Design of High-Tech Metre Gauge Coaches on Indian Railways
This paper traces the steps taken by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) of Indian Railways in the past to improve the metre gauge bogie design, which resulted in crossing the age-old speed barrier of 75 km/h, initially in 1977, when the Pink City Express was introduced at a maximum permissible speed of 100 km/h. The ‘Sperling ride index’ achieved at that time at the 110 km/h test speed was nearing 3.2 in the lateral mode and 3.33 in the vertical mode. Major design modifications are described that were carried out in the conventional metre gauge bogie/body, using indigenous technology, while designing high-tech metre gauge (MG) coaches. These are suitable for running on Indian Railways' track at a maximum permissible speed of 120 km/h and at the same time provide superior riding characteristics (with sperling ride index restricted to 2.75) comparable to those available on the main line coaches of 1000 mm gauge in the developed countries of the world.