The railway has decided to operate train with diesel engine on the routes which are not electrified
so far. It is learned that this system will be implemented until the complete electrification of railway lines
across India. Trains with diesel engines will start service on these routes from August 30.
If this new system comes into force, all trains plying on the stretch on...
more... Konkan route will be equipped with
diesel engine. With this, engine of these trains will not be changed at Mangalore railway station. At the same time, this decision will not be applicable to trains which are plying from Kerala towards Coimbatore.
With the diesel engine, passengers will save more time as the trains will not have to halt to change the engines. It is observed as an advantage.
Railway board has asked all zones to submit a detailed list of the trains which would be switched over to diesel engine.
However, railway plans to renovate all routes within 3 years. But switching over to diesel engine will incur
huge expense too. At the same time, the railways have not taken chances of environmental pollution caused by diesel engines.
But railways aim to use diesel engines to maximum as the production of these engines are curtailed at
present. Hence, the railway has decided to use the engines before its expiry.
With the implementation of the decision, trains namely Amritha express, Rajya Rani express and Palaruvi
express will be switched over to diesel engine.
At present, Amritha express from Thiruvananthapuram to Madurai changes the engine from electric to diesel at Palakkad. The train changes the engine as Palakkad-Pollachi-Madurai route is not electrified.
Rajya Rani express will be switched over to diesel engine to take service to Nilambur. Palaruvi express used to halt at Kollam to shift to diesel engine. But with the new rule, the train will cover all route with diesel engine in electrified as well as non-electrified routes