Spain’s Talgo completes its second trial in city

The Indian Railway on Saturday concluded a second trial of the Spanish-made super fast train Talgo between Delhi and Mumbai so as to ascertain its capacity/safety at sharp curves.

The train completed the run in 13 hours and 17 minutes at an average speed of 102 kmph.

The trial in itself is important, as the train has to undergo the curvature test that is peculiar to the Indian topography. The train pulled out from Delhi on Friday at 2.50 pm and was expected to reach Mumbai Central at 3.32 am on Saturday but was delayed and finally arrived at 4.08 am.

According to officials, the trial was fairly successful, as it will maintain equilibrium at sharp curves up to six degrees. “The Rajdhani train and other trains have been built and procured by the railways to be able to balance the base of the train while at high speed at curves that can be up to 6 degrees. Talgo itself has other system which is even more sophisticated which can pull its wheel up/down or in or out according to the track and curve on which it runs,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

The train has already seen speed trials at 130 kmph and 140 kmph. The trial at a speed of 150 kmph is still pending, said officials.

The Talgo coach is a 30-year-old train and if it passes all parameters, Indian Railway will procure a brand new train. Two trials of the train have been conducted to observe its oscillation as well as speed on the Moradabad-Bareilly and Palwal-Mathura.