INDIA: A specially modified 20-car Vande Bharat fitted with Automatic Emergency Braking has begun trials on the Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road ghat, a key step toward the proposed Bengaluru–Mangaluru service.

Blue-and-white Vande Bharat Express trainset beside an electrified railway track.
Blue-and-white Vande Bharat Express trainset. Illustrative photo. Photo: Sameer2905, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The train left Sakleshpur at 6:42 a.m. on August 12 and reached Subrahmanya Road at 10:55 a.m. The field trials are being conducted by South Western Railway’s Mysuru division, with Research Designs and Standards Organisation personnel examining operating parameters. Testing is expected to continue until August 20.

AEB Must Hold 30 km/h on the 1-in-50 Ghat

Vande Bharat normally combines electro-pneumatic assisted disc braking with regenerative braking, but the Sakleshpur ghat requires an additional safeguard. The section has a ruling gradient of 1 in 50, and trains are restricted to a maximum of 30 km/h.

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Conventional trains use AEB-equipped banker locomotives on the ghat. Attaching one to a Vande Bharat would require removing and later refitting the train’s aerodynamic nose, adding handling time. The modified rake instead carries its own Automatic Emergency Braking system for the trials.

Indian Railways describes the electrified Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road ghat as a 55-km section with 57 tunnels, 226 bridges and 108 sharp curves, underscoring the operating environment the modified train must negotiate.

Trial / route fact Confirmed detail
Trial rake 20-car Vande Bharat with AEB
Field-trial period August 12–20
Ghat section 55 km, Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road
Ruling gradient 1 in 50
Maximum speed 30 km/h
Terrain 57 tunnels, 226 bridges, 108 sharp curves

Safety Certification Still Comes Before Passenger Service

Successful trials would not by themselves mean the passenger service is ready to launch. In February, the Ministry of Railways said a Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat would follow completion of electrification and safety certifications.

Indian Railways has also said that introducing new Vande Bharat services depends on factors including section capacity, an available train path, suitable rolling stock, matching infrastructure, maintenance requirements and traffic demand. For the Bengaluru–Mangaluru proposal, the final route, timetable and service frequency have still not been confirmed.

Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna had announced an introduction by June, but that did not materialise because an AEB-equipped rake was not available. The current August trials therefore address a specific technical obstacle, while safety certification and operating decisions remain necessary before regular passenger service can begin.

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