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Another close contender for the title of the fastest train in India is the Howrah Rajdhani via Gaya that is allowed a max. speed of 130km/h (booked speed 120km/h) for almost all of its run between New Delhi and Howrah (excepting sections with speed restrictions including ghat sections such as Gujhandi-Gurpa). It has the highest commercial speed for any long-distance overnight train in IR, at 85.6 km/h. It takes 16 hours 50 minutes from Howrah to New Delhi (1441 km). This train has only recently (since 2001) been speeded up to its current schedule.
The Mumbai Rajdhani matches the Howrah Rajdhani as far as the max. speed is concerned and has the second highest commercial speed for any long-distance overnight train in IR - 83.5km/h. It has a terrific run from New Delhi to Ratlam, covering 731km in just 7h 42m with an average speed of 94.9km/h - it has a max. speed of 130km/h (120km/h. booked) in this section. However, it is restricted to 100km/h max. speed (95km/h booked) between Ratlam and Godhra as it goes through difficult terrain.
[4/01] The Lucknow Shatabdi has the potential to be one of the fastest trains in India with the new LHB coaches, which are rated for speeds up to 160km/h, although safety considerations may not allow such speeds until the track is completely fenced off or otherwise separated from road and foot traffic. It does on occasion touch 140km/h on sections such as Maripat-Tundla and Etawah-Panki. [2/02] Currently the LHB coaches have been withdrawn for use for with this train after initial trials last year, because of problems with the couplers and rake parting. The train is currently restricted to a top speed of 130km/h on the rest of its route, but that still makes it one of the fastest trains. It manages a commercial speed of 93km/h between New Delhi and Kanpur. Excluding the halt at Aligarh, its running average speed on that section is 94.6km/h.
The fastest Rajdhanis today [8/01] are (in order): the Howrah Rajdhani via Gaya, the Mumbai Rajdhani, the Sealdah Rajdhani, the August Kranti Rajdhani, and the Patna Rajdhani.
The fastest non-Rajdhani, non-Shatabdi train is perhaps the Bhopal Exp. (Habibganj - Hazrat Nizamuddin) which has a commercial speed of 69.5km/h. Others among the fastest non-Rajdhani, non-Shatabdi superfast trains today [8/01] are (in order): Prayagraj Exp. (68/66 km/h), Lalbagh Exp. (68/63 km/h), Tamilnadu Exp. (67/65 km/h, and the Satavahana Exp. (67km/h)
[7/01] Average speeds (km/h) of some of the other fast trains are: Lucknow Shatabdi : 86/83.7, Mumbai Rajdhani : 83.5/81.4, Sealdah Rajdhani : 82.7, 81.6, Chandigarh Shatabdi 80.1, Amritsar Shatabdi : 81, August Kranti Rajdhani : 79.9/79.5, Swarna Shatabdi : 79.8/78.6, Patna Rajdhani : 79.2 / 77.2, Chennai Rajdhani : 76.4/75.1.
Diesel locomotives today are generally limited to a maximum speed of about 110km/h to 120km/h, so the fastest train services are usually electric. In the past, however, the Howrah Rajdhani was regularly hauled at speeds up to 130km/h by a WDM-4 loco. The Bangalore Rajdhani runs at 120km/h on the Wadi-Guntakal-Bangalore stretch (WDM-2, short hood leading). Similarly, the Trivandrum Rajdhani, diesel hauled, runs at 120km/h; the Ajmer Shatabdi, also diesel hauled, runs at 110km/h. The Konkan Railway line is not electrified, and is rated for 160km/h, although no trains run that fast on it. The Dadar-Madgaon Jan Shatabdi touches 120km/h with a WDM-3A with its short hood leading, and 110km/h with its long hood leading. The WDP-1 and WDP-2 loco classes are restricted to about 105-110km/h; the WDP-4, although capable of 160km/h, is generally restricted to 110km/h as well.
[5/02] The Kurla-Madgaon Jan Shatabdi is the first non-airconditiioned express that crosses the 110km/h bar -- it actually touches 120km/h on its run. It has a commercial speed of about 70km/h (73km/h down). |
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