SATHEE: Rajdhani Coaches

Rajdhani Coaches

Rajdhani Coaches – Complete Railway GK Capsule

1. Introduction

Rajdhani Express, the premium air-conditioned train service of Indian Railways, was introduced on 1 March 1969 between New Delhi–Howrah. The coaches used on this service have evolved into a distinct class of rolling stock that represents the LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) design philosophy at its most sophisticated level.

2. Coach Classification Codes (ICF Era vs LHB Era)

Parameter	ICF Rajdhani (1969-2003)	LHB Rajdhani (2003-present)
Coach shell	ICF stainless-steel	LHB aluminium, 160 kmph certified
Length inside	23.5 m	25.5 m
Width inside	3.24 m	3.45 m
Tare weight	48–52 t	39–43 t
Max speed	130 kmph	160 kmph (service 130-140)
Coupler	Screw / CBC transition	AAR CBC with tight-lock
Suspension	Coil & laminated	Swing-arm air suspension
Brake	Vacuum → Air twin pipe	Air twin pipe with EP/KE

3. LHB Rajdhani Coach Technical Specifications

Shell: Self-propelled aluminium double-skin, corrosion-free life 35 yrs
Crash-worthiness: Buffer-cabins absorb 2000 kJ impact energy (EN 15227 compliant)
Doors: 2 plug-sliding doors per side, 1300 mm clear opening, microprocessor-controlled
Windows: Double-glazed 24 mm, UV-cut, STC 35 dB noise attenuation
Seats: 52 (AC-3), 46 (AC-2), 22 (AC-1); recline 15°; fabric as per RDSO Spec. C-K 208
AC package: Roof-mounted 17.5 kW R-407C VRF units, 2 per coach, temp. range 22–26 °C ±1 °C
Power supply: 750 V DC coach bus → 415 V 3-ph 50 Hz via static inverter (110 kVA)
Lighting: LED cluster, 150 lux at floor level, power draw 0.9 kW vs 3.2 kW (fluorescent)
Toilets: 4 vacuum-retention type, 250 L SS tank, 0.35 L flush, bio-toilet compatible
Fire safety: Infrared linear heat sensors, 5 kg Ceasefire auto-quench cylinders, low-smoke zero-halogen cables
GPS-based passenger info: Coach display + 8-language PA system
Wheel-on-rail: 920 mm diameter, monoblock, 260 mm disc brakes, tread-cleaner fitted
Axle-load: 16.25 t max, 13.1 t tare-equivalent (lowest in Indian Railways)

4. Coach Nomenclature & Numbering

Prefix letters:
- A: AC-1 tier (22 berths)
- B: AC-2 tier (46 berths)
- C: AC-3 tier (64 berths in economy, 52 in standard Rajdhani)
- E: End-on-generator (EOG)
- H: High-capacity parcel (rare)
- PC: Pantry car (hot buffet)
- SLR: Self-generating luggage & brake (only in older rakes)
Running numbers: 5-digit; 090xx series reserved for Rajdhani rakes (e.g., 09009 Mumbai Rajdhani)
Colour code: Red-grey-red stripe (since 2018 “Bharat” livery)

5. Historical Milestones

Year	Event
1969	First Rajdhani (Howrah–New Delhi) with ICF stainless coaches; 17 hrs 20 min
1988	First AC-2 tier coaches introduced (earlier only AC-1)
1992	Mumbai Rajdhani started; first to get 130 kmph certification
2003	Migration to LHB design; trial rake on Howrah Rajdhani
2007	All Rajdhani trains converted to LHB; last ICF rake condemned
2014	EOG replaced by HOG (Head-on-Generation) on electrified sections
2018	New “Bharat” livery; LED lighting; Wi-Fi hotspot trials
2020	Tejas-Rajdhani hybrid PC introduced (induction oven, RO water)
2022	100 % LED & HOG-compliant; 75 world-class coaches retrofitted with Kavach-ready ETCS L1 antennas
2023	First 160 kmph trial between Tughlakabad–Agra; coaches fitted with semi-permanent couplers & crash-energy management frames

6. Current Status (as on 31 Mar 2024)

Total Rajdhani LHB coaches holding: 2,046 (including spare)
Average age of rake: 9.4 yrs (youngest non-EMU stock)
Maintenance depots:
- New Delhi (DSJ) – 19 rakes
- Mumbai Central – 6 rakes
- Sealdah – 5 rakes
- Chennai – 2 rakes
- Bangalore – 1 rake
Turn-around time: 6 hrs (primary); 2 hrs (secondary)
Punctuality FY 23-24: 94.8 % (best among Mail/Express trains)
Energy saving: 18 % due to HOG vs EOG
Carbon footprint: 0.047 kg CO₂ / pkm (lowest in IR conventional fleet)

7. Recent Upgrades 2023-24

Kavach (ETCS Level-1) – 100 % coaches tagged; trial run at 160 kmph on WAP-7HS
Vande Bharat type seats – 200 coaches retrofitted with 180° rotating plush seats in AC-1
Smart windows: Electro-chromatic glass (darkens on solar intensity) – 50 coaches under RDSO pilot
RailTel Wi-Fi 5: 100 Mbps per coach; 32 Rajdhani rakes covered
Disposable bed-roll policy: QR-coded paper bag, saving 120 kg plastic/day per rake

8. Coach Diagram (Top View – LHB AC-3 tier)

[Buffer]–[Door1]–[Side lower]–[Side upper]–[Door2]–[Toilets x2]–[Buffer]
 0 m          2.5 m                     12.8 m                    23.5 m

Berth orientation: Longitudinal in doorway area, transverse in mid-section for ride comfort
Luggage rack: 225 kg UDL at 1 m height

9. Weight & Capacity Summary

Coach type	Tare (t)	Payload (t)	Pax	Payload + tare (t)
AC-1	39.2	6.6	22	45.8
AC-2	40.1	10.4	46	50.5
AC-3	40.8	13.5	64	54.3
PC	43.0	5.0	–	48.0
EOG	41.5	9.0 (fuel)	–	50.5

10. Quick-Fire Facts for MCQ

Fastest Rajdhani: Mumbai Rajdhani – 89 kmph avg (140 max)
Longest Rajdhani: Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani – 3,131 km
First Rajdhani to get HOG: 12952 Mumbai Rajdhani (Feb 2018)
EOG power capacity: 2 × 480 kVA DG set; fuel 2,400 L (earlier)
HOG tap voltage: 25 kV AC, on-board transformer 860 kVA
Buffer-cabins can absorb 2000 kJ (equals 80 g for 50 t)
Coach shell designed by Alstom-LHB, Germany; transferred technology at RCF Kapurthala 2000-02

Multiple-Choice Questions (15 + 5 Extra)

Q1. The first Rajdhani Express ran with which type of coaches?
A. LHB aluminium
B. ICF stainless-steel
C. Integral steel
D. German Schienenbus

Q2. What is the maximum permissible speed of present-day LHB Rajdhani coaches?
A. 130 kmph
B. 140 kmph
C. 160 kmph
D. 180 kmph

Q3. Which of the following is the correct tare weight range of an LHB AC-3 tier coach?
A. 48–52 t
B. 55–60 t
C. 39–43 t
D. 35–38 t

Q4. The plug-type doors on LHB Rajdhani coaches have a clear opening of
A. 1100 mm
B. 1300 mm
C. 1500 mm
D. 1700 mm

Q5. Rajdhani coaches draw hotel power through HOG at
A. 750 V DC
B. 1100 V AC
C. 25 kV AC
D. 1500 V DC

Q6. Which coach in a Rajdhani rake carries the code “PC”?
A. Power car
B. Pantry car
C. Parcel car
D. Brake car

Q7. The colour band introduced on Rajdhani coaches under “Bharat” livery is
A. Blue-grey-blue
B. Red-grey-red
C. Green-yellow-green
D. Orange-grey-orange

Q8. Vacuum-retention toilets in Rajdhani coaches use how much water per flush?
A. 0.15 L
B. 0.35 L
C. 0.5 L
D. 1 L

Q9. Which depot holds the highest number of Rajdhani rakes?
A. Mumbai Central
B. Sealdah
C. New Delhi (DSJ)
D. Chennai Central

Q10. The energy absorption capacity of LHB buffer-cabins is
A. 1000 kJ
B. 1500 kJ
C. 2000 kJ
D. 2500 kJ

Q11. Rajdhani coaches are certified to which crash-worthiness standard?
A. UIC 566
B. EN 15227
C. IRS-RCF-05
D. GMRT 2130

Q12. Which refrigerant is used in the roof-mounted AC units of LHB Rajdhani coaches?
A. R-22
B. R-134a
C. R-407C
D. R-410A

Q13. The average age of Rajdhani LHB rakes as on 31 Mar 2024 is
A. 6.2 yrs
B. 9.4 yrs
C. 12.1 yrs
D. 15.0 yrs

Q14. Which of the following is NOT a feature of Rajdhani LHB coaches?
A. Swing-arm air suspension
B. Monoblock wheels
C. Screw couplers
D. Twin-pipe air brakes

Q15. The first Rajdhani train to be converted to HOG operation was
A. Howrah Rajdhani
B. Mumbai Rajdhani
C. Bangalore Rajdhani
D. Patna Rajdhani

Answers

1-B | 2-C | 3-C | 4-B | 5-C | 6-B | 7-B | 8-B | 9-C | 10-C | 11-B | 12-C | 13-B | 14-C | 15-B

Extra Q16-Q20 (for revision)
Q16. Length of an LHB coach shell is closest to 25.5 m (True/False) → True
Q17. Rajdhani coaches use R-407C, not R-22, to comply with Montreal Protocol (True/False) → True
Q18. EOG coaches house 2 × 380 kVA DG sets (True/False) → False (2 × 480 kVA)
Q19. Kavach equipment is fitted only on locomotives, not on coaches (True/False) → False (coaches also)
Q20. The punctuality of Rajdhani trains in 2023-24 was below 90 % (True/False) → False (94.8 %)

Memu Units

Shatabdi Coaches