India will have ’tilting trains’ by 2026 to help maintain speed on curves.

According to railway officials, the Indian Railways plans to introduce ’tilting trains’ by 2026 to maintain higher speeds on curvy stretches. According to officials, this technology is being used to manufacture 100 new units of the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains.

“By 2024, approximately 100 Vande Bharat trains will be equipped with this technology.” We will collaborate with a technology partner to complete this within the next two to three years,” a railway official said, adding that these trains with sleeper coaches will be operational by the first quarter of 2024.

Tilting trains, the officer explained, have a mechanism that allows them to travel faster on regular broad-gauge tracks by tilting while navigating a curve.

A broad-gauge railway track is wider than the standard 1,435 mm used by railways.

Such locomotives can be found in the UK, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, Russia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, China, Germany, and Romania.

According to a second official, the railways is also planning to become a major exporter of Vande Bharat trains by 2026, primarily to markets in Europe, South America, and East Asia.

He stated that the railways intend to begin working on the export once the next batch of 75 VB trains (expected to be operational by August of next year) have traveled at least 10 lakh kilometers in the coming years.

“The railways is also building a 59-kilometer testing track between Gudha and Thathana Mithri in Jodhpur Division (near Jaipur) to conduct 220 kmph test runs.” This track is expected to be completed by January 2024 and will be used to conduct train trials for export.”