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Kolkata Metro successfully replaces steel third rail with aluminium at Girish Park

In a groundbreaking move, Kolkata Metro has replaced its steel third rail with a highly conductive aluminium third rail at Girish Park siding. This marks a significant upgrade in India’s metro systems, improving energy efficiency and reducing operational costs, positioning Kolkata alongside global cities like London and Singapore.


More Details:

The main component i.e. highly conductive Aluminum third rail has been manufactured in Germany. The preparatory work for this has been completed at Girish Park siding. Metro Railway shall be replacing approximately 200 metre steel third rail by Aluminum third rail after the commercial hours without affecting normal services.

Preparatory work of pedestal base foundation has been already done at Girish Park Y Siding and Maidan Y siding. Metro Railway is using premix concrete for foundation to avoid any adulteration and better performance on site. This shall be done for the first time in Metro Railway. The strength is of M65 grade compared to normal concrete of M20 grade. Work of foundation preparation has started in the main line also.

Benefits and Features of Aluminum Third Rail:

  • This Aluminum third rail has the capacity to reduce the system voltage drops and subsequent energy losses, thanks to its superior electrical conductivity. This less voltage drop in the third rail will help to achieve faster acceleration in the running Metros.
  • As a result, for completing o­ne trip lesser time will be required and in turn Metro will acquire the capability to run services at lesser intervals. That will be an improvement in the efficiency of Metro operations.
  • In this new system huge amounts of energy will be saved which will in turn help Kolkata Metro to reduce its operational cost. As a result, the entire expenses for replacing this Third Rail could be realised within three years by saving this operational cost.
  • Additionally Aluminum third rail shall reduce carbon emission by 50000 tons in its life lifetime. Apart from this, aluminium third rail will require less maintenance and will be highly reliable and stable.
  • In a hot and humid city like Kolkata this replacement will be very much beneficial and inside the tunnel lesser heat will be generated during the time of contact of Third Rail Current Collector (TRCC) with this third rail.
  • For maintenance work the new third rail will not require any welding as two such rails can be joined with the help of splice joints. It will help to maintain the air quality inside the tunnels.

The impact of this change will be massive o­n commercial Metro services. After a gap of 39 years, steel-made current conducting Third Rail is going to be replaced with aluminium Third Rail in the North-South Metro (Blue Line). This change shall ensure 84% reduction in energy loss which is Rs. 1 Cr / year per km of route. O­nce completed, Kolkata Metro will belong to the league of Singapore, London, Moscow, Berlin, Munich, and Istanbul Metros. Metro Railway Kolkata has plans to introduce a 35 km Aluminum Third Rail in next two years.

Conclusion:

The successful replacement of the steel third rail with aluminium signifies a major step forward for Kolkata Metro. With reduced energy losses and improved acceleration, this upgrade not only enhances operational efficiency but also contributes to a greener, more cost-effective metro system for the city.


Source: Kolkata Metro – Press Release | Images Credit: Kolkata Metro

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