Indian Railways Indian Railways is a state-owned enterprise that is organised as a departmental undertaking of the Ministry of Railways (India), Ministry of Railways of the Government of India and operates India's national railway system. , it manages the fou ...

, a MEMU is an

electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number o ...

(EMU) train that serves short and medium-distance routes in India, as compared to normal EMU trains that connect urban and suburban areas. The acronym stands for Mainline Electric Multiple Unit.

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, 3-phase MEMUs have started replacing existing MEMU rakes. New 3rd generation was rolled out from RCF Kapurthala with following features: # Ethernet-based Train Control Management System which provides advanced control features # designed for speeds of up to 110 kmph # Energy efficient LED lights have been provided with 50 percent emergency lights in each coach # train is equipped with the latest GPS-based public address and passenger information system in each coach to facilitate passengers with respect to railway stations enroute # train is equipped with 3-phase IGBT-based converter and inverter designed and developed by

BHEL Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is an Indian central public sector undertaking and the largest government-owned electrical/ industrial technology company. It is owned by the Government of India, with administrative control under ...

# train also features 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 re-branded as MEMUs.

Operation

The system uses multiple

electrical Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...

units operating on

25 kV AC Railway electrification systems using alternating current (AC) at are used worldwide, especially for high-speed rail. It is usually supplied at the standard utility frequency (typically 50 or 60Hz), which simplifies traction substations. The dev ...

drawn from

overhead line An overhead line or overhead wire is an electrical cable that is used to transmit electrical energy to electric locomotives, Electric multiple unit, electric multiple units, trolleybuses or trams. The generic term used by the International Union ...

s. 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 rakes have a maximum permitted speed of on broad-gauge tracks. The motorcoaches use DC traction motors. These rakes use asynchronous traction motors and have a maximum designed speed of 110 km/h. These use a

stainless steel Stainless steel, also known as inox, corrosion-resistant steel (CRES), or rustless steel, is an iron-based alloy that contains chromium, making it resistant to rust and corrosion. Stainless steel's resistance to corrosion comes from its chromi ...

body. Two of them operate on South Central Railways. ICF launched new MEMUs capable to operate at 110–130 km/h. The construction cost is 26 crore per unit and can carry 2,618 passengers. This train has a three phase traction motor and operates on 25 kV current which saves 35% energy. It offers GPS-based passenger information systems and announcement in coaches. It has double leaf sliding doors, gangways,

CCTV cameras A closed-circuit television camera is a type of surveillance camera that transmits video signals to a specific set of monitors or video recording devices, rather than broadcasting the video over public airwaves. The term "closed-circuit televisi ...

and aluminium luggage racks. The driver's cabin has AC and the coach has an emergency communication facility. It is designed to operate between cities away in

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

. The train may start in February 2019.

Manufacturing

MEMUs are manufactured at Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, and

Integral Coach Factory Integral Coach Factory (ICF) is an Indian manufacturer of rolling stock, and electrical multiple units. Established in 1955, it is located in Perambur in Chennai and is the largest rail coach manufacturer in the world. It is owned and operated ...

Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...

. Rakes are maintained in the Titlagarh coach maintenance shops. Marathwada Rail Coach Factory, Latur is currently trying to ramp up production capacity of 250 MEMU coaches per annum.

Maintenance

MEMU Car Sheds are functioning for the maintenance of MEMU rakes in most of the states where the services are operated. MEMU Car Sheds are operational in Avadi, Bangalore,

Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...

Palakkad Palakkad (), Renaming of cities in India, also known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery, is a city and a municipality in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of P ...

, Tambaram, Trichy and Vijayawada under Southern Railway.

Rolling stock

MEMU usually uses 8,12 and 16 car coaches, but there are 14,18 and 20 coach configurations too. The trailer coaches have two toilets for passengers and one for the crew. This train can go either fast or slow.

Services

Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMU)

Electric Multiple Units (EMU)

Gallery

File:Bhongir-Falaknuma MEMU at Malkajgiri station 02.jpg, An older MEMU set with the initial blunt nose design. File:RCF-designed Aerodynamic MEMU train.jpg, New Generation of MEMU trainsets manufactured by RCF Kapurthala

References

External links

MEMU/DEMU Electric/Diesel Multiple Unit Shuttle Trains - Railway Enquiry

Indian Railways Fan Club Photo Gallery: MEMU
{{Indian Railways 25 kV AC multiple units Train-related introductions in 1995