Bangladesh Railway (BR) Thursday has signed an agreement with German company Knorr-Bremse for conversion of vacuum-brake-system rail wagons into air-brake- system, reports BSS.
Under the project vacuum-brake-system of 277 metre-gauge wagons will be converted to air-brake-system at an estimated cost of Tk 343.2 million (34.32 crore).
Additional Director General of the BR TA Chowdhury and Executive Manager of Knorr-Bremse Peter Karins signed the contract on behalf of their respective side.
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain, Director General of BR Belayet Hossain and senior officials were also present.
The BR has decided to procure all rolling stocks in future having air-brake-system, officials said.
They said the vacuum-brake-system is an old system having many difficulties including longtime and length to stop the rail engine and higher operative and maintenance cost.
On the other hand, the air-brake-system is a reliable and efficient brake system performing with greater satisfaction with regards to operation and maintenance.
The BR had procured 100 metre-gauge air-brake-system wagons in 2002 and 96 tank wagons and four brake vans with air-brake- system in 2005.
Later, under a pilot project 180 freight-wagon of different types, eight brake vans and 50 metre-gauge passenger carriages and 16 locomotives were converted into air-brake-system during the period 2005-08.
They said the air-brake-system has the advantage of running efficiently with higher speed and these are more effective for longer and momentum trains.
Brake rigging for the air-brake-system is much higher than that of the vacuum-system and rolling stock utilisation is also increased with the air-brake system.
The converted fleets of carriages, wagons and locomotives of railway are performing with greater satisfaction, officials said.
Railway to convert all vacuum wagons, engines into air-brake system
FE Team | Published: August 21, 2009 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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