Brahmaputra Mail becomes first passenger-carrying train on electric traction up to Kamakhya station of Guwahati
Oct 28, 2021
New Delhi [India], October 29 : In a step towards switching to green transportation, the first passenger train to run entirely on electric traction arrived at Kamakhya station of Guwahati in Northeast Frontier Railway on Thursday.
The train number 05956 Delhi - Kamakhya (Brahmaputra) Mail Special leaving from national capital city reached Kamakhya station at 1.30 pm covering more than 2000 km on electric traction. Similarly, in the return direction, the train number 05955 Kamakhya - Delhi (Brahmaputra) Mail Special left for Delhi from Kamakhya station at 2.30 pm on Thursday through electric traction.
Ministry of Railways in an official statement said that the train became the first Mail/Express train to run on electric traction up to Kamakhya station of Guwahati after the successful operation of a parcel train on an electric traction just a day before. "Thus, the N. F. Railway begins a new era," it added.
Earlier on October 21, 2021 the Northeast Frontier Railway ran its first parcel train on electric traction up to Kamakhya station and achieved a historical moment for NF Railway and North-eastern region.
After successful of completion of Railway Electrification works up to Kamakhya station and authorization granted by CRS/N. F. Circle after inspection from October 7 to 9, the section from New Coochbehar to Kamakhya was opened for the operation of electric traction. With this, total 760 route km/1701 track km has been electrified on NF Railway.
Up till now, the trains with electric locomotives were coming from Katihar and Malda up to New Coochbehar, where the electric loco was being detached from the train and diesel locomotive was being attached for its onward journey. Now with the completion of Railway Electrification works and commissioning of the section up to Kamakhya, these trains will come directly up to Kamakhya without change of traction. As such, there will be direct connectivity from New Delhi to Kamakhya on Electric Traction without a change of locomotive en route.
The ministry said, "At this point, it is worthwhile to note the numerous inherent benefits of electric traction i.e. higher speed potential enabling faster trains, saving of time and energy, increase energy efficiency with a higher power to weight ratio, regenerative breaking, higher hauling capacity with high horsepower locomotives, improve reliability and line capacity, pollution-free mode of transportation, cost-effective due to lesser maintenance and operating cost etc."
