The Vande Bharat Express train is one of the fastest and most premium trains currently operated by Indian Railways. Recently, during the first testing of the newly built Vande Bharat Sleeper in the Kota Division, a unique feat was achieved. A video has gone viral on the internet in which the Vande Bharat Sleeper train can be seen successfully achieving a top speed of 180 kmph. What was more astonishing was that there were three glasses of water that remained completely stable.
The video showing this impressive feat has been shared on X by Indian Tech and Infra on their page. In this short clip, we can note that the Vande Bharat Sleeper train manages to hit a top speed of 180 kmph. This particular trial run was conducted in the Kota Division under the West Central Railway (WCR) Zone.
It can also be noted that, to show the stability of this train, there were three glasses filled with water placed on the dashboard of the train. Despite running at a constant speed of 180 kmph, not even a drop of water was spilled from these glasses. This is an extremely impressive achievement for any Indian Railways train.
The trials of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train will continue till November 17 and are being conducted by the Test Directorate team of the Research and Standards Organisation (RDSO). The above-mentioned trial run took place on November 2 on the Sawai Madhopur–Kota–Nagda section. It included the Long Confirmatory Run (LCR) conducted over 50 km.
In addition to the speed test, the organisation also conducted additional technical and safety tests such as oscillation tests and wet track emergency braking tests to ensure braking reliability. It has been reported that the train was operated under real passenger load conditions with an additional 108 tonnes of weight (via canisters containing 50 kg of iron dust each).
Recently, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, was seen checking out the newly built Vande Bharat Sleeper train. His post stated, “New Innovation — The Future of Sleeper Class Comfort! Kinet-RVNL showcased the all-new Vande Bharat Sleeper Cabins at the International Railway Equipment Exhibition.”
He added, “These state-of-the-art cabins are designed to redefine passenger comfort and elevate the travel experience to world-class standards. I had the opportunity to sit inside and experience firsthand the exceptional design, technology, and comfort that truly represent the future of rail travel.”
The Vande Bharat Sleeper train has been designed and manufactured by BEML Limited, Bengaluru, in collaboration with the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai. The new state-of-the-art train features a stainless steel body construction with advanced crashworthy elements, energy-absorbing couplers and crash buffers, and compliance with global EN45545 HL3 fire safety standards.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper rake consists of 16 fully air-conditioned coaches configured as 11 AC 3-tier coaches, 4 AC 2-tier coaches, and 1 AC first-class coach. The total seating and berthing capacity includes 823 berths. Of these, 611 berths are 3-tier, 188 berths are 2-tier, and 24 berths are in first-class AC.