ICF Integral Coach Factory - LHB Coaches

 

ICF  -  Integral Coach Factory 

•  One of the earliest Production Units of Independent India.  

• Inaugurated by the First PM of India Shri Jawaharlal Nehru on 02.10.1955

• Area: 511 Acres 

• Employees: Nearly 10000

• In 1955 Installed capacity: 350 Coaches per Year

• 1990 Year Turn over: 1000 Coaches

• Present Turnover: More than 4000 Coaches per Year 

• Every day - 11 Coaches 

• Every Two hours - 1 Coach 

• Cumulative Turnover since inception: 68000 Coaches  - Highest by any Rail Coach Manufacturer in the World

• Export:  Exported more than750 Coaches, Shells & Components to countries such as Thailand, Burma, Taiwan, Zambia, Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Malaysia, Angola & Sri Lank. 

• Green Producer:  

1. Creation of exclusive green forests in the ICF surroundings

2. Installation of Windmills & Solar panels for generation of Electricity 

3. Zero discharge factory 

4. Green Workshop 

5. Only organization in IndianRailways to have completely neutralized green house gas emission due to its industrial activity and achieved Carbon negative status. 

•   Front runner - manufacturer of self-propelled coaches viz. EMU, MEMU, SPART, OHE Tower car, SPIC and DEMU in the Country. 

• Train Set - Train 18 -Vande Bharat rolled out in 2018-19 - First Semi high speed Train

•  Currently 15000 LHB Coaches and 35000 ICF Coaches are use in IR. 

• Production of ICF Coaches was stopped in the year 2018

• Train Set - Train 18 cost - Rs. 110 Crores 

• LHB Coaches Rake cost - Rs. 40 Crores

• 2009-14 - Manufactured 1866 LHB Coaches

• 2014-19 - Manufactured 9932 LHB Coaches 

LHB Coaches: 

• LHB stands for Linke Hofmann Busch

• LHB Coaches - German designed one

• 130 Kms per hour 

• However this technology is almost two decades old. 

Advantages of LHB over ICF Coaches: 

1. Higher speed - 160 km per hour (110 kmph of ICF )

2. Anti telescopic -  In the event of accidents, these coaches do not climb on top of each other or get tangled like ICF Coaches, thereby minimizing loss of life and property.  Because they use CBC - Center Buffer Coupling (Dual Buffer System in ICF Coaches) 

3. More seating capacity - 1.7 meters longer than ICF coaches

4. Equipped with FIAT bogie, which has lesser moving parts than the ICF Coaches. 

5. Easier to haul because the weight per meter is less than ICF Coaches. 

6. Environmentally friendly bio toilets - CDTS - Controlled Discharge Toilet system

7. Using Advanced Pneumatic Disc Brake System for efficient braking at higher speeds. 

8. Noise is 40 % less than the ICF Coaches. 

Material for MCQ

1. SPART stands for Self Propelled Accident Relief Train

2. SPIC stands for Self Propelled Inspection Car

3. OHE stands for Over Head Equipment 

4. DEMU stands for Diesel Electric Multiple Unit

5. EMU stands for Electrical Multiple Unit

6. MEMU stands for Mainline Electric Multiple Unit 

7. CDTS stands for Controlled Discharge Toilet system

8. ICF is the Only organization in IndianRailways - Completely neutralized Green House Gas emission & achieved Carbon Negative status. 

9. Production of ICF Coaches stopped since 2018 year

10. ICF established in the year 1955

11. LHB stands for Linke Hofmann Busch

12. DPRS stands for Distributed Power Rolling Stock 

13. DETC stands for Diesel Electric Tower Car 

14. NMR stands for Nilgir Mountain Railway 

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