The rail coaches serves lakhs of passengers everyday to their destination. Also we have seen the types of coaches being used in Indian Railways. But a massive development in these coaches were made which bring us two types of coaches used in Indian Railways, the LHB coaches and the ICF coaches. Let us understand them and find the difference between them in brief:
INTRODUCTION
ICF COACHES
The ICF (INTEGRAL COACH FACTORY) coaches were the oldest coach being used in indian railways. All of us has definitely gone through the blue coaches with white strips. They are still most common coaches used till now in about 75% of total coaches. These coaches were manufactured in PERUMBUR, CHENNAI, INDIA. The first coaches were flagged off by late prime minister PT. JAWAHARLAL NEHRU on year 1955. These coaches were made of mild iron steel which make this coaches heavy, durable and tough. They can reach to a maximum speed of 130km/hr. The estimated cost for each coach comes out to be around 60 lakh rupees.
LHB COACHES
The LHB (LINKE HOFFMANN BUSCH) coaches are the new generation coaches started manufacturing by Indian Railways at Rail Coach Factory, KAPURTHALA from 2006 onwards. The first LHB coaches were imported from GERMANY and runs in between the NEW DELHI and LUCKNOW on 2005 after which the technology was passed to Indian Railways. Later, the new factory was manufactured at MODERN COACH FACTORY, RAEBERELI. These coaches were made of cast aluminium stainless steel and can go to a maximum speed of 200km/hr. These coaches have far better features than old ICF coaches which is based on modern technology and facilities.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
As we gone through these two types of coaches used by INDIAN RAILWAYS but what major factors influence the bringing of LHB coaches and simultaneously the replacement of old ICF coaches by new LHB coaches. Let us go through the difference one by one:
1.THE FRAMEWORK
One of the biggest difference that we can see in the introduction is the material of the frame from which these coaches were build. The ICF coaches were made of solid iron steel which makes it heavy whereas the LHB coaches were made of cast aluminium stainless steel thus enables it to attain such a high speed than ICF coaches.
2.THE BRAKING SYSTEM
The old ICF coaches uses conventional drum braking system whereas the modern LHB coaches uses pneumatic disc braking speed thus enabling it to get stop even at high speed.
3.THE AIR SUSPENSION
The ICF coaches makes use of old bolster springs mounted on cylinder head through anchor link whereas the LHB coaches make use of Fiat bogies which have advanced anti-telescopic suspension thus provide more comfort to passengers at high speed.
4.THE ACCOMMODATION
The ICF coaches are provided with length of 18.95m whereas the LHB coaches were provided with length of 23.34m which provides more accomodation in these coaches and increase passengers capacity.
5. THE COUPLERS
This is one of the most important advantage or property of LHB coaches over ICF coaches which makes these coaches a big success. The ICF coaches has hook based couplers whereas the LHB coaches have ABB centre buffer couplers system. This coaches doesn't climb over one another in case of collision and reduce the major accidents. Thus these coaches are very important in case of safety. See the image:
6. LOW MAINTANANCE
The LHB coaches have very less maintainance than ICF coaches in terms of its repairement, painting jobs, new parts etc.
THE DEMERIT OF LHB COACHES FOR RAILWAYS
As we have seen that the LHB coaches are far better than ICF coaches in terms of its design, technology, safety etc. So what makes LHB coaches unprofitable for railways. Actually, the LHB coaches are very expensive than ICF coaches. The cost of ICF coach came out to be 53 lakhs whereas for LHB coaches it came out to be 1.2 crores. Thus, makes uneconomical for railways to build such type of coaches.
HYBRID LHB COACHES- THE BACKUP PLAN
The LHB coaches are advantageously for indian railways but uneconomical for its working. The main costs are due to that Fiat bogies fitted in LHB coaches which makes them more comfortable and fast.
In general, each coach consists of two parts - the upper frame and the lower bogies. The upper frame rests on the bogies with the bogies consist of the wheels, suspension, braking mechanism etc.
Thus Indian Railways took a big step to manufacture such coaches having the frame of LHB coaches and bogies of ICF coaches and makes a hybrid called as HYBRID LHB COACHES.
These hybrid coaches are nothing new just the mixture of upper aluminium frame body on top and the old bolster type bogies on the down carrying the upper frame. These coaches can easily go to speed of 130km/hr and its manufacturing cost is very low. But one cannot enjoy the comfort of LHB coaches and its speed cannot reach to 180-200km/hr due to absence of core fiat bogies.
Go through the image:
LHB COACHES
The LHB (LINKE HOFFMANN BUSCH) coaches are the new generation coaches started manufacturing by Indian Railways at Rail Coach Factory, KAPURTHALA from 2006 onwards. The first LHB coaches were imported from GERMANY and runs in between the NEW DELHI and LUCKNOW on 2005 after which the technology was passed to Indian Railways. Later, the new factory was manufactured at MODERN COACH FACTORY, RAEBERELI. These coaches were made of cast aluminium stainless steel and can go to a maximum speed of 200km/hr. These coaches have far better features than old ICF coaches which is based on modern technology and facilities.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
As we gone through these two types of coaches used by INDIAN RAILWAYS but what major factors influence the bringing of LHB coaches and simultaneously the replacement of old ICF coaches by new LHB coaches. Let us go through the difference one by one:
1.THE FRAMEWORK
One of the biggest difference that we can see in the introduction is the material of the frame from which these coaches were build. The ICF coaches were made of solid iron steel which makes it heavy whereas the LHB coaches were made of cast aluminium stainless steel thus enables it to attain such a high speed than ICF coaches.
 |
| LHB BOGIES |
 |
| ICF BOGIES |
2.THE BRAKING SYSTEM
The old ICF coaches uses conventional drum braking system whereas the modern LHB coaches uses pneumatic disc braking speed thus enabling it to get stop even at high speed.
 |
| ICF BRAKES |
 |
| LHB BRAKES |
3.THE AIR SUSPENSION
The ICF coaches makes use of old bolster springs mounted on cylinder head through anchor link whereas the LHB coaches make use of Fiat bogies which have advanced anti-telescopic suspension thus provide more comfort to passengers at high speed.
 |
| ICF SUSPENSION |
 |
| LHB SUSPENSION |
4.THE ACCOMMODATION
The ICF coaches are provided with length of 18.95m whereas the LHB coaches were provided with length of 23.34m which provides more accomodation in these coaches and increase passengers capacity.
5. THE COUPLERS
This is one of the most important advantage or property of LHB coaches over ICF coaches which makes these coaches a big success. The ICF coaches has hook based couplers whereas the LHB coaches have ABB centre buffer couplers system. This coaches doesn't climb over one another in case of collision and reduce the major accidents. Thus these coaches are very important in case of safety. See the image:
 |
| ACCIDENT IN CASE OF LHB COACHES |
 |
| ACCIDENT IN CASE OF ICF COACHES |
 |
| LEFT: LHB COUPLERS RIGHT: ICF COUPLERS |
6. LOW MAINTANANCE
The LHB coaches have very less maintainance than ICF coaches in terms of its repairement, painting jobs, new parts etc.
THE DEMERIT OF LHB COACHES FOR RAILWAYS
As we have seen that the LHB coaches are far better than ICF coaches in terms of its design, technology, safety etc. So what makes LHB coaches unprofitable for railways. Actually, the LHB coaches are very expensive than ICF coaches. The cost of ICF coach came out to be 53 lakhs whereas for LHB coaches it came out to be 1.2 crores. Thus, makes uneconomical for railways to build such type of coaches.
HYBRID LHB COACHES- THE BACKUP PLAN
The LHB coaches are advantageously for indian railways but uneconomical for its working. The main costs are due to that Fiat bogies fitted in LHB coaches which makes them more comfortable and fast.
In general, each coach consists of two parts - the upper frame and the lower bogies. The upper frame rests on the bogies with the bogies consist of the wheels, suspension, braking mechanism etc.
Thus Indian Railways took a big step to manufacture such coaches having the frame of LHB coaches and bogies of ICF coaches and makes a hybrid called as HYBRID LHB COACHES.
These hybrid coaches are nothing new just the mixture of upper aluminium frame body on top and the old bolster type bogies on the down carrying the upper frame. These coaches can easily go to speed of 130km/hr and its manufacturing cost is very low. But one cannot enjoy the comfort of LHB coaches and its speed cannot reach to 180-200km/hr due to absence of core fiat bogies.
Go through the image:
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