Trial run of redesigned railway coaches conducted along NMR line
Southern Railways conducted a trial run of redesigned coaches for the Nilgiri Mountain Railway to address weight issues that previously strained engines. The new coaches feature weight-saving modifications and are undergoing safety certification tests.
Why it matters
Technical improvements to historic rail infrastructure are essential for maintaining tourist operations and operational efficiency.
A trial run of the newly redesigned railway coaches that are set to be introduced along the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) line was conducted between Mettupalayam and Coonoor on Wednesday (September 30, 2026).
Officials from the Salem division of Southern Railways said that 28 of the redesigned coaches had been built at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Perambur, Chennai, and were scheduled to be introduced along the NMR line from 2021.
The coaches had been specially designed to meet the increasing tourist demand along the NMR route and featured panoramic windows, LED lights and other fixtures. However, during trial runs, the 15-tonne coaches were found to be putting a strain on the engines pulling the coaches uphill and it was decided to redesign the coaches.
Weight-saving measures have brought down the weight of each coach by more than 1.5 tonnes due to the redesign. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in