds. IR has an intensive programme for manual daily patrolling of tracks as a result of which most such incidents are corrected before

any disaster strikes but some spoiled food will always come out of a dirty kitchen. In addition, a rigorous regime of ultrasonic testing of rails is in force. IR is also progressively shifting away from alumino-thermic to flash-butt welding, including using mobile plants. Longer rails that reduce the number of inter-rail welds are also under manufacture in Bhilai.

However, a wide variation of fracture instances over various zones and time periods seems to indicate unaddressed root causes. Amongst the major zones with substantial freight traffic, last FY data shows variations from around 200 in one zone to more than 1000 in another. Variations in local practices in recording such events are prevalent and a comparative assessment can be wide off the realities.

Clearly, the kitchen needs a thorough cleaning.

The original Munna Bhai Act In a rare moment when one could discern some dis-satisfaction, Kumar recalled the occasion when he met the then CRB for a posting. He felt sad when he got a hearing but certainly not attention. Kumar, however, lauds the camaraderie that exists among IR managers, hoping that good practices of the past can be spread to younger managers. We learnt of what the past was like from a casual conversation with a retired CRB. KC Jena (CRB, 2007-08) was on his first posting in Kharagpur when MS Gujral, the Chief of Operations on the zone, decided to visit him for a look at Jena s paintings. Recounts Jena ... my home was a bare bones affair , with little furniture and no

4 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

curtains, normal for a young man on his first railway posting. KK Misra , few years his senior and posted in the Stores Cadre, came in to help me as he moved all his furniture, crockery and curtains in a truck and laid out a proper house for me. All within a few hours. I wonder if Gujral was impressed by the speed with which I had acquired proper stuff so soon after my first posting .

Bollywood buffs will recognise this as the precursor to the much acclaimed Dr. Munna Bhai script.

I N CO N V E RS AT I O N PR O J E C T S

A hunger for project speed It is well known that the IR project book is a long list of partially funded works, with uncertain execution times.

The list is stretched every year and has very flexible priorities. It is often said that at the current rate of funding and execution, these works can stretch to 40 years. The IR Board has struggled to fast pace projects that can enhance train capacities in bottleneck areas but hard results are difficult to see.

Kumar points out that he and other Board members have prioritised 30 of these projects that can add capacity significantly. However, actual funding even for the current FY is held up due to the adjournment of the year s government budgeting process. The 30 identified works include projects in various stages from start up to those nearing finish: l

Additional (second /third line) track capacity : Ajni Wardha, Daund Gulbarga, Garwa Road Ramna (ECR), Hajipur Ramdayalu Nagar, Jharsuguda Rengali, Sukhinda Jajpur, Khurda Road-Barang-Rajatpur, Sainthia Muraroi (ER), Tinpahar Kahalgaon, Utretia Zafrabad , Kazipet Vijaywada, Sini Adityapur (SER), Goelkera Manoharpur, Bilaspur Anuppur, Champa, Jharsuguda, Chikjajur Arsikera (SWR), Bina Bhopal and Udhna Jalgaon.

l

Signalling : Automatic signalling in Kanpur Mughalsarai, upgrade to Standard III interlocking in RewariHisar + Bhiwani-Rohtak + Suratgarh-Bhatinda.

l

Electrification : Madurai Nagercoil, Siwan Gorakhpur Barabanki.

As per partial information available, these projects require funding of around ` 2000 Cr in this FY. Considering that

the IR budget will probably get parliamentary approval only in July, the pace of execution cannot be much better than in past few years. The IR Board has a positive outlook on these projects but has not been yet able to ensure tilldone financial support and the annual funding flexibility erodes project pace. Kumar and his team are aware and, at best, trying.

Private funding

A key element of future network expansion is the ability to inject private funding that includes from some of cash rich PSUs. Such funding is for infrastructure works, terminals and capacity expansions, particularly when connecting ports and mining areas.

The IR Board has been able to grant recent approvals for nearly ` 900 Cr worth projects that will enhance sector capacities. G Pillai, Adviser Infrastructure adds,' in its Dec. 2012 policies, IR has announced five models for private investment: non-government railway, joint ventures, build-operate-transfer (BOT), customer funding and BOT-annuity models.

In principle approval for 9 projects likely to cost ` 9,000Cr has been granted. During the last FY, investment of ` 902 Cr was received from NTPC under customer funding model for projects involving doubling, gauge conversion, flyover and electrification: Stake holder

Funding

` Cr

Gauge conversion

Blagona- Katwa (ER)

112

Flyover and third line

Bhaktiarpur (ECR)

250

Track doubling

Hotgi-Kudgi (SWR)

400

Electrification

Manpur- Bhaktiarpur (ECR)

140

Changes at the top Radhey Shyam has moved from his earlier position in Chittaranjan Loco Works (and Kolkata Metro) to General Manager, South Eastern Railway, Kolkata.

R K Gupta, now General Manager, Eastern Railway, Kolkata will continue to look after the Dedicated Freight Corp. till a successor is appointed. Gupta s earlier positions have included Chief Administrative Officer (Construction).

V K Gupta has replaced SK Jain (retired in April) as Member Engineering in IR Board. A graduate in Civil Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, Gupta was General Manager, Northern Railway. Earlier key positions include Secretary to the Board, Advisor, Land & Amenities, Divisional Railway Manager, Ferozepur and Chief Engineer (Construction), Northern Railway.

Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

5

I N CONVERSATION R EMIN ISC EN C E

Railwayman by accident, luckily for IR

When friendship ruled : (L to R) A K Verma, G S Swaroop, Sumit Sinha, Arunendra Kumar, Jyoti Kumar, K K Atal and Rajiv Chandra in batch photograph. Photo courtesy Director, IRIMEE, Jamalpur

IR owes a debt to HL Dutt, Principal in the 1960-70s in the well known Kolvin College, Lucknow that it can never pay. In Oct. 1970, Dutt recognised merit in a young Arunendra and asked him to fill in a form for admission to an institute the young lad had never heard about.

Arunendra Kumar, now Chairman, IR Board recounts that he was in awe of his principal and promptly pencilled in his particulars in the form for examination leading to the Special Class Apprentice programme of the IR that is based in its training institute in Jamalpur. The onus for checking was for Dutt who convinced his young charge to travel to Allahabad for the tests.

The option was certainly not welcomed by Arunendra s father whose dreams for his son were for a career in the Indian Civil services. The typical middle class living had its financial limitations and one of the best gifts that he got was a new copy of Looney s Trigonometry, a standard must have' text book in those decades in India . In later years, he learnt to be guided by the basics, re-reading Dale Carnegie quite a few times.

Arunendra recounts that his father, in an effort to appease Dutt, reluctantly agreed to the option and even permitted travel by the cushioned sets classes instead of the standard (then) third class that had bare wooden seats. Having cleared the exams with excellent scores, Arunendra felt the pinch of his father having to pay ` 200 for a 10 day coaching class for the interview. The admission call for Jamalpur was a cause for a lot of discussions at home and ultimately Arunendra s father sought the counsel of the Divisional Commissioner in Moradabad. The response of the government official was unusual and clinched the argument Jawahar Lal Nehru s clothes used to go to Paris for laundry. If you join Jamalpur, at least you can go to Calcutta for shopping! Sometimes seemingly petty arguments override rational decisions.

Jamalpur was not a happy starting experience the senior batches were prone to continue the ragging exercises' for months. As he looks back, Kumar recounts that he fled home some six months later , not able to stand the rigour.

The academics were not interesting and engineering drawing left him initially perplexed. Coaxed back, he 6 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

settled down in few months, getting into the active mode in his second year of apprenticeship and even excelling in academics.

Over his career a few persons have naturally left deep imprints with their support and methods. He readily mentions Godbole, his boss in the Abu Road Diesel Shed, who would go out of his way in making the young family comfortable. The management style of KP Singh was impressive particularly for his effective delegation and guidance, without any effort at micro-management. Naturally all was not roses and a boss (let us say GK) in the Ratlam diesel shed felt jealous and went out of his way to cause discomfiture when Arunendra was nominated for a 12 week training course abroad .In later years , Inder Gandhi in RITES and some others were equally supportive.

The chat veered round to values that the younger generation has. The mentoring and the camaraderie that the trainees in Jamalpur learnt had its downside too. The spirit of competition imbibed in the apprentices often led to cut throat practices which carried further in the career caused lot of in-service problems. The mentoring efforts from those days cannot be replicated now when the younger officers tend to stay differently, rather cocooned.

Arunendra recounts, with some sadness, but without any rancour I had to wait for three months for a posting after my tenure as Divisional Manager in Mumbai. When I finally got to see the then Chairman, he could not even get eye contact, or a direction to take a seat and listen to my request was farthest . But he did not lose his motivation. Later on, KC Jena, CRB picked him as his Executive Director for Coordination. For Arunendra, that experience has been priceless as he learnt the Railway Board culture and its procedural labyrinths.

The simple things in life are the most cherished in Arunendra s life, as he looks forward to his post IR life (he retires in Dec.) No wonder, he would like to be known by his sincerity in whatever I did and by my truthfulness .

I R FRE I GHT S EC R

South East Central leader in freight South East Central Railway (SECR), carved out of South Eastern Railway, consists of the erstwhile Bilaspur, Nagpur and Raipur Divisions. The zone is the leader in total freight loading, a position that is within reach now for the Bhubaneshwar based East Coast Railway.

From 83 mt in 2003, SECR first achieved the 150 mt milestone in 2011-12. In terms of share, SECR has been consistently contributing around 15% of the total IR originating loading, being the only zone with > 150 mt loading continuously in the previous 3 FYs. Year

MT

% of IR

2011-12

150.7

15.5

2012.13

150.6

15.0

2013-14

150.5

14.3

Coal is the mainstay accounting for > 75% of total dispatch, cement being a distant second at less than 10%.

COMMODITY Coal

2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 112.5

114.4

113.2

Raw materials for steel

1.3

1.4

2.4

PIFS

7.10

6.9

6.4

Iron Ore

7.9

8.0

7.4

Cement

14.4

13.7

14.6

Food Grains

2.6

2.8

3.0

Container Service

0.4

0.4

0.5

Balance other Goods

4.5

3.8

2.9

Slump in Coal Loading

As a general trend, loading in the second half of the FY exceeds that of first half, in view of the increased level of productivity all around. FY 2013-14, however, has been a difficult time for SECR in view of sluggish demand till September 2013 for cement, steel and coal (from CIC area of South Eastern Coal Fields). Requirement from the private coal washeries also slumped to 8 rakes from the earlier 15 rakes per day. There was thus a heavier dependency on the remaining months to increase loading activity.

SECR got a jolt in Jan 14 when it was known that the incremental loading in SECL (Korba) and Mahanadi Coal Fields (MCL) was not likely to materialise as clearances from MOEF for the expansion projects were still to be obtained. There was a further scare when two major coal sidings New and Old Kusumunda, together accounting for 10 to 11 rakes per day in Korba area, stopped loading for 9 days in Feb. 14 due to closure of mining activities. The situation was aggravated when MCL s Lakhanpur and Belpahar mines gradually tapered off production from January and finally stopped loading coal from Feb. 28, 2014 from the 3 Railway sidings of Belpahar area. There was no loading at these sidings for March where normally 12 to 13 rakes were loaded per day in the

peak period. There was now a real danger not only of missing the targets, may be even slumping beneath the threshold 150 mt.

Change in Focus

It was now time for SECR to rethink strategies and relocate the resources particularly for utilisation of the closed circuit (CC) BOXN and BOBRN wagon rakes. After some brainstorming discussions, measures identified for implementation: l

BOBR loading to be increased in the goods sheds for non-linked coal.

l

BOXN to be loaded heavily with raw materials to steel plants at Dadhapara, Belha and Baraduar terminals.

l

BOXN Fleet augmented for loading in cement industry, both in clinker and bagged cement category.

l

Engine-on-load system was adopted in the cement sidings also to achieve faster turnaround.

l

Reduced BOXN wagon holding on the zone , providing better mobility

l

Supervisors were stationed at crucial locations to monitor movement, particularly cross movement on main line where sidings are on both sides of trunk route.

l

After discussions with Private Freight Terminal operators, local coal movement from Korba field to Raipur area was diverted from road to rail.

Emphasis on productivity

2013-14 has also yielded better results qualitatively Parameter Previous FY 2013-14 Net ton-km/wagon day 7422 8624 Wagon km per day 197 212 Avg. net train load (t) 1978 2091 Load receipt (vehicles/day) 2079 2301 Internal Release (N-Box+ BOBRN, rakes/day) 48.8 52.9 Terminal detention (in hrs) Loading 16:45 14:13 Unloading 19:31 19:03 Wagon turn round (days) 2.27 2.28 Electric loco utilisation (km) 490.1 512.7 Diesel loco (km) 421.0 459.7 Km/engine day in use Goods Diesel 168.0 194.0 Electric 354.0 374.0 Ineffective % age Diesel Locos 13.2 9.9 Electric Locos 7.9 8.8 Wagons

2.2

1.9

Navin Tandon General Manager South East Central Railway, Bilaspur

B K Joshi Chief Operations Manager

Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

7

I R F R EIGHT SER It is a matter of satisfaction that the customers particularly the cement industries rose to the occasion and the loss in loading of coal was substantially made good by increased loading in cement and clinker in the final quarter of 2013-14.

During this period the contribution

of coal in the overall loading came down to 73% but cement (11%) and other goods (3%) went up and finally SECR crossed 150 mt for the 3rd consecutive year.

Marching ahead

For 2014-15, discussions have already been held with major customers like

Coal companies, Manganese Ore India and cement manufacturers to enhance freight.

Navin Tandon, General Manager adds, Our customers are upbeat and potential for an incremental growth of at least 10 mt seems within reach, and SECR is all poised to keep its pole position.

The freight march on the South Eastern

captive mines in Chakradharpur and enhanced dispatch

by Jindal Steel and Power from their pellet plant. Loading on account of SAIL has been rather constant. Merchant mine loading did look up in last quarter but, overall, closure of some sidings affected dispatch.

Coal ex Haldia port saw a marginal growth only due to drop in lesser loading of imported non-coking coal. The Haldia riverine port, upstream on the Hooghly, has a lower draft problem as has been impacted by improvement in loading at the newer Dhamra sea port, 75 nautical miles away along the East Coast. Loading from steel plants has looked up, with support of slag loading for cement plants.

The South Eastern Freight Team: (Sitting) S K Das, Chief Commercial Manager, P Sahai, Additional General Manager, Radhey Shyam, General Manager and G Mohanty, Chief Operations Manager.

South Eastern Railway (SER) has recorded a net increase of 9.72 mt over previous year to achieve this best ever performance. It is remarkable that during the year no commodity in the basket registered a negative growth.

SER has undergone a metamorphosis in its role since the undivided days (when new zones in Bilaspur and Bhubaneshwar were carved out). Not only do we continue to be a major loading railway, we also regularly help our sibling zones in their freight loading by supplementing empty BOXN and BOBR rakes; to East Coast at Badrak on the Eastern mainline and Jaruli on the Dongaposi link and to South East Central at Jharsuguda on the Kharagpur-Nagpur mainline.

SER freight business is single-commodity, single-division centric as it is dominated by iron ore originating in Chakradharpur division. In last FY, SER clocked 134.28mt, to which iron ore contributed 74.56 mt, an increase of 7.15 mt over previous FY. With this, we even crossed the revised target of 134 mt and, of course, the 124.61 mt in 12-13. The increase in ore loading is primarily due to increase in ore loading to Tata Steel from their

Key capacity addition in 2014-15 l l

Lohardaga-Tori new line , that connects Ranchi to the CIC (EC Railway) line Third lines in Rajkharsawan-Sini , Manoharpur-Poseita and Kharagpur-Shyamchak

8 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

For the current FY, SER has set a tougher target of 144mt.

The main driver of growth will continue to be iron ore from Chakradharpur. This optimism stems from Tata Steel, which needs to meet its demand for both Jamshedpur and the upcoming 6 mtpa, Kalinganagar plant (near Dhubri, Orissa). Further incremental load will accrue from Jindal Steel JSPL loading for its unit near Angul.

SAIL is also optimistic for its ore dispatch to their plants.

On the coal front, the zone does not expect for growth as Haldia draft continues to be a dampener. Bharat Coking Coal BCCL, the major domestic coal company loading washed coking and non-coking coal, has not given a healthy growth forecast. SER is expecting balance increment from cement and clinker, finished steel and slag, oil products, containers and other goods.

Two key innovations that helped cruise happily: l

Introduction of push-pull system in ore circuit between the Noamundi and Joda mines sector and Tata Steel plant at Jamshedpur, wherein the loco and the rake remain married and move in mostly in a merrygo-round close circuit. This has helped in reducing turn round and net saving of rakes by bringing about synergy between operational disciplines and mechanised loading & unloading process.

l

The up direction Saranda tunnel (on the Rourkela mainline) was made fit for A class over-dimensioned stock movement by removing limitation on overhead catenary that has been continuing since electrification 52 years ago. With this, BOBR rakes can now pass through up tunnel without having to wait for routing through the down direction tunnel. A key consequence has been the stepped up supply of BOBR (hopper wagon) rakes to the adjoining Bilaspur area.

M A I NTENANCE IR WOR K SHOP S

IR Workshops the maintenance backbone

The old, some very old, give way to the new: (L) A standard 8 wheel steam engine takes on its wheels in the loco erection shop in Jamalpur ( ca 1900s); (R) A 4500 hp EMD class 16 cylinder diesel engine comes to shape in Diesel Loco Works, Varanasi.

Alok Johri Member Mechanical IR Board

IR owns and maintains more than 50,000 coaches, 9,000 diesel & electric locomotives and 2,00,000 wagons. Adequate planning and execution for maintenance to keep the stock in good running fettle is a challenging and daunting task. At the core of this maintenance effort are the 45 workshops spread across the network. With time, these workshops are evolving to adopt newer technologies and product mixes.

volumetric capacity to 76 cum. The high tensile steel IS 2062 E 450 barrel also takes up buffing and tractive forces.

GOC has also carved out a niche for itself with regular manufacture of container wagons ( BLCs) , mainly against the requirements posed by CONCOR and other container operators, having so far completed orders for 3820 BLC/BLL wagons worth ` 850 Cr.

These workshops are a veritable storehouse of skills in technical crafts, collectively employing around 1,40,100 artisans, supervisors, engineers and support staff. Many of these workshops owe their origins to the regional networks that proliferated in the 19th century and catered to the limited needs of the parent company. Often these handled all types of stock in limited numbers, with limited spares manufacture too. Some locations like Jamalpur, Kharagpur and Lucknow grew into multi-facility majors.

Manufacture of X class steam locomotives for the UNESCO Heritage Nilgiri Mountain Railway is another achievement that needs special mention. These 900 hp locos have two special features: air valves for a dynamic brake effect and cogwheels that engage on a toothed rack in the center of the track. The more than 60 years old locos from SLM Switzerland were in a dilapidated condition, forcing IR to rediscover skills and vendors for manufacture of four new locomotives, even while retaining their heritage character. In-house manufacture of over 3000 components was a major challenge and with the dedication and team effort of the workshop staff, four steam horses are now under usage.

Over the last few decades, many of the erstwhile narrow and meter gauge facilities have been converted to serve the local BG stock needs. It is no wonder that these workshops range from a tiny Tindharia (that serves the Himalayan toy train) with 92 staff to mega locations like Kanchrapara with 10474 employees, Kharagpur with 10211 and Jamalpur with 9099. Little known to most is that most of the workshops are also engaged in manufacturing activities apart from undertaking periodic overhaul of all types of rolling stock. The manufacture is not restricted to maintenance spares but includes major items like bogie frames, wagons, narrow gauge coaches and diesel locomotives, meter gauge steam locomotives, 140 t rail borne cranes, broad gauge coaches for multiple layouts and diesel electric locomotives including for nonIR customers. These workshops have an annual budget that crosses ` 9,000 Cr. Impressive product profile

A few examples of standout performance show the depth and range of these efforts: in wagon manufacturing, Golden Rock Workshop (GOC, Southern Railway) is the first unit to manufacture prototypes of new generation frameless tank wagons whose series production is now under process. The main feature of this wagon is a tank between bolsters (without underframe), increasing the 10 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

Lone steam loco manufacturer

Activity

Locations

Coach overhaul

30, spread all over the network

Diesel loco overhauls

Parel (Mumbai), Jamalpur, Charbagh Lucknow, Izzatnagar ( Bareilly), Ajmer, Perambur Chennai, Golden Rock, Kharagpur and Nagpur (for narrow gauge)

Electric loco overhauls

Kanchrapara, Charbagh, Perambur, Kharagpur

Wagon overhauls Coach midlife rehabilitation

Bhopal and (under construction) Jhansi

Spring manufacture

Sithouli ( Gwalior)

New wagon manufacture

Golden Rock, Samastipur and Amritsar.

MAI N T E N AN CE I R WO R K S H O P S in the coach interiors get a complete face-lift.

IR workhorse wagons for bulk traffic BOXN, when loaded to 23 t axle load ( CC+8+2 ) is cleared for run up to 60 kph at load and 80 kph on empty runs.

A retrofit to 75 kph in load and 100 kph in empty mode involves provision of bogie mounted rigging and twin pipe brakes. The first of these BOXNHAM wagons moved out form Jhansi workshops in May 2012. Initially 1000 wagons were to be converted, split between Jhansi (600) and Kota (400).

For the less known NG cousins

Wagon improvements

Another first was the BOXNHAM wagon version turned out by Jhansi workshop and 8 such rakes have been turned out so far. Fitted with bogie mounted brake cylinder, twin pipe air brake system, automatic pressure modification (APM) device and spring loaded side bearers, these heavier load wagons are fit to run at 75 in loaded and 100 kph in empty condition. Jhansi Workshop is also a pioneer shop in maintenance of approx.

900 special purpose military wagons, and the workshop takes major share of the periodic overhaul load.

Onwards to manufacture

Parel Workshop (Mumbai, Central Railway) has manufactured the upgraded 1350 hp WDS6 locomotives for IR and customers like Steel and Power plants. These locos now have features like microprocessor based control system, fuel-efficient engine, higher capacity turbocharger, microcontroller based governor, ergonomic driving consoles and strengthened chassis, introduced according to customer needs.

IR workshops have contributed immensely in improving coach condition specially the interiors by periodic refurbishment. With enhanced inputs like complete replacement of flooring, panels, seats and berth-covers, refurbishment of toilets is being undertaken in an integrated manner on selected coaches to provide better aesthetics for passengers.

Refurbished Coach

Selected coaches are also taken for mid-life rehabilitation (MLR) wherein 12-15 year old coaches undergo extensive corrosion repairs at Bhopal and Parel Workshops. During MLR, the running gears consisting of bogie frame, springs etc. are subject to thorough cleaning, repair/replacement and testing of each and every component. In addition to renewing the structurals, the passenger amenities

For the first time in India, Parel has also developed a Driver Vigilance Control Device for narrow gauge (NG) diesel locomotive application.

The development involved extensive customization by redesigning circuits, providing multiple pressure switches, booster for 24V operation and transmission selector. Upgrade of NG coaches for the Neral-Matheran section was taken up by Kurduwadi (Central Railway). Under a mission area to provide better amenities to tourists, the upgraded features include ergonomic and comfortable seating, wider windows and doors, aesthetically appealing panelling, energy efficient lights and mobile charging points.

In our pursuit towards a cleaner environment, fitment of zero-bioload toilets on coaches has been taken as a mission and retrofitments during overhauls is adding to coach ambience.

Realigning to needs

Conversion of most meter and narrow gauge tarcks to the broad gauge and transition from steam locos have caused major changes in many of these units in last few decades. The erstwhile steam loco overhaul facilities at major workshops like Jamalpur,

Kharagpur, Parel , Dahod , Permabur etc. have successfully transitioned to diesel and electric loco attention . At the same time, MG and NG workshops have been repositioned to handle BG coaches and wagons. A typical story is that of Bhavnagar: from a doit-all meter gauge unit, it is now a fast developing BG coach unit that can handle an impressive 50 coaches a month. All the foundries have been closed . Parel has been repositioned for diesel loco assembly and Jamalpur can now manufacture 140 t breakdown cranes and stainless steel wagons.

Time tested preventive maintenance strategies have enabled providing a safer, reliable and comfortable mode of transport. Without the crucial back end support that workshops provide, it would not be possible to keep the IR wheels turning smoothly.

IR also owns stock manufacturing Production units .

Unit

Core activity

Key output in last FY

Chittaranjan

Electric locos, traction motors, steel castings

250 electric locos

Diesel Loco Works, Varanasi

Diesel locos

300

Integral Coach Factory, BG coaches, electric Chennai and diesel multiple units 1598 Coach Factory, Kapurthala

BG coaches and electric multiple units 1579

Diesel Modernisation Works, Patiala

Loco rebuilding and manufacture, key spare parts

Rebuilds:69 new manufacture: 75

Rail Wheel Factory, Bangaluru

Wheels and axles

1 95 000 wheels, 103270 axles (incl from outsourcing)

Two major facilities under construction: Coach Factory in Rae Bareilly and Cast Wheel Plant in Chapra Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

11

S A F E T Y INTERN ATIONAL C ON FER EN C E

For fire safety on coaches, learn F.I.R.S.T. Two major fire accidents took place in December 2013 and Jan. 2014 leading to many casualties. These have served as a grim reminder of how far we are yet to go in providing complete measures for passenger safety. We can ill afford to be complacent saying that only 2% of the total accidents over IR can be attributed to fire on trains or that we contribute a miniscule to around 25,000 casualties per annum nationwide on account of fires. Despite the rarity of fire accidents, the serious repercussions once an accident takes place give out a clarion call for more action.

We are conscious of the gap between the demands of the passengers and the services we provide them. The gaps exist on account of rapid growth in demand quality & quantity, resource crunch, technology gaps and implementation in a massive network.

Fire once developed fully in a railway vehicle is difficult to control in normal circumstances due to passenger belongings and furnishing materials, non-availability of high capacity fire extinguishers in AC coaches and their non-availability in non-AC coaches and fresh air ingress. Alok Johri, Member Mechanical, IR Board in address to the international conference.

Many new technologies and standards are evolving worldwide e.g., EN 45545 has been developed and looks at the fire safety in coaches from a systems perspective. IR is now in the midst of reviewing its fire safety standard and hosted an International Conference on Emerging Fire Protection Technologies for Rolling stock in late April (through the Institute of Rolling stock Engineers and the IR Mechanical Engineers Association, IRSMEA).

Arunendra Kumar, Chairman, IR Board highlighted that a multipronged effort at reducing initiation and spread of on-board fires and containing after effects is in hand.

In a first in India, fire detection equipment has been installed in the Jammu- Delhi Rajdhani Express stock and thus far it has detected three potential hazards. With a satisfactory performance so far, the IR Board has decided to extend the trial to 20 more rakes.

Such installations require rake integrity over a long period and inter-coach communications network that is feasible only on the LHB type stock. The technologies involved were sketched by Dr P Miekle of Extralis Australia. Key elements involve use of multi-function sensors and resident software for detection and control. Sidwal, the Indian major for HVAC systems, has also been associated with this trial development.

IR has already introduced fire retardant and their requirements in its coach internal materials specifications and hopes to tighten the standards on the basis of inputs from this conference. Evacuation procedures and drills are also been looked at; e.g. the compartment door in AC coaches is being converted to bi-directional opening to facilitate easier evacuation in case of a hazard.

IR has long back introduced the test of flammability in furnishing materials, based on International /UIC norms of fire retardation. They are much more stringent than the specifications governing similar products available commercially and used in buses, cars and public places.

The EN type standards have been replicated in all major systems. Of particular interest is the part 2 of the standard that lays out detailed tests for coach materials. These go under the acronym FIRST, that stand for fire retardation, inflammability, heat release, smoke and toxicity: l

Flammability (self-extinguishing feature) Resistance to spread of flame , to ensure that the material does not ignite when exposed to a small flame and even if it ignites under a stronger flame the flame propagation is slow and it extinguishes when the flame is withdrawn.

l

Ignitability, Limiting Oxygen Index to restrict the percentage of Oxygen in which the material will burn continuously IR specifies a minimum of 28 % (ambient air 21%).

l

Heat Release

l

Smoke visibility deterioration

l

Toxicity Index to restrict toxic fumes/gases emitted for a specified period.

Furnishing material, including for cushioned seats and berths, is a prime focus.

BS 6853

NF F 16-101

FAR Pt 238

TB 3237

EN 45545-2

Improvements already implemented are:

DIN 5510

An international overview

Flame Spread

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

l

Ignitability

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

Tweaking the standards

Rate of heat release

no

yes

no

yes

no

yes

Smoke density

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

Toxicity of fumes

yes

yes

yes

no

yes

yes

F.I.R.S.T. Parameter

12 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

l

Emergency exits 4 in each coach

l

Inter-communication doors Fire extinguishers in all manned coaches

Research on products and other aspects of train fires dating back to 1990s laid the basis of Europe wide adoption of EN standard. A group is already working to define changes that should be implemented from 2018, a reflection on the rapid

S AFE T Y F I R E

Getting together for a future cause, the IR top brass at the Conference: (L to R) Rakesh Vatash, Arvind Khare, Additional Members (AM), Rakesh Mishra, General Manager, Southern Railway, Debi P Pande, Member Traffic, Alok Johri, Member Mechanical, Arunendra Kumar, Chairman, MZ Ansari and KBL Mittal, ex General Managers, Hemant Kumar, General Manager, Western Railway and BP Khare , General Manager, Diesel Loco Works.

development of material sciences and commercial availability at controlled costsÂ…. Dr. J Radzisewska-Wolinska, Railway Institute, Poland The EN route identifies 3 hazard levels in stock based on location; briefly Level 1 applies to light rail situations like trams, level 2 covers most mainline trains and Level 3 applies to tunnels etc. where evacuation is extremely restricted. Across the Atlantic, the corresponding standards are similar but depend on a much smaller flame size for product testing.

IR has so far not adopted a fire safety standard like the EN 45545 even though some key elements have been incorporated into specifications. In his comments at the Conference, KK Bajpayee, Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (a statutory position) stressed the need for adoption.

EU has mandated adoption of the EN standard from 2016 and IR could also set itself a timeline for adoption of various facets of the standard. It is of interest that China has issued Standard but decided not to enforce the toxicity standard yet.

IR has conducted audits on actual practices but no results were forthcoming in the conference.

An adverse feature of the conference

was the absence of any presentation

by IR experts on actual material applications and the experience so far.

Different initiatives

A key element of the evolving technology is to simulate the initiation and growth of fires within a coach.

Design elements progressively incorporated include fire protection barriers for reducing inter-compartment spread.

In AC coaches, an immediate requirement is to turn off air circulation in case of a detected fire. In a contrary trail in a Korean Metro coach, Knorr Australia has experimented with smoke evacuation procedures that will reduce toxicity effects on effected passengers.

Special material on offer for such barriers provides a thick insulating layer in case of fire. Protective paint layers can provide intumescences, a process of material bloating that insulates a barrier...

T Ramakrishnan, Ashland India.

Use of special terminal sleeves to reduce chances of electrical induced fires is being pioneered by Federal Mogul that offers different material combinations.

Thermal imaging

A growing application concerns thermal imaging that can highlight sectional temperatures and the intelli-

gent associated software can even pinpoint the assembly responsible. IR has supported such field trials in Pune

by Storage DNA (USA and India) Typical normal temperature measurements on IR stock are: wheel brakes < 12OC, hot wheel: 10OC axle box: < 80OC, battery box: 80OC. T Chakravarty, CEO. Various synthetics used include polyesters, urethanes and silicones. Fire retardation is added by specific additives that can add to the costs. One expert opined that such additives should add say 10% to the costs but initial IR experience with quoted costs has been adverse (multifold costs were indicated). Apparently there is a need for IR to get into the technology and control costs. It does appear that at the current quoted prices, the

Duct Light fixture/diffuser

Ceiling panel

Doorway ceiling

Side berths

Side wall panel

Linen closet

Window

Fixtures

Partition wall Interior door

Side table Berth

Toilet cladding

A typical railway coach has many fire hazards. Special materials to varying needs and specifications are required to provide active and passive safety.

Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

13

S A F E TY FIRE

Care for the future : K K Bajpayee, Chief Commissioner, Railway Safety, P K Srivastava, Director General, RDSO, D P Pande, Member Traffic IR Board and Alok Johri, Member Mechanical, IR Board addressing common concerns in the conference.

Phases in the development of a fire

temperature

Escape unlikely Fire extinguishing and escape possible

fully developed fire: all flammable items in the room are ignited

material science involved to be able to develop a cost effective and practical application. In a typical situation, the heat release can range from 220 to 1500 KW. Key issues: l

Flame retardants are generally added to (compounded into) polymers at levels varying from ~ 0.5% to ~ 12%.

l

FRP suppliers to Indian market are Nalco, Hindalco, Albemarle, Chemtura, Dai lchi Karkaria, BASF, Chinese imports and others.

l

Unit FR costs vary from ` 100 to ` 500/kg, depending on FRP type and base polymer.

l

Adds between 1 to 10% to total polymer costs.

start of fire: one item is ignited, fire develops in that item, firespreads to nearby items

0 start of fire

time

flash over

introduction of such materials will be restricted to trial applications only.

Retardant additives are of seven main types, with more than 150 combinations available commercially. Broadly these fall into additive, reactive and polymeric types. Some applications

have been demonstrated to increase escape time in case of a fire from a mere 2 minutes to more than 30, reducing all consequential effects and loss of life. In a short chat , Murali Mohan of the Flame Retardants Association of India emphasized that IR experts need to get into basics of

Media review A good effort in sharing technology

The construction organisation executing the Kashmir links has introduced a useful technical magazine HIMPRABHAT that contains useful material on the impressive construction work in hand.

The Udhampur Â&#x2013;Banihal Â&#x2013;Srinagar rail link is a dream project, full of challenges particularly due to difficult geography and varying geological terrain.

This publication is noteworthy as no other unit on IR issues anything similar in content.

Edited by Mohit Sinha, Financial Adviser, the magazine provides a good insight into the technologies used for the project.

Of particular interest are the Chenab Bridge and the now operational 12 km long Qazigund-Banihal (on the way to

14 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

Srinagar) tunnel project. The Feb. 2014 issue includes impressive content on ballastless track design, forced ventilation, geological design method on the Banihal tunnel, self climbing crane for the Chenab Bridge, cavity formation and rectification in the Dharam-Banihal tunnel. The creative editing is by S Maurya, Dy Chief Engineer.

Sample this

The presence of tunnels on either end of Sangaldan yard warranted wider section to accommodate loop lines within the tunnel. The work of wider section of tunnel was taken up by conventional tunnelling method. This is the first time that a two track wide section tunnel has been executed for the Kashmir project.

The maximum depth of cutting at certain locations on uphill side of the yard ranges up to 55 m. At two ends of the yard, loop lines enter into tunnels which necessitate wider section of the tunnels to accommodate double lines. The rock cover over the portal is about 19 m increasing to 37 m.

aob {dH$mg {ZJ {b{ Q>So >

Building railway infrastructure for the future

New Tracks & Bridges Railway Electrification Electronic Signalling Railway Workshops Metro Rail High Speed Projects

A decade of success Physical completion of projects (till December 2013, in km) Gauge conversion New Lines

1591 194

Doubling / 3rd / 4 Line

1289

Railway Electrification

1914

Railway Workshop

aob {dH$mg {ZJ {b{ Q>So >

2

1st. Floor, August Kranti Bhawan Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi 110 066 Tel: +91 11 2673 8299, Fax: +91 11 2618 2957

www.rvnl.org

S E MI H I GH S PE E D S I GN A L L I N G

Lower cost signalling alternative for 200 kph trains on existing tracks An appropriate signalling system including Automatic Train Protection (ATP) is essential to 200 kph train running. Automatic Train Control (ATC) and European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 are well-known worldwide as signalling systems for high speed trains.

ATC has been used for Japanese and Taiwanese Shinkansen and ETCS Level 2 has been used for high speed trains in European countries. High speed train running on the existing lines cannot avoid mixed operation with local and freight trains and a suitable signalling system is required for all types of trains for safe train operation management.

IR s Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) Roll out Plan includes plans to deploy TPWS first on its Automatic Block Signalling Sections followed on other high density routes. TPWS is an ATP system based on ETCS Level 1 and customized for IR. With the Roll out Plan, TPWS will be introduced on existing lines and trains run under its cover. For safety, all types of trains, not limited to high speed trains, are expected to run under ATP protection. Every newly constructed line should have an ATP system for safety from the beginning because of lower cost and easier installation than that of systemupgrade. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan will ensure that Western DFC will have TPWS from the beginning.

balise

G

G

YY

In IR s 4-aspect signalling with approximately 1 km of block length, MA is 0 m for R-aspect, 1 km for Yellow(Y)aspect, 2 km for Double Yellow (YY)-aspect, and 3 km for Green (G)-aspect. The maximum value of MA is 3 km speed curve TPWS on-board equipment has functions to monitor the

R

1 km

LEU Target Distance 5 km

Target Distance 4 km

Target Distance 3 km

Target Distance

MA = Movement Authority

Service Brake Decceleration Targeted Speed

balise

200 kmph G G

G

YY

Y

R

1 km

LEU

Required clear sections 5

}

MA - 4 km MA - 5 km

Required MA

Required clear section for 200 kmph train running

Service Brake Decceleration Permitted Speed

200kmph 200 kmph G

balise

195 kmph G YY

Y

R

1 km

LEU

Release speed (30 kmph)

Overlap

3.2 km

Overview of TPWS

TPWS encompasses functions to supervise speed and apply brake at an appropriate point so that a running train can stop at any red-aspect signal. TPWS line-side Electronic Unit (LEU) transmits Movement Authority (MA), the distance to the Red(R)-aspect signal, to TPWS onboard equipment through a ground mounted balise. The on-board equipment in turn creates the permitted speed curve using received MA and the braking performance of the rolling-stock.

Y

}

For high speed train running on an existing line with TPWS, introduction of ATC or ETCS Level 2 on all existing lines can be a solution. However, it will entail a huge cost and long construction time and face difficult tasks such in creation of interface with old relay interlocking. Therefore, a low-cost signalling solution for 200 kph train running, which utilizes TPWS and the existing signalling system, proposed in a study by Japanese experts, focuses on the ATP solution and introduces other required items for 200 kph train running on existing lines.

G

3.4 km 200 kmph permitted speed curve for the proposed rolling stock

Permitted speed curve G

balise

LEU

YY

Y

R

MA (R-aspect = 0 m) MA (Y-aspect = 1 km) MA (YY-aspect = 2 km) MA (G-aspect = 3 km) Movement Authority for 4-aspect signalling

Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

17

S E M I HIGH SPEE D SIG NAL LIN G train speed, issue warning and for braking: l

Up to 5 kph: Intermittent warning

l

Up to 10 kph : Continuous warning & service brake

l

Above 10 kph : Continuous warning & emergency brake

For service brake to be applied at an appropriate point, the permitted speed curve is to be set 5 kph below the Service Brake Deceleration (SBD) curve, which indicates the maximum speed and allows a train to stop at any R-aspect signal. Data for the SBD curve is to be provided by the rolling stock supplier. Since the braking distance gets longer as the speed of a train increases, an appropriate permitted speed curve which enables 200 kph train running has to be created.

Braking performance of Shinkansen-based rolling stock (in km) Speed in kph

100

130

160

200

Service braking distance

0.75

1.3

2.0

3.2

Emergency braking distance

0.55

0.9

1.35 2.2

200 kph permitted speed curve

Japanese-Shinkansen based rolling stock is expected to have the braking performance with 3.2 km service braking distance and 2.2 km emergency braking distances from a speed of 200 kph. The calculation method covers all the external and environmental factors such as wet rail and wear of wheels, a method that has been proven to Japanese signalling systems.

Considering that the service braking distance from 200 kph is 3.2 km, the permitted speed at the point 3.2 km apart from R-aspect signal is set to be 195 kph so that service brake can be applied by TPWS at 200 kph. Therefore, the permitted speed curve will start decreasing from 200 kph at the point of 3.4 km apart from R-aspect signal.

18 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

In order to keep 200 kph train running, flat pattern of the permitted speed curve from the signal to the next signal is required. Consequently, five cleared block sections are required and the maximum of 5 km of MA needs to be transmitted to TPWS on-board equipment through balise.

However, only three cleared block sections can be detected under IR s 4-aspect signalling. Two more cleared block sections need to be detected in some way.

TPWS has Driver Machine Interface (DMI) in a driver s cabin. The DMI displays the target speed and the target distance. The target speed is equal to the permitted speed. The target distance is the distance to the End of Authority (EOA), that is, the distance to the R-aspect signal. It will be possible for a driver to recognize the number of cleared block sections ahead and the next signal s aspect by checking the target distance shown on DMI.

In order to detect two more cleared block sections and to produce MA of 4 to 5 km, the study has proposed that two-bit information on G-aspects of the next two signals is transmitted by relay interface through signal cables.

Relay interface is a traditional and proven way of one-bit data transmission in signalling.

If the target distance is larger than 3 km, there are at least three cleared block sections ahead. If the target distance is larger than 4 km, there are at least four cleared block sections ahead. The maximum value of target distance is 5 km because the maximum value of MA received through balise is 5 km. TPWS and 4-aspect signalling with the help of DMI is proposed as a low-cost signalling solution for 200 km train running.

Signal cables need to be laid between signals. With the two-bit information, TPWS LEU can transmit MA of 4 km and 5 km to TPWS on-board equipment through balise and the on-board equipment can finally produce 200 kph permitted speed curve.

200 kph permitted speed curve is to be designed based on the SBD curve of the prospective 200 kph train. The interface and cooperation of rollingstock and signalling suppliers are very important to accomplish 200 kph train running.

TPWS and 4-aspect signalling

Since the 200 kph permitted speed curve starts decreasing at the point of 3.4 km before the R-aspect signal, a driver of a 200 kph running train needs to apply service brake 3.4 km before the R-aspect signal in order to avoid sudden braking by TPWS. The existing 4-apect signalling is not capable of such a braking timing.

In order for a driver to recognize the five cleared block sections for 200 kph train running, some measures need to be taken. If only line-side signals are used, 6-aspect signalling with two more new aspects is required, where GG or G-flash may be a candidate for a new aspect. However, 6-aspect signalling will need a large scale of modification of the existing signalling system. Moreover, a driver may be unable to see line-side signals at the speed of 200 kph.

Operational rule for 200 kph

It is also the fact that a driver cannot see both a lineside signal and DMI simultaneously. An operational rule for 200 kph train drivers has to be determined for safe and smooth driving without sudden braking by TPWS. The TPWS and 4-aspect signalling without DMI means line-side signals only. Considering the braking performance of the proposed train and the flat pattern of the permitted speed curve from the signal to the next signal, the maximum speed of 150 kph can be achieved, a driver of the proposed train can apply service brake after seeing the YY aspect signal.

It may be possible to raise the maximum speed up to 160 kph because the service braking distance from the speed of 160 kph is 2 km. However, it will be better to keep the maximum speed up to 150 kph in order to lower the possibility of sudden braking by TPWS for smooth train driving and passenger comfort.

Considering the maximum speed of 150 kph for TPWS and 4-aspect signalling without DMI, an additional operational rule for 200 kph trains is required. The mixed operation of cabsignalling and lineside-signalling is applied to 200 kph train. Sufficient number of trial runs on the existing

S E MI H I GH S PE E D S I GN A L L I N G Proposed operational rule for 200 kph train drivers

200 kph train Over 150 kph

150 kph or less

Follows only DMI, checking the target distance and speed

Follows line side signals

lines are required to be conducted and the operational rule may be revised as necessary Cab-signalling in TPWS

TPWS updates Movement Authority (MA) through balises intermittently.

Since DMI of TPWS provides sufficient information on the target distance and the target speed and infill balises can be placed at appropriate points for frequent update of MA, it has been proposed that TPWS is capable of cab-signalling. The Beijing and Tianjin High-Speed Line, in commercial operation since 2008, is one example of cab signalling with inter-

Other types of train Follows line side signals as usual

mittent renewal of MA. The line applies CTCS (Chinese Train Control System) Level 2 and ETCS Level 1.

However, cab-signalling usually needs a continuous update of MA. ATC system updates MA continuously through rail between a train and ATC lineside equipment. Similarly, ETCS Level 2 updates MA continuously through radio communication between a train and Radio Block Centers (RBC). The intermittent renewal of MA is a functional limitation for cab-signalling in TPWS, compared to perfect cab-signalling systems of ATC and ETCS Level 2. Moreover, a 200 kph train driver has to deal with

the combined checking of DMI and line-side signals. The mixed operation of cab-signalling and linesidesignalling may be a burden to 200 kph train drivers.

Even if such TPWS and 4-aspect signalling with the help of DMI has some functional and operational limitations for 200 kph train running, it is believed that the solution is optimized in terms of safety and low-cost.

Furthermore, under mixed operation of semi-high speed trains and other local and freight trains, the possible number of 200 kph trains per day will be small, compared to the number of other local and freight trains. Evidently, it is much more cost-effective to apply the proposed solution than to install a new cab-signalling system such as ATC and ETCS Level 2 for a small number of 200 kph trains in addition to the existing TPWS for a large number of other local and freight trains.

(Based on a paper presented in the Oct 2013 IRSE conference on high speed trains Editor)

M E TRO DELHI

Continuing the expansion spree in Delhi Mangu Singh, MD DMRC since January, 2012, was earlier Director Works in the company.

Singh s professional career started in the IR Engineering services before joining DMRC in 1997 as Chief Engineer. Earlier Singh contributed greatly in the project implementation of Kolkata Metro. He has been responsible for bringing major changes in the execution of large Metro engineering projects within tight deadlines and budget.

Singh has played a prominent role in the execution of most of its prestigious projects. All major DMRC underground corridors have been constructed under his astute leadership.

He has successfully headed DMRC s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Project, the only such successful project in the Railway Transportation sector in the world. As a result, Delhi Metro has become the first railway project in the world to claim carbon credits.

Singh has been instrumental in preparing the Master Plan and Detailed Project Reports for Metro systems in other cities .His experience includes rail based transportation projects, planning & execution, procurement of works and services for mega projects on design and built contracts basis, handling multilateral funding agencies, development of bid documents, management of concession contracts and CDM projects.

He is currently the President of the Tunnelling Association of India. Picture shows Mangu Singh with his predecessor Dr. E Sreedharan.

DMRC has set excellent benchmarks for the Metro networks in the country, becoming the transportation backbone of the National Capital Region. Ridership has steadily increased over the years, notching up 26,06,364 passenger trips on a single day in August last year. The high public support has led to continuous clamour for increased footprint over NCR. DMRC is now entering the Phase 3 of its projects, building another 140 km lines. These extensions will weave a web of Metro links along the city s overcrowded Ring Road routes, besides connecting with many other localities including Faridabad and Bahadurgarh in Haryana.

The Central Secretariat-Mandi House section of the Central Secretariat -Kashmere Gate corridor is expected to open soon. The phase 3 construction is expected to be completed by 2016.

Japanese aid to the Delhi Metro projects is still continuing Delhi Metro : Phase 3 links

Corridor Mukundpur - Rajouri Garden Dhaula Kuan - Anand Vihar Shiv Vihar Janakpuri West-Munirka-KalakajiKalindi Kunj-Botanical Garden Central Sectt.-Mandi HouseKashmere Gate Jahangirpuri-Badli Badarpur-YMCA Chowk (Faridabad) Dwarka-Najafgarh Mundka-Bahadurgarh 20 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

Stations Underground Ele./at Ele./at grade UG (kms) UG grade (kms) 14.39

44.08

12

24

23.69

12.89

15

10

9.37

0.00

7

0

4.49

0

3

13.76 5.5 11.18

0 0 0

9 3 7

and JICA will be contributing 48.6 % of the total estimated cost of ` 41,079 Cr. Signalling for speed

The Phase 3 will set even higher benchmark, with induction of lower time gaps between trains based on Communication Based Train Signalling Control (CBTS). This is an automated control system that ensures safe operation using data communication between various control entities that make up the system. Worldwide, there is progressive shift to CBTC for train control in Metro environment.

With advanced technology, many refinements to the traditional block system have been introduced, with an emphasis to get away from fixed blocks. Removing fixed blocks has the advantage that one can vary the distances between trains according to their actual speed. Typically a train in rear need not be a full speed braking distance from one in front because it cannot stop dead immediately. In CBTC, block lengths become consistent with train location and speed, thus making blocks movable rather than fixed. This flexibility requires radio transmission for continuous control (and hence the name) whereas in the traditional method, track circuit transmission is used to detect the location, speed and direction of trains and imposes permitted operating speed.

On a moving block, the track is usually divided into areas or regions, each under the control of a computer and its own radio transmission system. Each train transmits its identity, location, direction and speed to the area computer which makes the necessary calculations for safe train separation, transmitting it to the following train. The radio link between the train and the area computer is continuous so that the computer knows the location of all the trains in its area all the time. CBTC provides high resolution for train location determination and moving block train separation, using continuous bidirectional train to wayside radio communication for data exchange.

Apart from advantages of traditional distance-to-go CATC system, CBTC offers:

ME T RO D M R C l

Reduced wayside signalling equipment plus reduced maintenance and installation cost.

l

Headway improvement to below 90 seconds

l

In case of any system perturbation, takes less time for restoration to normalcy.

l

Provide higher level of safety with trains running at close headway, ensuring continuous and safe separation.

l

Increased productivity of rolling stock by increasing line capacity and train speeds

Going driverless

DMRC will also introduce new features on the train sets that are under contract with ROTEM Korea (along with BEML). l

Driverless trains on Phase 3 lines

l

New generation trains will run on UTO (Unattended Train Operation) and will have GOA-IV mode/system (at present trains run on GOA II

l

The cabin less trains will accommodate 40 commuters more in a six coach train as the driver cabins are not required.

l

The standard gauge 3.2 m width rolling stock can accommodate 240 more commuters per train in addition to extra commuters in space marked for cabs.

l

Incremental improvements include clearer and sharper display inside the trains. The inside panels will be improved, fibre reenforced plastic seats will be introduced to add colour inside the train.

l

With driverless trains, new features like platform doors will also be added.

l

The new train set will have 4 motorized cars and 2 trailer cars, helping in improving train speed and better acceleration and braking.

l

35 kph average speed with the new rolling stock; present average speed is 32 kph.

Consultancy/construction works in hand

DMRC is the Prime Consultant for

Chennai, Kolkata (East-West Line) and Bengaluru Airport Metros and the in-house consultant for Mumbai Metro. DMRC has also submitted Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for Kochi, Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru (operational), Kolkata (East-West Line), Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Chennai. DPRs have also been prepared for Ludhiana, Greater NOIDA, Navi Mumbai, Lucknow, Nagpur and Chandigarh. High speed Metro link from the new Bengaluru airport to the city centre and proposed extension from Salt Lake in Kolkata to the international airport.

As part of an agreement between DMRC and the Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation, DMRC is near completion on constructing a 9.25 km corridor there between Mansarovar to Chandpole. DMRC is also constructing the 25.25 km long line from Aluva to Petta i n Kochi Metro on deposit terms.

International Consultancy

DMRC has completed a Special Assistance on Project Implementation study for the Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit System in Indonesia, besides being on the consortium providing General Consultancy Services to Jakarta Metro and the upcoming Dhaka Metro project in Bangladesh.

Low clientele on the airport line

However all is not rosy. Media reports consistently indicate poor patronage on the airport line. DMRC has taken a host of measures to popularize the Airport Express Link. For example, in order to attract passengers travelling by the Shatabdi Express trains, announcements about the connecting Airport line services are made inside five Delhi bound Shatabdi Express trains as well as the New Delhi station platforms. This is an additional measure to the August 2013 decision of changing the schedule of the Airport link to accommodate the Shatabdi Express passengers .The first service from both the terminal stations viz.

Dwarka Sector 21 and New Delhi now starts at 4:45 a.m. instead of the earlier 5:30 a.m. at New Delhi and 5.15 a.m. at Dwarka Sector 21.

Now the Shatabdi Express passengers coming from the airport or the nearby areas can take the early morning serv-

ices of the Airport link. Similarly, the passengers arriving by train at New Delhi late in the night, with the intention of going to the airport now can take the last Airport link service from New Delhi. As the Shatabdi Express trains reach New Delhi latest by 11.05 p.m., the Airport Express services also wait for maximum 15 more minutes up to 11.45 p.m. in case of any delay in these trains.

The frequency of the trains during peak hours has also been revised to 10 minutes and 30 seconds instead of 15 minutes earlier. During off peak hours, it remains 15 minutes as before. As a result, the daily trains trips have increased to 180 from 146. The morning peak hours are from 7.30 a.m. to 12 noon while the evening peak hours are from 3 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. The peak hours have been decided keeping in view the timings of the arrival and departure of flights at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 3). The operating speed of the trains has also increased to 80 kph from 70 kph.

DMRC has also arranged for the seamless entry of the Airport line commuters to the platform of the blue line at Dwarka Sector 21 Metro station. Now at the platform level there is an arrangement where the AFC gates of the two corridors are adjacent to each other. So, a passenger desirous of going to the blue line from the Airport line can do so without any additional security check. If a passenger does not have a token to enter the blue line, he can also buy one from a token counter available right there.

Efforts have also been made to popularise Airport link among the students of south campus of Delhi University.

Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

21

O PI N I ON SANJIV HAN DA

Lone hand of dissent in new loco plants Enhanced loco production

A key achievement for Handa has been the ability to crank DLW loco production from a historical 150 per year to more than 260 now. For him, this has been possible due to the concept of niche products and vendors being adopted for expanding the vendor base permitting DLW to increase its assembly capacity, particularly for EMD design modern locomotives. The scaling back of ALCO design locos (none in current FY) was needed for better powering of IR trains, improved reliability and enhanced fuel efficiencies. The policies followed have meant a reduction of purchase costs like for the key traction propulsion electricals and other key assemblies.

Sanjiv Handa has been known to his erstwhile IR colleagues for unconventional thinking, often revered and sometimes derided for his views. His tenure couple of years back as Member (Mechanical) on the IR Board reflects this divided perception, enforced by a talk earlier this year on a fine winter morning in Varanasi.

Feeling hurt at the adverse notice for IR management from the episode early last year concerning the selection of an IR Board Member , Handa feels that the pendulum has swung the other way , from a position where IR managers perceived balanced judgements by the Board Members. Internal perceptions have plummeted and that should be a long term concern. In his view, recent key actions like appointment of the Pitroda Committee, ( anything but a high power committee ), have achieved no impact as the recommendations have disappeared in IR bureaucracy. Lack of sincerity of purpose has eroded any change that such an effort could bring into IR working or strategies. Handa cites the case of a tragic accident to Kalka Mail that pointed out the need for revisiting the safety issues for long passenger trains (IR runs many 24 coach trains and one at 26). The crash worthiness of passenger stock did not get the policy direction it needed.

Event

Kolkata June 6, 2014

22 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

Handa s unfinished tasks include a rethink on mid life rehabilitation of passenger coaches. For him, the need to shift to stainless steel coach bodies for all new manufacture is overdue even as some steps have been taken recently to increase production of the LHB design (stainless steel body) coaches in ICF also.

IR manufacturing bases

For Handa, IR s inability to generate timely conversion of projects is a point of concern. The tendency to announce new projects on a spur has taken its toll. Handa cites the case of sanction of a new coach manufacturing facility at Palghat, contending that he had advised the then Minister against the project. (The project was nevertheless sanctioned but cannot take off due to lack of clarity on the product contours, technology employed and possibility of private investments...Editor).

What is better known is Handa s lone hand of dissent in the processing of the cases for new loco manufacturing factories in Bihar , projects announced by the then Minister Laloo Prasad . Both the projects have hit the key walls of ownership and investment. Handa contends that the key strategic issue was whether IR should incorporate a long term (10 year plus) purchase agreement at predetermined prices with any major investor or follow the normal practice of discovering and negotiating prices on year to year basis. He opposed the concept of a prefixed price with an inflation indices linked variation formula.

The plan, spread over 1000 locos and a 10 year period, had also included a long term maintenance contract, a practice not followed by IR so far for its rolling stock purchases. This would require the investors to set up independent maintenance depots (outside the IR control). It is learnt that the Chinese contracts with major diesel loco builders like GE and EMD have not exceeded 300 locos.

Handa hints that he was singled out by an influential official of the Planning Commission for this perceived delaying tactics but had the courage to stick to his stand.

IR has so far not been able to overcome this watershed decision. It is now generally known that Handa s insistence on price discovery route left the factories with parcels of land and nothing else.

D E V E LOPMENT TEST TR AC K

Fluttering signals for IR s Test Track range of test facilities were to be determined by RITES but again this effort was abandoned (sanction has disappeared from the IR project list). The river keeps on changing its course: new on the block is the Research Centre in IIT, Kharagpur which will be academic efforts supplanted by lab test facilities but does not include any test track.

Expert help needed

Mega-test track, like the TTCI loops at Pueblo USA, is a key to new technology and product developments. Very few such locations exist worldwide. IR has so far not succeeded in developing even a smaller facility. Picture shows a German test track.

The International Heavy Haul and High Speed Conferences last year brought out the need for ongoing research into most facets of railway operations: structure design , rail wheel interaction , wear and life cycle costs, a healthy balance between capex and opex to minimise life cycle costs and , above all, the fact that simulated or lab level testing is critical to migration and success. The presentations were worrisome as research efforts in India are, in contrast, at rudimentary application level.

For experts, the gains and importance of pre-service trials for successful technology progression are axiomatic. A typical case: TTCI research report on wheel treads shelling and rim cracks, each a key safety worry in heavy haul operations. Improvements in difficult or chronic areas are clearly possible only by simulated testing. Multiple test regimes are important but these lie on a bed rock of a test track where components and designs can be tested in near-field conditions to certify effects and potential designs.

Good intentions but...

IR has long recognised the need for a test track facility and the project has a long but unsuccessful history. Efforts to assess current decisions from few senior IR officials drew polite answers confirming the need but little information on project prospects. Old timers recall that in the 1970s a test track was envisaged between Lucknow and Kanpur (easy accessibility to RDSO location). This was replaced later by a changed location in Mughalsarai where land was acquired but project contours were not set and sealed. The facility was intended for 100 kph speed potential and the then existing axle loads and track loading density. Perhaps the site could not provide adequate curved tracks for field testing and was abandoned.

The idea was then partly replaced by laboratory testing and ` 30 Cr Wagon Test Centre at Dankuni (a Kolkata suburb) sanctioned in 2010. Apparently the content and 24 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

Possibility of a test track at Pachpeda in Rajasthan has been mentioned. RDSO had a proposal for consultancy for test track at ` 6.59 Cr. An expert conversant with the tender indicated that RDSO had tried to assign the project to TTCI but the IR Board was not willing to award a contract without adequate competition even in this highly specialised field. In fact the project description has changed over the last year: Consultancy for test Track with TTCI in 2011 has been replaced by Consultancy for Test Track in 2012. A tender floated in 2012 failed to get any response and has perhaps been consigned to another committee.

The dream remains

Another project sanctioned in 2011 for Dedicated test track to conduct various trials , tests and studies has in fact disappeared from the current list even though it was projected in 2011 that only ` 50 lakhs would be spent for a project estimated to cost ` 91.9 cr. It seems clear that projects of strategic consequence appear and disappear form sanctions by discretion, notwithstanding the list is said to have the seal and approval of the Parliament.

The test track project will continue to be on IR desirables list for the next decade and perhaps beyond. A senior IR expert wondered as to how such facilities are created in even tougher areas like space, nuclear and defence research. IR needs to take a strategic decision on whether they need a test track or not and then set in motion the process of getting one. Business by tender is fine if it produces results but an ineffective medicine does not produce results howsoever often it is repeated.

Limited locations

As it is, there are not many such test tracks the world over and absence in China, Australia, Sweden, Brazil and South Africa is noticeable. Thomas Peters, Fortesque Rail, Australia told the 2013 IHHA conference how he overruled his engineers and decided on introduction of 40 t axle load trains without extensive test rack results. He was guided by the state-of- the-art reports.

Lisa Stable, President, TTCI was expectedly reluctant to offer any advice for the Indian situation. IR has the option for following the Fortesque model in lieu of a test track but would in that case have to depend fully on technologies sourced perennially from foreign sources at unacceptable costs.

The choice will not be easy to accept. The dream needs to be fulfilled.

I N D U S TRY WAG ON S

Wagon manufacture: adding fat, when muscle is required IR received just 9326 new wagons last FY, the lowest since 2005. That is such a climb down from a boom period like in 2006-2008 when need for above 25,000 wagons per year was repeatedly announced. In fact in this period IR had also announced need for new wagon manufacturing units in the government sector as, in its perception, available capacity would not be adequate for meeting with IR s needs for additional rolling stock. The reduced GDP growth in recent years may have contributed to this grossly changed perception but a conclusion could be clearly that IR planners do not have a sustained vision and have been swayed by considerations of the day or just lack of push in a critical area.

IR wagon inputs had been steadily increasing since 2005 to meet the continuous freight growth. From a low of 7436 new wagons in 2003 FY, peak supply was recorded in 2011-12 when 18, 352 vehicles were commissioned.

The current year s prospects are not bright as no contracts exist (at the time of writing) on manufacturers outside the IR umbrella. With a budgeted increase of about 6% in freight traffic, this appears counterproductive.

Multiple sources, overcapacity

IR sources its wagons predominantly from 7 private sector manufacturers, 2 PSUs under its control (taken over on political considerations in 2012) and IR workshops in Amritsar, Samastipur, Tirucharapalli (Golden Rock) and Jamalpur. During the peak supply in FY 2010, the private sector companies were able to provide about 14,500 vehicles (nearly 90% of the total), certifying its established capabilities. Some insiders assess that the combined

The boom period and projected increase in requirements prodded at least two more private sector companies to install new manufacturing locations. These have not so far received any contracts from the IR. Again, reasons of political expediency required announcements of new IR factories, none of which has taken shape so far. In addition, SAIL and the IR PSU, RITES were obviously cajoled into reviving an abandoned factory in Kulti (near Asansol, West Bengal) but this unit has also not received any contracts so far. A case of added fat.

Ideally, IR should maintain a steady level of contracts and new wagon inductions but this is far from reality. Even in the peak demand perception in 2010, procedural issues ensured that no fresh orders were released that year.

However, pending orders and freight boom ensured peak supply of 16638 vehicles.

IR delayed its bid process for the last year till around October, perhaps due to indecision at the management and political levels. As reported earlier, the issue was mentioned in a CII conference last Sept. and IR may have reacted thereafter. This tender, delayed by internal processing and some legal wrangles, has still not been settled. IR also supplies main steel requirements under its free supply proviso but it is learnt that IR has still not placed any contracts on the steel mills for this need .Normally wagon supply should start say 3 months after the contracts are awarded but with lack of steel supply contracts, the outlook is extremely gloomy. In effect, new wagon supplies could plunge to an all time low in current FY. Ownership outside IR

IR NEW WAGON SUPPLY Year

Private sector delivery

IR workshops

Private + CONCOR

Total

2003 - 04

6376

1091

0

7467

- 05

7005

742

285

8032

- 06

6113

680

749

7542

- 07

7984

789

1998

10771

- 08

8094

1007

5599

14700

- 09

8909

737

5615

15261

- 10

12156

910

2523

15589

- 11

13721

982

1935

16638

- 12

15914

1044

1394

18352

- 13

14938

688

1268

16894

2013 14

7356

958

1012

9326

26 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

established capacity in India should exceed 25,000 vehicles annually.

IR currently owns about 2,50,000 wagons and has an annual condemnation rate of around 2500 vehicles. The stock includes 10000 vacuum braked wagons that are a big drag on the system as a large number of locos have to be equipped with brake exhausters, a constantly energy consuming machine that is not needed on air brake wagons. IR also owns vacuum brake 4 wheeler tank wagons used mainly for petroleum products. These wagons need early replacement too as the 8 wheeler stock generates higher throughput.

IR inducts new wagons predominantly under its Rolling Stock Programme, an annual exercise that identifies future needs for different stock types. Container carrying flat wagons (BLCs) are mainly purchased by the Container Corporation (CONCOR, an IR PSU) and some container train operators (private sector logistics companies). Here also new wagon induction has decreased from a peak of 2881 in 2009 FY to around 1010 in last FY. Constrained growth in container traffic that mirrors reduced GDP prospects has been aggravated by the disagreements

between IR and the CTOs on tariff issues. This sector is likely to see low level procurement in coming years.

public sector manufacturing units and is sort of bound to keep these engaged even at their lower productivity levels.

A large number of BOXN class wagons were added by private sector shippers essentially under IR schemes for the iron ore sector. Now that iron ore mining has faced environmental and legal hurdles in last few years, the owners are finding it difficult to recover any returns. In the absence of any viable schemes and traffic segments, private ownership of wagons is also not likely in the coming two years.

IR seems to be adding fat where prudence would call for additional muscle.

Even as IR has struggled to fund its many stagnating capacity building projects, financial and management resources have been diverted to creating capacity that can at best lie fallow.

When your horse is not winning a race, try cutting off its leg.

That seems to be the IR approach towards nurturing the Indian wagon industry. With overcapacity and idling units, the sector horse has been maimed by the efforts to install more capacity.

Even though production rates in the locomotive factories in Varanasi and Chittaranjan have peaked production to above 520 locos per year, a perception that freight growth does not warrant additional wagons has been spread round.

Even as wagon supply was at its peak, IR took over two ailing

Locking out the industry

The sustained freight volume growth in last couple of years has been facilitated by the healthy new wagon and loco induction in previous 5 years.

Squeezing the tap now can only hide danger signs for the coming years and the promised growth in rail freight can be just a hope.

IR needs to relook at wagon purchase and determine a minimum supply rate below which growth will certainly be impacted. The lack of IR orders has already crippled the industry as well as downstream vendors. Depressed orders have been accompanied by hugely depressed margins, forcing undesirable quality cuts and practices.

The Indian railway industry has been almost solely dependent on IR orders and exports have been extremely limited. With manufacture strictly to IR designs, the industry has not been able to make any inroads abroad.

That is unlike the Chinese state sector which has successfully executed new designs, including for the 40 t axle load ore transport operations in Australia. Indian industry has to develop this muscle and an IR rethink has to factor in this responsibility too.

NTPDC* case for higher investment in rail IndiaÂ&#x2019;s transport networks are severely constrained for capacity.

Railways in particular, despite being a more reliable and energy efficient mode, have been losing out to roads for want of capacity augmentation at various fronts. Increasing funding has not translated into commensurate increases in the capacity of physical transport infrastructure, essentially due to greater investment focus on new and sometimes unhelpful infrastructure creation rather than on capacity augmentation.

We find there has been an accelerating shift of traffic from railways in favour of roads, partly in response to the stepped up allocation of resources to the road sector. A massive effort is now required to carry out a similar enhancement of investment in the railways, which will also involve significant modernisation and reorganisation and will also lead to greater environmental sustainability. *(National Transport Policy Development Committee)

I R PERFORMA NC E

Monitoring IR performance The Central government has installed a Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System for its departments that, after initial hiccups, was adopted by IR from FY 2011-12. Each department was required to prepare a Results Framework Document (RFD) for approval by a committee of Cabinet, Finance, Expenditure, Planning Commission and Performance Management Division secretaries of the GoI. At the beginning of the FY, each department now prepares the RFD listing its priorities, deciding the inter-se priority among its objectives and important results expected during the FY. With three such exercises completed since inception, a meeting for 4th RFD for FY 2014-15 was held recently.

RFD has two main purposes: move the focus from process orientation to result orientation and provide an objective and fair basis for evaluating annual performance. In a way, this is an MOU between a Minister representing the people s mandate and the Department as the RFD contains agreed policy, programmes and projects, success indicators and targets to measure implementation progress.

A Ministry s Draft RFD is discussed by an ad hoc group of distinguished academicians, domain experts and senior bureaucrats. The RFD performance is rated on a scale

The reorganisation taboo

The key issue to be addressed in the reform of Indian Railways is the institutional separation of roles into policy, regulatory and management functions. Currently these roles are blurred; the Railway Board essentially performs all three roles. This causes confusion regarding vision and mission.

(Report of The National Transport Policy Development Committee).

ranging from 5 (outstanding) to 1 (poor). For the first two assessments , the Railways (MOR) achieved a good rating while that for the 2013-14 FY, to be finalised in May 2014, is expected to be an upgrade to very good .

The RFD consists of 6 Sections: the vision, mission and objectives, success indicators, trend values of the success indicators, methodology of measurement for success indicators, specific performance requirements from other ministries that are critical for delivering agreed results and the outcomes. For IR, the indicators are financial performance, traffic targets, safety initiatives and inputs on passenger amenities.

IRs RFD is available at www.performance.gov.in/ sites/default/files/document/rfd/rfd-2012-13/Rail.pdf.

MEASURING IR PERFORMANCE

Objective

Success Indicator

Freight services

Originating loading (8), Net transportation (8), Yield per NTKM (2), Utilization of wagons (2)

Passenger services

Non-suburban (3), Suburban (2), Customer satisfaction index (5)

Investments mobilisation and asset creation New lines (1), Doubling (1) Flagship Projects (3), Loco manufacture (2), Wagon mfg (2), Coach mfg (2), Projects > Rs 150 Cr (4), High Density Network (2), Dedicated Freight Corridor (2), Value of projects (1) Financial performance

Operating ratio (10)

Productivity

All staff (3)

Amenities for rail users

IT passenger reservations (2), Facilities for differently abled (2), On board facilities (1)

Superior toilets on trains Environment and Energy

Fuel efficiency ( Diesel loco: goods) (2), (Electrical loco :goods) (2), Others (5)

Safety initiatives

On Board Installations, Fixed installations, completed in the year, Stations with integrated security Services

Efficient functioning of the RFD System

Preparation and submission

Administrative reforms

Implementation (2), ISO 9001 certification (2), preparation of Action Plan (0.5), Implementation (1.5)

Internal efficiency/responsiveness

Citizen s Charter (1), Independent audit of grievance redressal (1)

Compliance to the financial accountability CAG and parliamentary audit reports framework 28 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

HU M AN RESOURCES R EP OR T

Key strength: staff in obscure places sions ran counter to the general perception among IR managers that the system suffers from low motivation and contribution from the non-managerial levels.

A vast spread

IR jobs naturally vary in content but some stand out for the difficult locations and impacts on personal lives. The employees that serve in the far out locations are particular: those who work in track maintenance gangs and in remote stations stand out. Many of these employees are located miles away from the nearest town or sometimes even a village is an hour s walk. Their social intercourses are limited, working hours can be stretched and support facilities rarely reach them.

New technologies on the road side: Electronic signalling has eased the job for station operations staff at this smaller station near Allahabad. Station In-charge SGA Naqvi and shift Station Master Pandey at the control panel in Karchana Station.

HR functions on IR have traditionally evolved in the context of its being in the government. There is no mechanism for attuning recruitment and training to the job requirements through rewards and incentives. Improvement in HR practices to attract and retain talent would be a challenge. Multiplicity of departments and services would need to be reviewed. A few services may need to be merged or amalgamated while taking due care to ensure that the benefits of specialization and joboriented skills are not lost. Recruitment of Group 'D' staff, especially staff on compassionate ground, would need to be critically reviewed to ensure that the recruitment matches the skill level required for a technologically sophisticated and market focused railways in future. (From the final report of the Railway working group of NTPDC) A UNDP survey on employee motivation carried out about a decade back surprised many with its conclusion that the highest motivation level in the IR set up exists at the lowest rungs of the vast cadre. The survey highlighted that the lowest (Group D) employees had the highest zeal, took pride in their uniforms and had a higher sense of belonging to their organisation. Parameters like pride are not used in such surveys but many respondents used this word about their jobs. May be the economic options are the direst for this group of employees but the concluIR key stations operations staff (Feb. 2014) Category

Planned

% Vacant

Station Masters

39055

14

Controllers

2769

14

Station gatemen

10908

18

Switchmen and similar

48792

16

Changing technologies at stations and yards has reduced need for staff that operates track points and signals. Future needs will see a further decline in on-roll numbers; current vacancies exceed 35% in some of these categories.

30 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

We travelled to Karchana, a typical station 15 km south of Allahabad to profile the employees that work in such places. In a way this is still a better location as urban growth has now made this into a city suburb. Karchana is on the main double line, with a loop track in each direction. The station staff consists of 5 station masters led by SGA Naqvi , station porters that also work at the road gates and a single cleaning staff . The station had handled 178 trains the previous day, but for some periods a train is passed every 5 minutes. Just 4 pairs of slow passenger trains are scheduled to stop here; otherwise for the station staff a train just means a swish across the station. Occasionally a train is controlled providing some relief from the monotony.

On the morning of April 4, there was a little more activity as Naqvi and the on-duty station master cleared a freight train that had been stabled for nearly 2 days due to the train driver having done long duty hours (> 14 hours).

As a relief driver and his assistant reported for work, Pandey, the duty station master, had to stop the next express train so that the guard could alight and man the stabled train. Such instances are not uncommon as unscheduled stops are imposed on long distance trains for multiple reasons. The station porter is called upon to carry the guard box , the archaic personal bulk that train guard still has to carry, notwithstanding the many recommendations for reducing the stuff that he is obliged to carry on every train.

Routine tasks

The passing of each train has to be preceded by directions from the train controller in Allahabad and operation of the control panel that sets the tracks and the signals. Naqvi recounts that technology has now made such activities faster, safer and easier as the tracks and signals are set by electrical equipment and most safety requirements are built into the panel controls. 37 years back, when Naqvi started his railway career in a remote station north of Kanpur, these functions were cumbersome as the tracks were worked by mechanical levers and rods worked from cabins at the two ends of the station. Such buildings now lie abandoned, in a mute testimony to progress that

H U MAN RE S O U RCES R EP O R T

Way side stations like this one at Karchana abound on the IR network. Staff posted here often work in seclusion and face difficult conditions.

railways have made. The limited inbuilt safety controls often delayed the trains and, rarely but tragically, a mistake in procedures would cause an accident. In those distant days, Naqvi had often to stay over working 16 hour shifts because the relief staff could not be found in time.

Pandey has been on such jobs now for 23 years and has to move regularly from his operational controls to the platform to wave a green flag at the train driver and guard of a passing train , an archaic practice that has not kept with the installed technologies.

For Pandey, the schedule gets hectic when he has to sell tickets also for a stopping passenger train. A battery of 10 phones lies around him that connect him to the controller , adjoining stations , the 3 road gates that he has control on , a public phone for passenger enquiries and his SOS, the test room phone. The ticket counter is another mix of the old and the modern: the computerised ticketing counter (UTS) sits alongside his stack of printed (card) tickets that he rarely uses now. For the morning passenger train towards Allahabad, the station master on duty feels heckled as nearly 300 passengers have to be issued tickets, often just ` 5, a reminder of how cheap such train travel can be on the Indian railways.

In decades gone by, the only means of commuting to and from home was the next available train but now mobikes come in handy. That is something that many staff can still not avail as they can be quite some distance away from the nearest road.

More technology, but...

The systems in place clearly indicate how IR procedures have not kept pace with technologies and routine tasks continue to be done as in decades old practice.

Naqvi has to maintain about 30 hard copy registers for various functions.

Of course the most important is the train signalling register where Pandey enters all the train timings. The modern signalling equipment has an event/ data logger that captures various operational parameters like track occupation, signal events and times, but IR procedures sill require a hard copy record. As a senior railway manager puts it, just in case .

As Naqvi walked with me to the road barrier gate, the impact of technology on station operation was visible too as the drum and cables that operated the gate booms in the past had been replaced by motorised operation, push button controlled with in-built interlocks with the signalling system.

Less formal management

The working conditions too have changed over the years. A more humane treatment by superiors is certainly one of these. Naqvi is satisfied that now the work hours are more certain, the quality of his off work life has improved. From ad hoc decisionmaking on matters like transfers he is satisfied that a strictly managed priority registration is the last word. Many stations have now relieving lodges where the off duty staff can rest should they so desire. For him, that is a far cry from the days when the stations had no electricity and the nearby bush (going to the jungle !) was used for various purposes.

Satisfaction in technology is evident too as Naqvi proudly mentions that his station had no signal or track failures in February, a far cry from the days when trains suffered detentions almost every day due to faulty operation of a signal element. The impact of technology was later visible as the mate (leading hand) of a track repair gang working at the station used his personal cell phone to report on his work progress to his boss at another station.

The zeal and the high motivation of such men, working in many obscure places, keeps the system ticking.

Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

31

R O L L ING STOCK DIESEL TR AC TION

ICF strides into 3-Phase DEMU improved electrics, the coach design has been changed to stainless steel (SS) body and aerodynamic driving cab ends. Other Pankaj Kumar, Chief key features built are aesthetic interior Mechanical Engineer, Integral Coach Factory, panelling with invisible screws, SS fittings, Chennai ergonomic profiled cushioned seats, wider doorways & vestibules, SS slip-free floor and GPS based Passenger Information System. While the driver cabin is designed to match body ergonomics, the driving desk features joy-stick control and twin monitors that display the operating & diagnostic parameters including the fuel level in tank. A GPRS-based remote monitoring of the vital parameters is also enabled.

IR s Chennai based Integral Coach Factory (ICF) has embarked on an ambitious development spree for modern traction equipment for its EMU and DMU fleet. A prototype 3-Phase AC-AC diesel electric multiple 8 coach rake with 1600 hp diesel powers pack was dispatched in March 2013.

Unlike 3-Phase EMU system sourced from Siemens in Phase I & II projects for the Mumbai suburban system (under the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation projects), this IGBT based propulsion system was sourced from the Hyderabad based Medha Servo Drives. Medha is in technical collaboration with the Austrian Traktionsysteme for such technology. This rake has been performing satisfactorily from its Vijayawada base.

Another order for similar propulsion system, placed on ABB India, is scheduled for delivery in this FY. Pankaj Kumar, Chief Mechanical Engineer, indicated that this version is capable of attaining 105 kph. In addition to the

Procurement for 7 more 1600 hp rakes (rake composition: 10 coaches including 2 power cars) was initiated in 2013.

Unlike the prototype, this series envisages environment compliant engines that meet EURO-II or superior emission norms. This specification, developed with RDSO, is generic and does not restrict engines to any specific brand. This has necessitated that suppliers look for engines with full electronic control so as to comply with emission norms. Two engines, Cummins QSK50 and Caterpillar 3512C that meet EU-IIIA emission norms (superior to the minimum requirement of EURO-II as per specification), have been shortlisted.

A contract for 6 rakes has been placed on Medha and one prototype will be sourced from Crompton Greaves. Pankaj Kumar ICF plans to turn out most of these rakes in 2014-15.

Meanwhile, plans are afoot to switch-over to such 1600 hp 3Phase IGBT based AC-AC DEMU rakes by the end of 2016.

ABB Turbochargers, the best in class

Dear Editor

We read your article Turbochargers to boost fuel efficiency in DLW with avid interest. We try very hard to provide the very best information about our work that lives up to a high standard.

We would like to suggest corrections in your report. For example, you state that a turbocharger absorbs 20% of the power generated by the engine when in fact a turbocharger actually increases power by utilizing the latent energy in the exhaust. (Of course, the turbocharger needs energy for its process). You have also mentioned that ABB recommends late Miller timing. Not true: our customers needs dictate what we recommend: early Miller timing that is more prevalent. Regarding customer benefits, (L) Sundara Pandiyan, Vice President, ABB the savings on operating cost are significant in applications with VTG and with proven India Ltd., Vadodara; (R) Christoph Rofka, Senior General Manager, ABB Turboreliability. Our prime focus in anything we do is the customer. charging, Switzerland.

32 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

I N TE RNATIONAL FAR AND N EAR

Rail Infrastructure: SAIL in the majors The most significant manufacturers in the rail infrastructure are still in Western Europe even as Chinese and Russian companies are now entering the market.

Renowned global players and dedicated railway technology specialists are competing against each other.

positions. Another distinctive feature is state-owned companies, which do not fully depend on market structures. With large Chinese suppliers already established, partially-privatised Russian companies are now clearly gaining in importance.

SCI Verkehr has examined and assessed several hundred companies, with the top 100 in more detail. Four principal criteria (rail infrastructure turnover, its share in total business, market shares in six selected core product markets and 3-year turnover development) revealed the leading market players as well as successful Â&#x2018;hidden championsÂ&#x2019; possessing specialist know-how in distinctive market niches. Well-known global players with business in other industries as well traditionally hold the top

The most interesting group are the specialist manufacturers using dedicated know-how in distinctive market niches. Market players of predominantly regional significance up to now, such as Track Tec (Poland), LB Foster (USA), Yamato Kogyo (Japan), Pfisterer (Germany), Frauscher (Austria) and Hollysys (China), have shown a significant recent upturn in business and are growing beyond the boundaries of their domestic markets.

Infrastructure - Top 10 Manufacturers [Sample Score - All Eligibility Criteria] Siemens (Mobility and Logistics) Voestalpine BetEITrans* Vossloh Rail Infrastructure CRSC* Thales Transportation Systems Elteza* Ansaldo STS Kyosan Steel Authority of India (SAIL)* Eligibility Criteria: Rail Infrastructure Turnover, Rail Infrastructure Share in Total Turnover, Market Share(s) in Selected Core Product Markets (Track System: Rails, Switches/Turnouts and Crossings, Rail Fastenings), Electrification: Catenary, Traction Power Supply, Control Command and Signalling: Electronic Interlocking, Recent Turnover Development (3-Year CAGR): Manufacturers owned by national governments or by national incumbent railway network managers.

Pakistan: Chinese locomotives for revival

A revival of the Pakistan Rail system could initiate this year as the first batch of five CSR Ziyang built 2,000 hp diesel locomotives, intended for freight services, were unloaded in Karachi in early April. These were to undergo two weeks of testing before operations. PR was forced to suspend operations in May 2011 due to acute shortage of locomotives as bulk of its fleet has been rendered dysfunctional due to delayed maintenance and lack of fresh stock inputs.

This CSR contract covers 58 locomotives, 29 rated at 2,000 hp and the balance at 3,000 hp. The second batch of nine 2,000 hp units was expected to arrive within two weeks.

34 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

The first lot of nine 3,000 hp locos have been assembled and should follow later this summer. These locos are built around the medium speed Caterpillar C175-16 and 3516B engines.

Besides technical assistance over two years, these new locomotives are to be maintained by CSR in purpose-built facilities.

In the past, Pakistan Railway experts have visited the Diesel Locomotive Works on exploratory missions but poor political rapport ensures that neither country would be willing to engage in supply of such stock from India. Indian manufacturers are capable of meeting such needs of the neighbour but would have to wait for better years for such business to take roots.

O PI N I ON HIGH SP EED

Affordable High Speed Railways for India Learn but don't buy it

From its inception in 1964, the Shinkansen service was expected to provide same day return travel between Tokyo and Osaka Metros 515 km apart along the heavily populated old Tokaido coastal route. But as decades passed new industries and cities grew along the track and the Shinkansen soon turned into a fast commuter service, at least between Tokyo and Nagoya. The same could happen between say Bombay and Baroda too. With the transfer of much freight services to adjoining dedicated freight corridor in coming years, the current route would have extra capacity to introduce faster services.

The Indian Dream

Affordable HSR Technology

India still seems to be stuck daydreaming about 300 kph high speed (HSR) trains, ready to plunge into debt for new tracks and overpriced imports. Even for the 500 km Bombay-Ahmedabad route, India has not been bandying about a Shinkansen like system for which the capital is available nor does the projected passenger revenue appear adequate. The Taiwanese HSR, started in 2007, was built

by Japan to replicate the Shinkansen and cost $ 52 million per km; a cut rate Shinkansen copy offered recently by the Chinese to Thailand was quoted at $ 33 million per km and the 1,300 km Beijing-Shanghai line cost $ 24 million per km.

China swiped all its high speed rail technologies from Japan, France, Germany and Italy. Even as it suppressed HSR fares to artificial low, flying from Beijing to Shanghai is still cheaper and quicker. For the Bombay-Ahmedabad route a 300 kph Nozomi like service would be overkill as any service needs to provide cheaper, more comfortable and perhaps even faster alternative to airplane travel, much like the TGV in France. Consider abandoning the air for a train, paying up to ` 15 per km while the air fare is only ` 11 per km!

Dr. Dev Gupta is Arizona (USA) based expert on communication, computer control and advanced robotics

Super Shatabdi: from 70 to 150 kph

The Shahabad service between Bombay-Ahmedabad barely manages a max 93 kph, averaging 70 kph. This hardly leaves 2 hrs to conduct any business at the destination city and return home the same night; a passenger would like to spend 5 to 7 hrs at his destination. The solution lies in improving the existing line to remove speed bottlenecks and modify trains to run safely up to 200 kph. Even if the current fare of ` 3 per km has to be doubled, it is much less compared to a Shinkansen like system and still be cheaper than the airline. Six airlines now offer 17 round trip flights daily between Bombay & Ahmedabad with multiple flights during rush hours and the Super Shahabad must aim to offload at least 80 % of this capacity by offering at least 5 convenient round trips per day.

36 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

Extensive upgrades would be needed to safely run 180 kph trains on the existing tracks along with slow / stopping traffic but would still be a lot cheaper and quicker than building new HSR tracks on contiguous land. Technical estimates show that such modifications of the current 500 km long route for 180 kph operation would cost about $0.6 to 2.2 m per km with even the higher number only about 7 % of a Shinkansen like new route. High speed trains cost about $ 50 m for 10 car train sets whereas the RCF built LHB coaches can be upgraded to 200 kph services for about $ 1.2 m a car - a 4 fold saving. Affordable Indian solutions can handily beat expensive HSR offerings from China that are simply copies of expensive foreign technology.

Improving current tracks

The commercial speed for the Bombay - Ahmedabad Shatabdi varies between 54 and 93 kph; the fastest Bhopal Shatabdi achieves a peak speed of just 124 kph, limited to the Delhi - Agra section. The speed limit of the track needs to be elevated to a uniform 180 kph. The roadbed would require strengthening, drainage improved, sections along heavily populated areas and select station platforms fenced off, footbridges built every so often, less populated areas provided with at least electronic train - approach warnings, grade crossings automated and provided with redundant systems. As to the track itself, several sharp bends, that limit max speed, need to be rebuilt to at least a 2.5 km radius and more exotic alternatives e.g. tilt trains avoided if possible.

To enable high running speed without fear of a HS train rear-ending a slow train, long sidetracks would have to be provided at optimum locations. Points and switches need upgrades for high speed traverse, overhead electrification masts and catenaries reinforced & pre-tensioned for higher loads and to prevent standing wave oscillations at higher track speeds.

All train control should move on-board, based on sensors & actuators placed on the track-bed ,on OHE masts and GPS satellites, data transmitted by redundant cellular & microwave towers as well as parallel optical fiber network, communication with driver & guard in running trains by means of cab signalling & telephone using induction, radio frequency etc.

O PI N I O N H I G H S P EED Train sets for higher speed

Since at least the early 90s, Shinkansen cars have been built with lighter Aluminium alloys to save about 30 % weight over stainless steels. Initially the LHB stainless steel coaches will have to do. However these coach shells will first need adoption for higher speed of 200 kph with flex trucks and multi-mode (pneumatic disc, electromagnetic/regenerative) brakes.

A 15 car EMU train set of 660 passengers capacity would need 6 MW traction power from 24 motors (4 per driven coach) of just 250 kW each.

These motors should be asynchronous AC type; powered by IGBT type inverters controlled by microprocessor based programmable frequency synthesizers. Due to the less than robust OHE construction in IR, it may be necessary to operate with a single pantograph at higher speeds. In that case a Shinkansen style roof mounted flexible bus bar will be required to distribute power to all the driver cars.

The mechanical coupling between the cars should be high speed versions of the integrated Scharfenburg type chosen carefully to avoid the issue that has plagued IRÂ&#x2019;s LHB coaches.

Many other modifications would be required to make the RCF built coach shells HSR ready, starting with fashioning the end - cars with bullet nosed crumple zones (like the early TGVs) that provide increased safety in case of collisions. With many other improvements added to the basic 78 ft long stainless RCF steel coach, a 15 car EMU set capable of 200 kph and carrying 660 passengers would still cost some $ 18 m, only about 30 % of similar HSR vehicles from China.

However due to stainless steel construction the axle loads will be about 15 t, about a ton over welded aluminium coaches, now typical for HSR but still way below the 20 t typical limit on IR .

Automatic Train Control ATC

Since ATC or Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) is crucial to safe & reliable running of high speed trains on regular tracks, it is better to over-design this system in order to reduce mechanical and operational complications & still come out ahead cost-wise. The TPWS along the 500 km long HSR route has to be a lot more elaborate and should

be economically manufactured in India based on various imported designs; it is estimated to cost about $ 220 million.

The Bombay - Ahmedabad Super route at 150 kph is estimated to cost about ` 5,500 Cr, well within the development resources of the cashstrapped IR. 70 % expenses can be sourced domestically with professional world-class program management.

However to pull off such a technical & business feat it would be necessary for IR to release development funds at a rate of 1/3 rd the total of $ 900 million for 3 successive years, yet allow full autonomy.

This affordable approach to HSR can be developed and service started within 3 years to coincide with the offloading of freight traffic on the Western freight corridor. To deliver on such an ambitious schedule, it is necessary to create a new world - class technical organization outside the IR or within the newly created HSR authority and staff it with very dynamic doers and thinkers.

The Institute of Metro & Rail Technology A pioneering effort towards creating a world class research & training institution in rail technology, IMRT is an initiative of Balaji Railroad Systems Limited (BARSYL). IMRT has been promoted to address the need for professionally qualified and trained manpower for the growing Metro and railway sector in the Indian and global market.

M Akhtar has recently taken over as Adviser Staff in IR Board. He was earlier Chief Personnel Officer on the East Coast zone. Akhtar has wide interests outside his railway profession. As Divisional Railway Manager, he developed the Guntur Division and landscape projects.

A Life Member of Bombay Natural History Society and an accredited Bird Counter for migratory birds since 1985, Akhtar has a different interest too, being a certified Honorary Mapmaker for Google Maps that requires him to draw, edit and moderate Google maps on line, mostly for Indian Sub-continent.

IMRT envisages becoming a Centre of Excellence in Rail technology. As part of this, several modular programs are being designed. A flagship One Year Post Graduate Program in Metro and Rail Technology is being launched in the month of August 2014 that will produce industry ready techno-managers for multi-disciplinary roles and responsibilities for various stakeholders: planners, developers, consultants, contractors, manufacturers etc.

IMRT has several plans to forge an effective and a strong Industry Â&#x2013; academia partnership model including collaborations with key players. The institute is also developing specialised programs in Track & Alignment, Reliability Engineering etc, with institutes like University of Delaware, USA and the Reliability Engineering Center of IIT Kharagpur.

Contributed by NVS Reddy, MD, Hyderabad Metro Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

37

O PI N I ON TRA IN STAF F

Is this incentive for running still relevant?

There is no doubt that any change in the salary structure of this sensitive staff category can be made only after long deliberations and in full recognition of any possible fall out. IR has suffered long disruptions to its operations by strikes and local actions by loco driving staff, particularly up to 1980 s and recurrence cannot be far away in case of mishandling.

In a practice whose origins are lost in the early days of private sector rail operations, running staff (loco drivers, assistants and guards) are paid a special allowance based on the train runs made. This allowance could make up to 40 % of the gross salary package for such staff, making these categories among the highest earners among IR staff. IR does run into labour disputes on the quantum and conditions of this allowance; in addition, local practices and manipulations render this issue into the top list of running disputes in almost every location.

The core issue is whether these allowances still trigger higher motivation and productivity or need to be redesigned to remove the ill effects in operations and staff motivation. The working hours and other issues for running staff have recently been looked into by an IR Committee which has not even mentioned any long term change to this allowance.

Over the decades, this allowance, initially granted only to train crews, has snowballed to cover cadres similar to these categories but deputed into off-train jobs like crew controllers, inspectors and those on office based functions.

A compendium of all the rules and conditions applicable would run into a score of pages or more and it is not surprising that satisfaction with the application of these rules, even as they generate a big portion of the take home pay, is not high. The allowances have provisos, for example that cover allowances during leave and sickness, breaches in rest, carryover for shifting to other jobs and many more.

Not surprisingly, the allowance per kilometre is linked to base salary, rising as staff move from working freight to passenger trains. The run distances are highest in the express trains like the Rajdhanis and the Shatabdi, where a crew may put in less than 70 hours duty per fortnight (targeted 104) but earn an envious packet.

38 Rail Business [Focus-India] May 2014

With steam locomotives, unregulated work hours and very uncertain schedules, the distance a train ran was greatly determined by the efficacy and application of the crews, particularly those on the steam locomotives. The horse power sustained by the loco was dependent largely on the on-board crews. Shovelling in tonnes of coal, braving the harsh weather on an open and rattling loco cabin, facing disrupted personal lives took a toll on loco crews. The practice of incentivising the crews was natural and a good practice. With the advent of diesel and electric locos, the train speeds were determined more by the operating conditions and traffic congestion than the personal skills of the loco crews. The running allowances have long ceased to be productivity pushers that these were intended to be.

In the days when non-natives were the preferred train crews, running allowances were lower for native staff, even on the same service.

A basic presumption also is that the skill level required for operating a 5000 t freight train is lower than that on a stopping 8 coach passenger train that barely averages a 40 kph commercial speed. With steam loco operations, the freight trains were prone to whims of the train crews, a condition no longer true.

Consider some anomalies in current practices: l

The work conditions are the toughest for freight train crews but the train distances they can achieve are much lower (20 to 50 %) than on express trains.

l

These allowances are high on double line sections with good fluidity. Train crews that suffer due to hold ups on difficult sections earn the least.

l

Large differences between earnings in various sections on the same zone, sometimes within the same division.

l

Lower earnings on regions where freight trains dominate. These areas also have lower proportion of express train drivers, lowering promotions into higher paying posts.

A quick check on practices elsewhere shows that such allowances have long disappeared from major systems where the compensation is based on salaries.

Recognising the long term implications of these issues, there is a case for starting review and discussions on evolving a salary structure that does away with these complex rules even as the take home salaries are protected.