LHB Coaches Features

LHB Coaches Features

Special Features of LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA

QUESTION NO 3503

ANSWERED ON 16.12.2016

Special Features of LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches

3503 Shri V. Vijayasai Reddy

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to satate :-
(a) whether the Anil Kakodkar Committee on Rail Safety had recommended in 2012 that all railway coaches in the country be replaced with Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches to enhance rail safety;
(b) whether Railways have accepted this recommendation;
(c) if so, the special features of LHB coaches in reducing train accidents and fatal casualties;
(d) how many LHB coaches so far have been inducted into Railways; and
(e) the steps proposed to enhance rail safety?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3503 BY SHRI V. VIJAYASAI REDDY ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 16.12.2016 REGARDING SPECIAL FEATURES OF LHB COACHES

(a): Yes, Sir. The High Level Safety Review Committee (Kakodkar Committee) had recommended that Indian Railways should switch over to Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) design coaches in all the coach manufacturing units and manufacturing of Integral Coach Factory (ICF) design coaches should be stopped immediately.

(b): This recommendation has been accepted by the Ministry of Railways.

(c): Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches mitigate the possibility of grievous injury or death in case of accidents as LHB coaches have superior body-bogie and wheel-bogie connections, anti-climbing features, tight lock coupling, provision of bump stop, superior braking, provision of yaw dampers to ensure smooth transfer of forces between body and bogie etc. These features ensure better riding and comfort with less chance of dislocation of body from shell, destabilization and tilting of the coach, possibility of overriding of one coach over the other, uncoupling of coaches and consequent movement in an uncontrolled manner etc., in case of accidents.

(d): Approximately 4500 LHB coaches have been manufactured and inducted in service. In an effort to improve the safety performance over Indian Railways, Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches are being proliferated.

(e): Safety is accorded highest priority by Indian Railways and all possible steps are undertaken on a continual basis to prevent accidents and to enhance safety. These include timely replacement of over-aged assets, adoption of suitable technologies for upgradation and maintenance of track, rolling stock, signaling and interlocking systems, launching of safety drives, training of officials and inspections at regular intervals to monitor and educate staff for observance of safe practices. Safety devices/systems being progressively installed to prevent accidents include provision of Block Proving Axle Counters (BPAC), Auxiliary Warning system (AWS), LED Signals and Vigilance Control Device (VCD). Certain safety devices/systems are under development stage and these include Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) etc.