Chennai: In yet another milestone, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) here has introduced the Link Hofmann Busch (LHB) coach-manufacturing unit that will ensure a more secure, comfortable and speedy journey for passengers.
On Monday, railway minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu dedicated the LHB unit to the country through video-conferencing from Delhi, and flagged-off the 50,000th coach of the ICF here. “Railways is ready to provide world-class facilities if people are ready to pay,” the minister said. He said railways were planning to redesign interior of coaches to make them comfortable.
“Small things like ladder to climb to berths, garbage bins and toilets will be given importance,” he added.
ICF will make 300 LHB coaches per year at the new workshop. Railway Board Member (Mechanical), Hemant Kumar and ICF General Manager Ashok K. Agarwal were present.
LHB’s salient features:
Coaches are of stainless steel
Seating capacity will go up from 72 to 80 in sleeper and 64 to 72 in AC coaches
Average speed of LHB will be 180 kmph as against 120 km/hour for conventional coaches
Maintenance to be done only every three years as compared to one year in the conventional coaches l Anti-climbing and anti-telescopic system will prevent the coaches from slamming on one another during accidents
