South East Central Railway (SECR) Nagpur Division recently conducted trial of running passenger train at speed of 130 km/hr. The Confirmatory Oscillograph Car Run was held on July 20 on Durg-Nagpur section. A 24 coach LHB coach train was run at maximum permissible speed on the 266 kms section of Nagpur Division. The successful trial on tricky section indicates possibility of increase of Rajdhani Express running in the section in first phase. As per information, the trial run indicated savings of one hour despite the section having a ghat area in Salekasa-Darekasa area of Gondia district.
Now, due to COVID-19 outbreak, entire section that used to be jam packed remains quite empty barring running of goods train. The division has been at forefront in introduction of new norms in operation and previously set a record by running four goods train paired together a month back in Super Python and before that Anaconda, it involves hauling of three empty goods rakes.
Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Shobhana Bandopadhyay supervised the drill. Additional Divisional Railway Manager (T) B K Rath and division officials along with team of Railway Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) from New Delhi conducted the trial run. P V Raman was Guard on the special train while it was piloted by P K Verma and assisted by Assistant Loco Pilot Mohd Ilyas.