The Ministry claimed that it has a higher payload-to-tare ratio of 2.85 which will reduce the carbon footprint as lower consumption of fuel in empty directions and more transport of freight in a loaded condition. A single rake can save over 14,500 tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime.
Aluminum freight rake (Photo: PIB)
Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s First Aluminum Freight Rake (61 BOBRNALHSM1) at Bhubaneswar Railway Station on Sunday.
“The destination of the rake is Bilaspur. It has been fully designed and developed indigenously in collaboration with RDSO, HINDALCO, and Besco Wagon,” the Ministry of Railways said in a statement.
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Lighter in weight
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The statement also highlights that the rakes have been designed under the Make in India program, and have lock-bolted construction with no welding on the superstructure. It is 3.25 tons lesser in weight in comparison to normal steel rakes.
Extra carrying capacity
The indigenously developed rake has also 180 tons extra carrying capacity than the traditional ones resulting in higher throughput per wagon.
Ecofriendly
The Ministry claimed that it has a higher payload-to-tare ratio of 2.85 which will reduce the carbon footprint as lower consumption of fuel in empty directions and more transport of freight in a loaded condition. A single rake can save over 14,500 tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime.
Higher resale value
However, the indigenously designed aluminum freight rake will be 35% more costly than the normal steel rake, as the superstructure is all aluminum. But it retains up to 80% resale value.
Low maintenance
It has the additional benefit of saving maintenance costs due to higher corrosion and abrasion resistance.
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