INDIA: RCF Kapurthala has developed a range of stainless steel coaches which it says are 40% cheaper than the previous designs offered under a 2001 technology transfer agreement with LHB. The high cost of stainless steel cars has previously limited their use to the main Shatabdi and Rajdhani Express services.
The initial batch of 28 low cost coaches includes six types for Shaheed Express services. RCF plans to produce 369 of the cars in 2009 -10, with a view to Indian Railways switching its entire production to this model.
RCF has also supplied Western Railway with 21 stainless steel coaches with a nano-coating finish derived from automotive technology, which RCF says will be easier to keep free of dust and ‘spoiling by antisocial elements’.
