Railways launches double stack dwarf container service from Rajkot division
10 Jul 2018
Indian Railways on Saturday launched its first double stack dwarf container service with a view to capture lost traffic through new delivery model for domestic cargo. The first double stack dwarf container train flagged of from Western Railway’s Rajkot division has received increased revenue of Rs18.50 lakh on its first day of operation, says a railway ministry release.
The first such freight train, flagged off on 7 July 2018 from Western Railway’s Rajkot railway station, was booked from the Reliance Rail Siding at Kanalus to Rewari in Haryana. It was loaded with 82 containers of polypropylene granules, says the release.
These short-heighted double containers can run on most tracks over Indian Railways. The use of these double-stack dwarf containers will help significantly reduce the cost of the unit, making it cheaper than road transport.
The double stacked container is 6 ft 4 inches in height and can run on electrified tracks. Despite being smaller in size, the dwarf containers can hold a capacity of 30,500 kg. In comparison with regular containers, these containers are 662 mm short but 162 mm wider. The dwarf containers can hold a volume of approximately 67 per cent more when compared to traditional containers.
At present, due to its height, the regular double stack ISO containers can run only on few chosen routes on Indian Railways but these short-heighted double containers can easily run on most tracks. These containers in double stack formation can run under 25kV overhead lines.
With the use of these double-stack dwarf containers, the cost of the unit will be significantly reduced due to the rail transport being cheaper than the road.
Currently, 'Low Density Products', such as plastic granules, PVC polyester fabric, white goods, FMCG products, polyethylene, auto car, etc are being transported mostly by road, but due to the low cost of transportation in dwarf containers, Railways now offers a viable alternative.
It is estimated that at the general freight rate, the double-stack dwarf container trains can generate more than 50 per cent of the revenue.