With 2 engines from today, Mumbai Rajdhani to reach Delhi 1 hour earlier

MUMBAI: The Rajdhani express leaving Mumbai Central on Saturday will reach New Delhi an hour earlier than scheduled with Western Railway deciding to implement the push-pull method and run the premium train with two locomotives.

At present, with one locomotive, the Rajdhani covers the 1,384 km between the two cities in 15 hours 50 minutes at a speed of 130kmph.
Locomotives, each with 6,000 horse power, will be attached to the front as well as rear of the train.It will enable faster acceleration and deceleration, saving time. The move will improve braking too.
“We have received all the necessary approvals. We will observe the actual time savings for this train for a few days and incorporate it in the timetable,” said WR’s chief public relations officer Ravinder Bhakar.
This method is likely to be extended to the August Kranti Rajdhani, which runs between Mumbai Central and Hazrat Nizamuddin. In March 2019, the pushpull technology was tried successfully on Central Railway’s CSMT-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani.
The railway board is trying various options to cut travel time between Mumbai and New Delhi. It plans to boost infrastructure to upgrade speed on the route to 160 kmph, which can cut travel time to 10 hours.
The scope of the project includes fencing, Automatic Train Protection System (ETCS 2/TPWS), Mobile Train Radio Communication, and automated and mechanised diagnostic systems, which will considerably enhance safety and reliability. The policy also requires removal of all level crossings.