Railway minister inaugurates India’s first aluminium Freight Rake

Tags: National National News

On 16 October 2022, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s first aluminium freight rake at Bhubaneswar railway station.

Important facts

• The first Aluminum Freight Rake - 61 BOBRNHSM1, was flagged off by the Minister whose destination is Bilaspur.

• A dedicated effort of Make in India programme, it is indigenously designed and developed in collaboration with RDSO, Hindalco and Besco Wagons.

• Apart from freight trains, Indian Railways is also introducing aluminum passenger coaches in the near future.

Features of Aluminium Rake

• It is fully Lock Bolted construction with no welding on superstructure.

• The tare is 3.25 tons lower than normal steel rakes, 180 ton extra carrying capacity resulting in higher throughput per wagon.

• Higher payload to tare ratio is 2.85.

Significance 

• This will reduce the carbon footprint as there will be less fuel consumption and more transportation of goods.

• A single rake can save over 14,500 tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime.

• Its cost is 35% more than the normal cost as all its structure is made of aluminium.

• Low maintenance cost due to high corrosion and abrasion resistance.