Northeast Frontier Railway introduces advanced high-speed carrier coaches in Dibrugarh

In a significant development for Indian Railways, the Northeast Frontier Railway (N.F. railway) zone's Dibrugarh Workshop has begun producing new High-Speed Automobile Carrier (NMGHS) coaches, repurposed from old GSCN coaches. These innovative coaches, designed specifically for transporting automobiles, particularly two-wheelers, feature side doors for easy loading and unloading.

Since receiving approval from the Railway Board, three NMGHS coaches have been manufactured in a remarkably short time, with production of an additional three coaches currently underway. This initiative marks the first time in Indian Railways' history that coaches for automobile transportation are being introduced with multiple enhanced features, significantly improving over traditional freight coaches in terms of speed, accessibility, and loading capacity.

The NMGHS coaches, developed by N.F. Railways, were designed by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in collaboration with automobile manufacturers, using decommissioned passenger coaches. So far, three coaches have been rolled out from the Dibrugarh workshop, each boasting a higher payload capacity of 18 tonnes, compared to the 12 tonnes of traditional freight coaches.

These newly designed coaches can reach speeds of up to 110 km per hour and incorporate various improvements such as wider openings, natural pipe lighting, pavement markers, retro reflective tape for guidance, a strong floor with chequered sheet, an enhanced fall plate arrangement for smoother entry, and an upgraded end door design with a barrel lock for easier locking. Additionally, they are designed to accommodate the opening of four-wheeler automobile doors inside the coach without causing any damage and can also serve as parcel vans for transporting a variety of goods.

Indian Railways has increasingly become the preferred mode of transportation for automobile manufacturers due to its cost-effectiveness, speed, and environmental benefits compared to road transportation. As a result, various types of automobiles are now being transported directly from manufacturing plants to all Northeast states at a lower cost, benefiting the general public.