Poona: In a significant upgrade for passenger safety and comfort, six trains departing from Pune will soon feature modern LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches. The transition, scheduled to begin on November 5, will replace the older ICF (Integral Coach Factory) coaches, benefiting around 12,000 passengers.

The Railway Board’s recent directive is part of the Ministry of Railways’ initiative to enhance passenger safety by gradually replacing ICF coaches with the more advanced LHB coaches.

While the Pune division still uses ICF coaches for certain trains, this upgrade will initially affect six of the 12 trains that currently run with these older coaches.

ICF Coaches Overview

• Lifespan: 25 years

• Weight: 22 to 25 tons

Maintenance and Repairs: 23 Trains in Pune

• Trains with ICF carriages: 11

• Trains with LHB carriages: 12

• Daily Passenger Trains from Pune Station: 151

Trains receive new carriages

Disadvantages of old coaches

• Heavier than LHB coaches, which affects speed

• Use of screw couplings, causing carriages to pile up or break apart in the event of an accident

Additional trains to be upgraded

• Pune – Varanasi Gyan Ganga Express

• Pune – Gorakhpur Weekly Express

• Pune – Veraval Express

• Pune – Bhuj Express

• Pune – Ahmedabad Express

• Pune – Bhagat Ki Kothi Express

Adoption of Swiss technology

Before independence, railway wagons were made of wood. In 1955 it was decided to use iron wagons instead.

The prototype coaches were imported from Switzerland, leading to the production of these coaches at the Integral Coach Factory near Chennai in 1962.