Railways unveil 180-kmph running Vistadome coach
30 Dec 2020 15:52:33
New Delhi, December 30: In a bid to boost tourism across country, the Indian Railways unveiled a new state design, the Vistadome tourist coach. The new tourist coaches are capable of running at speeds up to 180 kmph and they have been developed by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.
Making an announcement on Twitter, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said, “Ending the Year on a Great Note: Indian Railways` completed 180 kmph speed trial of new design Vistadome tourist coach. These coaches will make train journeys memorable for the passengers and give a further boost to tourism."
The railway minister said that the train will make the passenger's journey more memorable and will also further boost tourism. "The oscillation trial run was held last week, in which the newly built coach completed the 180 kmph test successfully in the Kota division of West Central Railway. The trial run was completed seven days earlier than scheduled," a senior railway ministry official said.
It is rightly said, "Journey is best measured in terms of memories rather than miles."
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) December 30, 2020
Take a look at the new Vistadome coaches of Indian Railways that will give an unforgettable travel experience to passengers & will ensure that they truly have a journey to remember. pic.twitter.com/o2Srs0xR4B
The new Vistadome coaches are equipped with a large glass roof, large windows, an observation lounge, and rotatable seats for an optimal experience for tourists. Apart from it the train also includes a transparent roof for the passengers to get a panoramic view of their journey, observatory lounge with a larger window at one end.
The glasses have been coated with a laminated sheet to make them shatterproof. Each coach will have 44 seats, with features like 180-degree rotation and plush upholstery. The passengers will also be able to avail the facility of an onboard WiFi information system.
More interestingly the coaches also include, an entertainment system integrated with digital display screens and speakers for music lovers. The new coaches are connected with GPS based Public Address-cum Passenger Information System (PAPIS).
The usage of these coaches would be reserved for scenic tourist spots. The older versions of these coaches are currently being used by Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Kalka Shimla Railway, Kangra Valley Railway, Matheran Hill Railway, and Nilgiri Mountain Railway.