MUMBAI: An upgraded non-AC local with automatic closing doors has joined Central Railway’s fleet. Technical faults found during trials of the first prototype have been fixed, and the rake will now undergo fresh trials in Mumbai.
Commuters will be able to travel in the closed-door non-AC local only after these trials and safety checks are cleared.
Planned after Diva–Mumbra accident
The closed-door non-AC local was planned for passenger safety after the June 2025 train accident between Diva and Mumbra.
Two prototype rakes with automatic doors were built at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai. One was sent to Mumbai, while the other’s initial trial was held on the Khajuraho–Mahoba section on the Uttar Pradesh–Madhya Pradesh border. The Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) noticed some technical issues during the trials.
What the trials will check
The non-AC rake is built on the frame of an AC local. The fresh trials will cover:
- Braking and emergency braking systems
- Speed, acceleration and running stability
- Suspension, bogies and coordination between wheels and rails
- Electrical systems and the working of the automatic doors
The rake will also go through a Confirmatory Oscillograph Car Run (COCR), which measures vibration and coach movement while running, as well as stability and passenger comfort at different speeds. Technical changes are made based on its findings.
Service only after fitness certificate
Once all technical trials are satisfactory, a safety inspection will follow. The process for passenger service will begin only after the rake gets a fitness certificate, so Mumbaikars will have to wait until then.