Shatabdi Coaches
Shatabdi Coaches – Complete Railway GK Capsule
1. Introduction
Shatabdi coaches are the back-bone of Indian Railways’ premium day-intercity train family – Shatabdi Express. Introduced to commemorate Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru’s centenary (1988-89), these fully air-conditioned, chair-car trains are designed for same-day return travel between metros and tourist & business hubs.
2. Technical Particulars (LHB & ICF versions)
| Parameter | LHB Shatabdi (Present) | ICF Shatabdi (Phased-out) |
|---|---|---|
| Coach shell material | Stainless steel (Corten) | Mild steel |
| Length inside body | 23.54 m | 21.32 m |
| Width inside body | 3.24 m | 3.16 m |
| Height (roof) | 4.27 m | 4.27 m |
| Tare weight (AC chair car) | 39-42 t | 47-50 t |
| Max. permitted speed | 160 km/h (service 130-150) | 140 km/h (service 110-130) |
| Bogie type | FIAT-Bogies (LHB) | ICF bogie |
| Buffer & coupling | Center-buffer-cum-coupler (CBC) | Screw coupling + side buffers |
| Brake system | Air-twin-pipe, disc brakes | Air-twin-pipe, tread brakes |
| Passenger capacity (Executive Chair Car) | 56 | 52 |
| Passenger capacity (AC Chair Car) | 78 | 78 |
| Door type | Plug-sliding, automatic | Manual bi-parting |
| Head-on generation (HOG) | 750 V/1100 V dc from loco | Power car (Diesel) |
| Pantry | Mini-pantry / On-board catering | Full pantry car |
3. Historical Timeline
- 1988 Nov 14: First Shatabdi flagged off between New Delhi – Jhansi (Shatabdi means centenary in Sanskrit).
- 1989: Extended to Bhopal (still runs as 12001/02 Bhopal Shatabdi).
- 1990-94: ICF-built 21-coach rakes; max speed 120 km/h.
- 1996-97: First speed-up to 130 km/h on Delhi-Agra section.
- 2003: LHB design adopted; first LHB Shatabdi rake to Mumbai Rajdhani (later transferred).
- 2010-15: Gradual conversion of all Shatabdis to LHB; ICF rakes withdrawn.
- 2016: Tejas & Shatabdi become first trains with HOG; power-cars reduced from 2 to 1.
- 2019: Vista-Dome (glass-roof) coach introduced on Kalka-Shimla Shatabdi.
- 2021-23: Amrit Bharat push – 102 Shatabdi services, 373 coaches refurbished with Kavach trial.
4. Coach Nomenclature & Colour Code
- EOG: End-on-Generator (power car) – maroon-grey.
- E1/E2: Executive Chair Car – bottle-green + grey stripe.
- C1-C8: AC Chair Car – light-blue + grey stripe.
- PC: Pantry Car – red-grey.
- SLRD: SLR-cum-dividing van (rarely attached).
Liveries:
- Original – white/blue with red strip.
- 2018-present – Tejas-like grey-navy with bright-yellow chevron.
5. Special Features
- Rotating seats in Executive class (180° turn).
- Individual reading lamps & tray tables.
- Bio-vacuum toilets with IR-ICF standards.
- Fire & smoke detection system (LHB).
- GPS-based passenger information system (2017 retrofit).
- CCTV in latest rakes (2022).
- KAVACH (TACS) trial on 5 Shatabdi corridors (Oct-2023).
6. Current Status (2024)
- Total Shatabdi trains: 46 (as per July 2024 Time-Table).
- Total Shatabdi coaches: ≈ 1,150 (all LHB).
- Highest frequency route: Delhi-Chandigarh (4 pairs daily).
- Fastest Shatabdi: 12050/49 Gatimaan Express (Delhi-Agra, 160 km/h) – marketed separately but uses same coach-shell.
- Greenest Shatabdi: Mumbai-Goa – runs with 100% HOG & 1 power-car.
7. Recent Updates (2023-24)
- Jan 2023: Indian Railways approved “Push-Pull” configuration (loco at both ends) for Howrah-Puri Shatabdi to save turn-around time.
- Aug 2023: Vande-Shatabdi hybrid rake trial – 16 coaches with Vande-Bhartha interiors; result pending.
- Dec 2023: Kavach operational on Delhi-Agra & Chennai-Bengaluru Shatabdi sections.
- Mar 2024: Railway Budget – 200 more Shatabdi coaches to be built at RCF Kapurthala with 5-ton weight reduction.
8. Quick-Fire Facts for Exams
- First Shatabdi: 1988, NDLS-JHS, flagged by Mr. Madhav Rao Scindia (then MR).
- Longest run: Chennai-My Shatabdi (500 km).
- Shortest run: Howrah-Puri (498 km) – but Guwahati-Dibrugarh (Guwahati-Shatabdi) is 552 km.
- Only Shatabdi with Vista-Dome: Kalka-Shimla (narrow-gauge).
- Only Shatabdi touching 160 km/h: Gatimaan (coaches identical to LHB Shatabdi).
- Power voltage inside coach: 110 V AC (earlier 24 V DC fans).
- Coach code for Executive Chair Car: E (not EX).
- LHB safety features: Anti-climb, crash-worthy, 9.5 t buffing load.
9. Practice MCQs
1. Shatabdi Express was introduced to commemorate whose centenary?
Ans. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
2. Which was the first Shatabdi route in India?
Ans. New Delhi – Jhansi
3. Present maximum permissible speed of LHB Shatabdi coaches is
Ans. 160 km/h
4. The colour band on Executive Chair Car of LHB Shatabdi is
Ans. Bottle green + grey
5. Which bogie is used in modern Shatabdi coaches?
Ans. FIAT bogie
6. What is the passenger capacity of an LHB AC Chair Car (C-class)?
Ans. 78
7. Shatabdi trains are classified under which train category?
Ans. Superfast (SF)
8. The first Vista-Dome coach on Shatabdi was introduced on which section?
Ans. Kalka-Shimla
9. Shatabdi coaches are made of stainless steel in which production unit?
Ans. RCF Kapurthala
10. How many Shatabdi trains were running as per 2024 timetable?
Ans. 46
11. Which coupling system is provided in LHB Shatabdi coaches?
Ans. CBC (Centre Buffer Coupler)
12. The on-board electric supply in Shatabdi coaches after HOG conversion is
Ans. 750 V DC from loco
13. Which Shatabdi has the shortest journey time for its distance?
Ans. Gatimaan Express (Delhi-Agra)
14. ICF Shatabdi coaches had which type of brake system?
Ans. Tread (block) brake
15. The tare weight of an LHB Executive Chair Car is approximately
Ans. 39-42 t
16. Shatabdi trains do not have which class?
Ans. Sleeper class
17. Which safety feature is provided in LHB but not in ICF coaches?
Ans. Anti-climb feature
18. The GPS-based passenger information system in Shatabdi was first introduced in
Ans. 2017
Last Updated: July 2024
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