ICF coach: Difference between revisions
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In April 2008 the Indian Railways launched a refurbishment program called ''Utkrisht'' ({{trans|excellence}}) to refurbish and modernize ICF coaches in 640 rakes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introduction of New Trains |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1695483 |website=Press Information Bureau |publisher=Press Information Bureau |access-date=8 January 2024}}</ref> |
In April 2008 the Indian Railways launched a refurbishment program called ''Utkrisht'' ({{trans|excellence}}) to refurbish and modernize ICF coaches in 640 rakes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introduction of New Trains |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1695483 |website=Press Information Bureau |publisher=Press Information Bureau |access-date=8 January 2024}}</ref> |
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With a total cost of [[Indian rupee|₹]]400 crore (US${{To USD round|4000|India|year=2008}} million), the refurbishment included a new [[beige]] and [[maroon]] livery, LED |
With a total cost of [[Indian rupee|₹]]400 crore (US${{To USD round|4000|India|year=2008}} million), the refurbishment included a new [[beige]] and [[maroon]] livery, LED fixtures, upgraded [[Composting toilet |
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|bio-toilets]] with odour control, assistive [[Braille]] signage, and improved trash disposal.<ref>{{cite news |title=Project Utkrisht: Indian Railways gives mail/express trains swanky revamp |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/project-utkrisht-indian-railways-gives-mail/express-trains-swanky-revamp/what-is-project-utkrisht/slideshow/66065108.cms |access-date=8 January 2024 |publisher=The Economic Times |date=4 October 2018}}</ref> |
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=== Retirement and Legacy=== |
=== Retirement and Legacy=== |
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Revision as of 20:20, 8 January 2024
| Integral Coach Factory (ICF) coach | |
|---|---|
 Yellow ("Utkrish" livery) and blue ("Blue" livery) ICF coaches. | |
| Designer | Swiss Car & Elevator Manufacturing Co |
| Built at | |
| Constructed | 1955–2018 |
| Scrapped | c.2000s–2009 (PNR) |
| Number scrapped | 30 (PNR) |
| Successor |
|
| Operators |
|
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Corten Steel |
| Car length | 22,297 millimetres (22.297 m) including buffers |
| Width | 3,245 millimetres (3.245 m) |
| Height | 4,025 millimetres (4.025 m) |
| Floor height | 1,313 millimetres (1.313 m) |
| Wheelbase | 14,783 millimetres (14.783 m) |
| Maximum speed | 130 km/h (81 mph) |
| Bogies | ICF Bogies |
| Minimum turning radius | 152.4 m |
| Coupling system | Buffers and chain coupler, AAR H Type Tightlock CBC coupling |
| Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) |
The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) coach is a conventional passenger coach used on the majority of Indian Railways (IR) lines.[1] The Philippine National Railways (PNR) was a previous user of the cars, but retired the last of them in 2009.[1]
Indian Railways is currently[when?] phasing out ICF coaches and replacing them with newer LHB coaches are expected to address many of these issues.[1][2][3][clarification needed]
History
The design of the coach was developed by Integral Coach Factory, Perambur, Chennai, India in collaboration with the Swiss Car & Elevator Manufacturing Co, Schlieren, Switzerland in the 1950s.[citation needed] The design is also called the Schlieren design based on the location of the Swiss company.[citation needed]
Introduced in 1955 with a brick red livery, the standard ICF coaches were repainted blue in the 1990s.[4]
Project Utkrisht
In April 2008 the Indian Railways launched a refurbishment program called Utkrisht (transl. excellence) to refurbish and modernize ICF coaches in 640 rakes.[5]
With a total cost of ₹400 crore (US$90 million), the refurbishment included a new beige and maroon livery, LED fixtures, upgraded [[Composting toilet |bio-toilets]] with odour control, assistive Braille signage, and improved trash disposal.[6]
Retirement and Legacy
The last ICF coach was flagged off on 19 January 2018 by senior technician P. Bhaskar in the presence of Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani.[3] Indian Railways plans to retire all ICF coaches by 2029, replacing them with LHB and Vande Bharat trainsets.[7]
Central Railways is converting ICF coaches having a residual life of 5 years into accident relief and New Modified Goods-High Speed (NMGH) automobile carrier rakes. As of September 2023, 57 ICF coaches have been converted into NMGH rakes and 4 ICF coaches have been converted into accident relief trains.[8]
Image gallery
-
A red ICF coach used on an unnamed train -
A blue ICF coach used on the Gorakdham Express -
A buffers and chain coupler on an ICF coach used on Uttaranchal Sampark Kranti Express
See also
- Bo-Bo – The wheel arrangement of ICF coaches as per the UIC classification
References
- ^ a b c "DNA Exclusive: Is It Time for Indian Railways to Tear Up Ageing Tracks and Old Machinery?". ZeeNews.India.com. Zee Media Corporation. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ Ayyappan, V. (4 January 2021). "Leakage Found in ICF Coaches". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ a b Debroy, Bibek (9 February 2018). "A 70-Year-Old Vs a 30-Year-Old: LHB Coaches Perform Better than ICF Ones". Business Standard. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "The dying sight of uniform liveries on Indian trains". A Little Voice. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Introduction of New Trains". Press Information Bureau. Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Project Utkrisht: Indian Railways gives mail/express trains swanky revamp". The Economic Times. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ Mishra, Twesh (19 July 2023). "Railways to have only LHB and Vande Bharat coaches in next 6 years: Official". The Economic Times. ET Bureau. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Central Railway converts ageing ICF coaches into accident relief trains". The Indian Express. Express News Service. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
