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Wikipedia / MEMU

Mainline Electric Multiple Units (MEMU) are electric multiple unit (EMU) operated by Indian Railway that serves short and medium-distance routes in India, compared to normal EMU trains that connect urban and suburban areas.

History

Indian Railways (IR) started MEMU service on Asansol – Adra section on 15 July 1995 and on Kharagpur – Tata section on 22 July 1995. Delhi-Panipat MEMU service started on 27 September 1995. Raipur–Durg–Bhatapara–Raipur–Bilaspur MEMU service started on 17 October 1995. Arakkonam-Jolarpettai MEMU service on 22 May 2000. Bankura-Midnapore MEMU started on 30 June 2000. The first 20 coach MEMU ran between Surat to Virar in 2017. Since 2019, 3th gen MEMUs have started replacing existing MEMU sets.

New 3rd generation trains were rolled out from RCF Kapurthala with following features:

  1. Ethernet-based Train Control Management System which provides advanced control features

  2. design speeds of up to 110 kmph

  3. Energy efficient LED lights with half power emergency lights in each coach

  4. A GPS-based public address and passenger information system in each coach to facilitate passengers with respect to railway stations enroute

  5. 3-phase IGBT-based converter and inverters designed and developed by BHEL

  6. a technologically advanced regenerative braking system.

IR is progressively replacing all locomotive-hauled slow and fast passenger and intercity trains with EMUs. The upgraded trains are being re-branded as MEMUs.

Operation

The system uses multiple electrical units operating on 25 kV AC drawn from overhead lines. The trailer coaches have two toilets for passengers and one for the crew.

The train can run up to between Eastern Ghat and Western Ghat. The sets have a maximum permitted speed of . The motorcoaches use asynchronous DC traction motors and have a maximum designed speed of 110km/h. These have a stainless steel body. Two of them operate on South Central Railways.

ICF prodused new MEMUs capable to operate at 110–130km/h. The construction cost was 26 crore per unit and can carry 2,618 passengers. The sets use phase traction motors which use 35% less energy. They offers GPS-based passenger information systems and announcement, have double leaf sliding doors, gangways, CCTV cameras and aluminium luggage racks. The driver's cabin has AC and the coaches have an emergency communication facility. They are designed to operate between cities away in Uttar Pradesh. The sets entered service in February 2019.

Manufacturing

MEMUs are manufactured at Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, and Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. Sets are maintained in the Titlagarh coach maintenance shops. Marathwada Rail Coach Factory, Latur is currently trying to ramp up production capacity to 250 MEMU coaches per annum.

Maintenance

MEMU Car Sheds are use for the maintenance of MEMU sets in most of the states where services are operated. MEMU Car Sheds are operational in Avadi, Bangalore, Kollam, Palakkad, Tambaram, Trichy and Vijayawada under Southern Railway.

Rolling stock

MEMU usually consist of 8, 12 and 16 car sets, but there are 14, 18 and 20 car configurations too. The trailer coaches have two toilets for passengers and one for the crew.

Services

Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMU)

Electric Multiple Units (EMU)

Gallery

See also

References