Kharge to launch dual cab locomotive tomorrow

Railways will launch a new designed locomotive with dual cabin system tomorrow in a bid to enhance the safety aspect and provide better facilities to drivers.
Named "Vijay", the 4500 horse power diesel locomotive with AC facility is being equipped with double cabins at both ends of the engine to enable the drivers a better range of view, speed and operation.
Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge will flag off the indigenously designed locomotive in Varanasi, said a senior Railway Ministry official.
Manufactured at Diesel Locomotive Works in Varanasi, the high power dual cab locomotive is expected to run at about 100 km per hour speed and will be used mostly in heavy haul operation.

With the induction of dual cab locomotive, the safety aspect has been enhanced due to its visibility advantage, the official said. It costs about Rs 14.7 crore.
At present, diesel locos with 4500 HP for freight trains are equipped with a single drive cabin at the front side of the engine.

"Drivers face difficulties in viewing the signals while running the train in opposite direction," the official said.
The new design overcomes speed limitation by providing two cabins for drivers and crew-friendly features such as LCD screen displays among others.
The seats inside the cabin have been ergonomically designed and various parameters such as speed, air pressure in brake pipes, feed pipes, main reservoir tanks have been customised and displayed in a computer display, eliminating the conventional gauges.