 "illustration by Binay Sinha")
The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) registered a new record-high production of coaches by building 2,503 in 2017-18, thus surpassing last year's figure of 2277 coaches.
The 2500th coach was flagged off on Saturday at the furnishing division by two senior employees, CC Bakthavachalam and V Rajagopal, in the presence of General Manager Mani, other senior officers and staff members of the ICF.
While the production target fixed by the Railway Board was 2,464, the ICF successfully surpassed this number with 2503 coaches. Out of the total produce, 70 percent were stainless steel coaches.
However, a senior official noted that the ICF envisions the production of 3,000 trains or more in 2018-19, with a number of new product variations in the pipeline for the coming year.
"Producing 2,503 units is an important milestone for us. However, we are aiming at 3000 coaches next year, and have many new products coming up. We are looking to supply 80 world-class coaches to Sri Lanka, for which the prototype will be ready tentatively in July. By 2020, we have also planned on introducing Train 20 aluminum body train set," he said.
The product mix consists of electric multiple units (EMUs) for Mumbai and Chennai, diesel-electric multiple units (DEMU) for Jammu and Kashmir, Kolkata Metro, Self Propelled Accident Relief Train (SPART), diesel-electric tower cars (DETC), tourist coaches for IRCTC, and Military Langer.
