Vaishnaw flags off India’s first aluminium freight rake train

Union Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off India’s first aluminum freight rake at Bhubaneswar Railway Station.

Vaishnaw said this is a significant milestone in India’s modernisation drive in mass transportation. Switching to aluminium significantly shrinks carbon footprint for Indian Railways. A single rake of aluminum freight train can save over 14,500 tonne of CO2 over its lifetime.

Moreover, aluminium is the preferred choice for metro trains worldwide. This is lighter, cost-efficient and durable. This is an ambitious plan to modernise freight transportation and enable large carbon savings for Indian Railways, the minister added.

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Vaishnaw also said these aluminium wagons will help to achieve target with over 10 per cent increase in payload while significantly lowering the carbon footprint in line with our vision to build a green and efficient railway network.

The freight train rake developed by Hindalco are 180 tonne lighter than the existing steel rakes and can carry 5-10 per cent more payload, consume less energy with relatively negligible wear and tear to rolling stock and rails.

The bottom discharge aluminium freight wagon, specifically designed to carry coal, is tipped to reduce the carbon footprint measurably.

For every 100 kg weight reduction of the wagon, the lifetime CO2 saving is 8-10 tonne. This translates to a saving of more than 14,500 tonne of CO2 for a single rake.

ECoR General Manager (I/C) Sharad Kumar Srivastava, Divisional Railway Manager/Khurda Road Rinkesh Roy, Principal Head of Departments of ECoR, senior railway officials along with Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries were present during the inauguration at Bhubaneswar Station.