Latest news with #railway
Mint
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Mint
Railways commissions Indigenously Developed Kavach 4.0 on Mathura-Kota Section of the Delhi-Mumbai Route
New Delhi: Indian Railways has launched an indigenous railway safety system, Kavach 4.0, for the Mathura-Kota section of the busy Delhi-Mumbai route. This is the first commissioning of the latest Kavach version and a step towards modernization of railway safety systems in the country. 'Railways has indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured the Kavach Automatic Train Protection System, taking inspiration from PM's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' vision. Kavach 4.0 is a technology-intensive system. It was approved by the Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) in July 2024,' railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a statement released by ministry. 'Many developed nations took 20-30 years to develop and install train protection systems. The commissioning of Kavach 4.0 on the Kota-Mathura section has been achieved in a very short timeframe. This is a very big achievement,' the minister added. Indian Railways is gearing up to commission Kavach 4.0 on various routes within a short span of six years. Over 30,000 people have already been trained on Kavach systems. IRISET (Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications) has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with 17 engineering colleges, institutions and universities for incorporating Kavach as part of their BTech course curriculum. Kavach will help the loco pilots maintain train speeds by effective brake application. Even in low visibility conditions like fog, the pilots will not have to look outside from the cabin for a signal. Pilots can see the information on the dashboard installed inside the cab. Kavach is designed to prevent accidents by monitoring and controlling train speeds. It is designed at Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL 4). This is the highest level of safety design. Development of Kavach started in 2015. The system was extensively tested for over three years. After technical improvements, the system was installed in South Central Railway (SCR). The first operational certificate was granted in 2018. Based on the experiences gained in SCR, an advanced version 'Kavach 4.0' was developed. It was approved in May 2025 for speeds up to 160 kmph. Kavach components are also being manufactured indigenously. Kavach is an extremely complex system. Commissioning of Kavach is equivalent to setting up a telecom company, ministry of Railways statement said. Under the system, RFID tags are installed every 1km along the entire length of the track. Tags are also installed at every signal. These RFID tags provide precise location of the trains. The system also includes full-fledged telecom towers including optical fiber connectivity and power supply are installed across the track length every few kilometres. Kavach systems installed on locos and Kavach controllers at the stations are constantly communicating using these towers. It is equivalent to installing a complete network like that of a telecom operator. The loco with Kavach interacts with the RFID tags installed on the tracks and relays the information to telecom towers and receives radio information from the station. Kavach is also integrated with the braking system of the locomotives. This system ensures that brakes are applied in case of an emergency situation. At the station level, Kavach is installed at every station and block section. It receives information from the loco and signaling system and guides the loco for safe speeds. The system also includes optical fibre cable network, that is laid along the tracks which connects all these systems for high-speed data communication. The signalling system is also integrated with the loco, station, telecom towers, etc. These systems need to be installed, checked and certified without disrupting the railway operations including heavy movement of passenger and goods trains. As of now under the Kavach system, 5,856km of optical fibre has been laid while 619 telecom towers have been installed. Also, Kavach has been installed at 708 stations and 1,107 locos. Trackside equipment have been installed on 4,001 route km. According to ministry of railways, the national transporter invests more than ₹ 1 trillion per year on safety related activities. Kavach is one of the many initiatives taken to enhance safety of passengers and trains. The progress made and the pace of deployment of Kavach reflect the commitment of Indian Railways towards ensuring railway safety.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
New plaque to mark first passenger train out of Ely
A special commemorative plaque has been unveiled to mark the 180th anniversary of the coming of the railway to a Cambridgeshire first passenger train departed Ely Railway Station on 30 July 1845, bound for by Visit Ely, the plaque was unveiled in front of representatives from the local community and the rail industry, including the station operator, Greater Mayor of Ely, councillor Mike Banyard, said that the role the railway had played in the city's development could not be underestimated, including "giving local people excellent access to employment and leisure travel". This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway, with events planned throughout 2025 by Railway 200 to celebrate the industry's past, its role today, and its importance to a sustainable future. Geraint Hughes, a former Greater Anglia employee and a volunteer for the city tourist group Visit Ely, said the trains had made an impact on Ely."Within 12 months of the station opening here we had a corn exchange in Ely for the first time," he explained that a livestock market was established because the station meant the farmers could bring their produce in more the Victorian era, steam trains were the way forward, but journeys could be slower than today."In fact, the journey to London took three hours and if you were travelling third class you travelled in an open wagon for three hours all the way to London - whatever the weather," he added. Councillor Banyard, unveiled the plaque and said the railway has been an integral part of the success of Ely."We cannot underestimate the role that the railway has played in the development of our city over 180 years, both initially in terms of supporting local agriculture and business and latterly in terms of giving local people excellent access to employment and leisure travel," he added he was pleased to be able to mark the anniversary as a contribution to Railway 200. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
News18
5 hours ago
- General
- News18
Fencing reduces cattle collisions on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Vande Bharat route
Ahmedabad, Jul 30 (PTI) The fencing of the entire 562-km of railway tracks between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, a first-of-its-kind initiative, has led to a significant reduction in the incidents of high-speed trains like Vande Bharat running over cattle, the Western Railway said on Wednesday. Only 101 such incidents were reported during 2024-25 compared to 538 in 2022-23, said a WR official. The Railways decided to install a `W beam' fence, an anti-crash barrier used by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), after the Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat train hit several cattle near Ahmedabad in October 2022. The nose cone of the train was damaged in the incident, said WR's chief public relations officer Vineet Abhishek. After the fencing was installed, the route has reported only 12 cattle collisions in 2025-26 as of July 23, compared to 27 such incidents during the same period last year, he said. The route had witnessed 538 such incidents in 2022-23, followed by 289 in 2023-24. The fencing was installed to prevent cows and bulls, buffalos and blue bulls from straying on the railway tracks, Abhishek said. The Mumbai-Vadodara-Ahmedabad section of the WR is the only long stretch of track of Indian Railways which has become cattle-proof, he said, adding that it would enable increasing the speed of trains to 160 kmph. 'The WR is actively monitoring the performance and taking countermeasures deriving from the learnings in order to keep the fencing effective. Further, the WR is also trying other options, namely, fixed-knot fencing in Ahmedabad -Palanpur section which has been identified to run trains at 130 kmph," Abhishek said. Soon after the October 2022 incident, the WR's Railway Protection Force (RPF) identified various vulnerable locations and carried out frequent awareness and sensitisation campaigns in nearby villages, he said. 'The RPF conducted meetings with the sarpanches of all villages in the vicinity of railway tracks and counselled local residents including cattle grazers," the chief PRO added. PTI KA PD KRK view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 18:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Major rail disruption after death of a person at train station
Train passengers are being warned of serious disruption after an incident at a railway station in which someone Transport Police were called to Berkhamsted railway station in Hertfordshire at 09:40 BST where the person was pronounced dead. Their death is not being treated as Rail said the incident had caused disruption on Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway routes as all lines between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central were closed for several running to and from places such as Northamptonshire, Birmingham, Blackpool, Manchester and parts of Scotland were also affected. Major disruption is expected until 14:00 BST, Network Rail Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway warned customers to check their journeys before are being accepted by other operators.A London Northwestern Railway spokesperson added: "Our thoughts are with everybody affected by this incident." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Accountant-turned-fireman honoured in song celebrating 200 years of rail
An accountant who volunteers shovelling coal as a steam engine 'fireman' has had her life immortalised in a song for a special BBC series. Working with steam engines connected Joanne Ormesher to her beloved late grandfather and gave her strength during her battle with an aggressive cancer. Now, she is one of five people whose stories have been turned into songs by top folk artists for BBC Radio 2's 21st Century Folk, which this year celebrates 200 years since the birth of the modern railway. The bicentenary year, led by Railway 200, began with a 'whistle-up' of more than 200 locomotives across five continents, and Inspiration, a free travelling exhibition train showcasing the past, present and future of rail, is now touring the country. Ms Ormesher's grandfather was an engineer who made model trains, and she recalls engine parts strewn across his home. But it was not until two decades after his death that she happened upon an iconic steam engine waiting at a local station. 'I thought they were consigned to museums,' she remembers. 'But this was hissing and breathing at the station. It felt alive. I stood at the back of a throng of enthusiasts, and it felt like my grandad was there. 'The smells and the sounds, everything reminded me of him.' Her life changed that day and she began volunteering cleaning engines at a local heritage railway and quickly rose through the ranks to become a fireman. She now volunteers on the Llangollen Railway in north Wales, a journey that can take up to three hours from her home near Blackburn. Starting as early as 5am, Ms Ormesher shovels hundreds of kilos of coal and ensures the train's engine is working correctly. It took her body nearly a year to adapt to the punishing labour. Despite the toil, she often daydreams about being back on the railway while working in the office as an accountant. In 2019, she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and the railways helped her through. 'I didn't know if I was going to survive, I shouldn't have survived,' Ms Ormesher said. 'But I was determined to get back to firing steam engines. It's what kept me focused. Ten weeks after my treatment I was back at it.' Now in remission, she continues to volunteer as a fireman. Ms Ormesher also strives to pass on her knowledge to the next generation of enthusiasts and champions greater opportunities for women on heritage railways. She said she loved the song about her – Firecracker, by Findlay Napier – and was 'so emotional' when listening to it. The five songs celebrate 200 years since the first steam-powered, passenger rail journey when George Stephenson's Locomotion No. 1 travelled along the Stockton and Darlington Railway. Emma Roberts, programme manager for Railway 200, said: 'The BBC and the folk artists have done an amazing job bringing these five stories to life. 'Joanne's story is inspirational and it really demonstrates the powerful impact that the railways can have on people's lives. 'This is a momentous year for the UK, and it's been wonderful to see so many people getting involved, with hundreds of events happening across the country and the rest of the world.' The songs are being played on BBC Radio 2 this week. On Friday, Jeremy Vine will broadcast live from The Greatest Gathering, a railway summit in Derby. BBC Radio 2's Folk Show presenter Mark Radcliffe said: 'Folk music tells the story of everyday life, with melodies and lyrics that are passed down through generations of families. 'It's been amazing to see these listeners' stories take on a life of their own with these special compositions, written and performed by some of the folk world's most loved artists.'
