Contactless sensor to ensure high speed trains on track

NEW DELHI: In order to ensure smooth drive for high speed trains, railways is acquiring contactless sensor cars which will run on rails for detecting track defects. The contactless sensor system will help check track parametres of a high speed route in a faster and effective way, said a senior railway official.

While one contactless sensor car has already been imported, two others are to be inducted soon, said the official. However, the new contactless sensor car has not been commissioned yet as it is on a trial run. The current inspection system is through physical contact with the track.

"The new system will be contactless as it is equipped with laser beam technology," said the official and added "the technology is successfully operational in advanced countries." While there is a plan to increase the speed of Rajdhani in certain routes to 150 km per hour, speed of other important trains are also to be increased in a phased manner.

Besides the Dedicated Freight Corridors where goods train would travel in higher speed, railways also have plans for high speed corridors for faster overnight travel between Metro cities.