BHEL traction converters supply starts for Vande Bharat sleepers

BHEL traction converters have begun shipping for the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train project. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) said the start of deliveries marks its move into the semi-high-speed propulsion segment, as outlined in a BHEL press release.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

These semi-high-speed underslung traction converters use IGBT-based technology and sit beneath the train coaches. That arrangement, BHEL said, frees up space inside the coaches and increases payload capacity.

Don’t miss…MBTA commuter rail fare gates begin phased rollout at South Station

The first set was flagged off from BHEL’s Bengaluru plant and is being sent to Kolkata for the final assembly of the sleeper trains, as reported by ET Infra. The Vande Bharat sleeper train propulsion system is being delivered by a BHEL-led consortium in partnership with TRSL (Railway Supply: Vande Bharat sleeper trains programme).

Flag-off at the Bengaluru plant

Senior officials attended the dispatch event at the Bengaluru facility. Bani Varma, Director (IS&P), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, flagged off the traction converters, while S M Ramanathan, Director (E, R&D), BHEL, and Umesh Chowdhary, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, TRSL, joined virtually.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains propulsion equipment

BHEL said the underslung traction converters were designed specifically for the Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains. The company added that its Bhopal and Jhansi units have developed and manufactured other major propulsion equipment for the same trains, including traction motors and transformers.

Speeds, efficiency and long-distance reliability

BHEL stated that the propulsion system supports an operational speed of up to 160 kmph, with a design speed of 176 kmph. It also pointed to high-efficiency power conversion and thermal management, aimed at supporting reliable long-distance overnight operations.

BHEL said the development and supply of these systems align with its efforts to indigenise propulsion technologies for rail transportation and rolling stock.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to flag off the first Vande Bharat sleeper train later in January. The service will operate on the Guwahati–Howrah route, linking Assam and West Bengal.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed: