Hindalco Industries Ltd is weighing plans to manufacture aluminium coaches for high-speed passenger trains and is in talks with global partners to build the necessary ecosystem, the company said, after rolling out India’s first all-aluminium freight rail rakes on Sunday, helping fast-track the government’s ambitious plan to modernise freight transportation and enable large carbon savings for Indian Railways.
“Hindalco Industries is planning to participate in the manufacturing of aluminium coaches for high-speed passenger trains,” the metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group said.
“Hindalco is committed to bring in this revolutionary change and is engaged in discussions with the global partners to set up a conducive ecosystem in India,” it stated.
Aluminium trains command a lion’s share in the United States, Europe and Japan because of attributes such as sleek, aerodynamic designs and their ability to tilt at high speeds without going off the rails.
Aluminium is the preferred choice for metro trains worldwide for their durability and most importantly – passenger safety, as it has improved crashworthiness or superior crash absorption capability. Indian Railways have already announced their plans to make aluminium bodied Vande Bharat train sets.
The gleaming all-aluminium freight rail rakes are 180 tonnes lighter than steel rakes, can carry 5-10 percent more payload, consume less energy with relatively negligible wear and tear to rolling stock and rails.
Flagging off the new 61-wagon rake, which will carry coal for Hindalco’s Aditya Smelter in Lapanga, Odisha, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics, and Information Technology, said,“This is a proud moment for the country and our drive for indigenization as these lightweight aluminium wagons are a big innovation for Indian Railways”.
“These wagons save 14,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions, have more carrying capacity, consume less energy and are corrosion resistant. They are 100 percent recyclable and even after 30 years, they will be as good as new. These aluminium wagons will enable us to achieve our climate goals,” he adds.
The bottom discharge aluminium freight wagon, specifically designed to carry coal, is tipped to reduce the carbon footprint measurably. For every 100 kg weight reduction of the wagon, the lifetime CO2 saving is 8-10 tonnes. This translates into a saving of more than 14,500 tonnes of CO2 for a single rake.
With the Railways planning to deploy more than one lakh wagons in the coming years, the potential annual CO2 reduction could be to the tune of over 25 lakh tonnes, with a 15-20 percent shift to aluminium wagons – a notable contribution to the country’s sustainability goals.
“The launch of India’s first aluminium freight rake is a testimony to our capability and commitment to offer smart and sustainable solutions for nation building,” Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries said at the launch.
“Hindalco is steadfast in bringing together the best of global technologies with local resources to make Indian Railways’ logistics more efficient and contribute to the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Pai added.
The new generation wagons, fabricated by BESCO based on RDSO-approved design are made from high strength aluminium alloy plates and extrusions, indigenously made at Hindalco’s modern rolling facility in Hirakud, Odisha with extrusions from the company’s Renukoot plant in UP, leveraging its global technology.
These all-aluminium rakes offer 19 percent higher payload to tare weight ratio, which will have a transformative impact on the Railways’ logistics and operational efficiency.
The freight sector in India is expected to grow at more than 7 percent CAGR to 15 billion tonnes by 2050, with the energy-efficient and eco-friendly Railways expected to notably increase its volume share from the current 18 percent.
