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Train 18, also called T-18, is all set to hit Indian Railways tracks for extensive speed and safety trials from November 19. Train 18 is Indian Railways' first self-propelled engine-less train for inter-city travel.

Train 18, also called T-18, is all set to hit Indian Railways tracks for extensive speed and safety trials from November 19. For the uninitiated, Train 18 is Indian Railways’ first self-propelled engine-less train for inter-city travel. Designed to travel at a maximum speed of 160 kmph, Train 18 is undoubtedly a big step forward towards the future of rail travel in India. With the intent to manufacture world-class self-propelled trains, Indian Railways hopes to gradually replace its premium Shatabdi Express. Financial Express Online has learnt that in the first phase, RDSO (Research Design and Standards Organisation) will test Train 18 on the Moradabad-Saharanpur route at speeds of 115 kmph. After successfully completing the tests, Train 18 will then be run on the Sawai Madhopur-Kota section of the Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani route. On this section, Train 18 will be tested at speeds of 180 kmph.

According to an RDSO official that Financial Express Online spoke to, the trials of Train 18 will be conducted on both the mainline and Rajdhani-standard tracks. “Train 18 will run at a maximum speed of 160 kmph, but for any new train, we test it at around 10% higher than the proposed maximum speed. So, Train 18 is likely to be tested at around 180 kmph,” the official told Financial Express Online. Incidentally, the only train in India that has hit speeds of 180 kmph is Spain’s Talgo during trials in 2016.

For the sake of clarity, you may want to change 'engine-less' to 'non-loco-hauled'. Or is it all downhill to Saharanpur?  ;D