1. DEDICATED FREIGHT CORRIDOR – CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE PRACTICES
PRESENTATION BY
P.N.RAM, CE/C/V,
SOUTH CENTRAL RAILWAY,SECUNDERABAD

2. What is dedicated freight corridor?
A dedicated freight corridor is expected to be
the proposed new track exclusively reserved for running of freight trains
at a speed of about 100 Kmph
with increased axle load and train load.
mostly along the golden quadrilateral i.e. high traffic density routes.

3. Need for Dedicated Freight Corridor
To cope up with the increased freight traffic due to growth of economy as a whole.
To off load the high density routes, mostly golden quadrilaterals.
To increase the average speed of freight trains from 25 Kmph to about 50 Kmph.
To run wider freight stock with improved pay load/tare weight ratio from existing 2.4 to 3.0 and above.
To allow heavier axle load for increased loading.
To increase the moving dimension for wider freight stocks for increased train load.

4. Growth of freight traffic on Indian Railways over the years
Freight Traffic (MT)
Growth (MT)
Avg. annual growth (MT)
73.20 --
119.80
46.60
4.66
167.90
48.10
4.81
195.90
28.00
2.80
318.40
122.50
12.25
456.42
138.02
13.80
473.50
17.08
492.50
19.00
518.74
26.24
557.39
38.65
585.35
27.96
668.00
82.65
726.00(Target)
58.00

5. INDIAN FREIGHT STOCK – PAY LOAD/TARE WEIGHT RATIO
Type of Wagon
Tare Weight
Pay Load
PL/TW Ratio with CC+2
PL/TW Ratio with CC+8
BOX
25.6
55.7
2.25
2.48
BOXN
22.6
58.7
2.68
2.95
BOXN-HA
23.17
58.81
2.62
2.88
BCN
25.5
55.8
2.26
2.50
BCNA
24.5
56.7
2.40
2.64
BCX
29.3
52.0
1.84
2.05

6. UTILIZATION OF WAGONS ON INDIAN RAILWAY
Year
Wagon Km. Per wagon per day
Remarks
62.3
Wagon utilization on other Railways is as follows:-
French Railway –
German Railway –
Japanese Railway – 258.4
73.4
110.5
177.4
179.0
191.6
204.6
187.3

7. Railway Budget 2006-07 – Initiative for improving freight loading
Additional load of 4 to 8 tones per wagon adds 100MT loading capacity and revenue of Rs.5,000 Crores.
During loading target increased from 635MT to 668MT.
Pay load/tare weight ratio to improve to better than 3:1 and thereafter around 4:1.
Permission to run private containers.
Introduction of double stack container train.
Development of wagon leasing market.
Introduction of 25T axle load trains.
Validity of brake power certificate for CC rakes increased from 6,000 to 7,500 Km.

8. Railway Budget 2006-07 Dedicated Freight Corridor Project
Following dedicated freight corridor project included in the budget:
Western Corridor: JNPT – Vadodara-Ahmedabad – Palanpur – Jaipur – Rewari -Thuglakabad.
Eastern Corridor: Ludhiana – Ambala – Seharampur – Khurja – Allahabad Son nagar.

9. Standard of construction
Likely standard of construction for dedicated freight corridor is as follows:-
Axle load – T
(Bridges may be designed for 40T).
Speed potential – KMPH.
Ruling gradient – not steeper than 1 in 150.
Track structure – Kg. (90 UTS) Rails, PSC sleepers with 1660/KM, Ballast cushion 350mm.
Loop length – Km to 2.00Km.
Block Section – Km to 40Km.
Signalling and Interlocking – CTC with Electronic Interlocking, GPS based Cab Signalling.

10. Construction aspects Agency for Construction:- Railway or SPV.
Design – Consultant.
Checking of design – Consultant.
Execution – Composite Contract.
Quality Control – Consultant.
P.Way Material – Part of the Contract.
Laying and Linking – Mechanized system.
Welding of rail joints – Mobile Flash Butt Plant.

11. Maintenance of freight corridor
Periodical maintenance Contract
Inspections and Maintenance Organization – Under SPV.
quality checks – Consultant.
Disaster management – Separate wing under SPV.

12. Conclusion
Freight corridor has to be constructed with improved standards.
Detailed study on each aspect has to be done before laying the standards.
Modern construction practices to be adopted for improving quality.
Maintenance Organization has to be set up for better maintenance.

13. Thank You