Indian Railways has successfully completed the trial run of the country’s first Vande Bharat Freight Electric Multiple Unit (Freight EMU) on the Ahmedabad–Vadodara–Mumbai Central section of Western Railway.
The trial, conducted under the supervision of the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), included a Confirmatory Oscillograph Car Run (COCR) to assess the train’s performance, stability and safety at a speed of 130 kmph.The 16-coach freight train has been developed by Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory (ICF) on the Vande Bharat platform. It is designed to transport high-value and time-sensitive goods such as e-commerce shipments, courier parcels, electronics, pharmaceuticals and cold-chain products.
The service is planned as a fast logistics option on existing passenger routes and will not replace heavy freight trains operating on Dedicated Freight Corridors. Commercial operations are expected to begin after RDSO completes its evaluation of the trial data.
The freight service is expected to offer a faster and more economical alternative to road transport for time-sensitive cargo.