India's First LNG-Powered Train Flagged Off from Sabarmati

India's first train powered by liquefied natural gas was flagged off from Sabarmati on Sunday by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, introducing LNG as an alternative fuel for railway operations.

The train runs on a diesel-plus-LNG dual-fuel system fitted to its Driving Power Cars. Two 1,400 HP DPCs at the Sabarmati Integrated Coaching Depot have been converted to the system, which allows LNG to be used alongside diesel.

More than 2,000 km of field trials have been completed on the two converted DPCs to assess the technology's performance and reliability. Under the system, LNG can replace up to around 40 per cent of diesel consumption.

Trial data indicates the use of LNG is expected to lower fuel expenditure and emissions, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. An earlier railway assessment estimated annual savings of around Rs 11.9 lakh from one DPC and around Rs 23.9 lakh from an eight-coach rake.

The dual-fuel system allows the engine to switch between LNG and diesel depending on fuel availability, giving operators flexibility. It has been designed to retain the power and operational capability of the conventional diesel engine while enabling partial substitution of diesel with LNG.

Each converted DPC carries an LNG tank of around 2,200 litres, capable of holding approximately 850-900 kg of usable LNG. A full fill is expected to provide sufficient fuel for around 1,600 km of operation, reducing the need for frequent refuelling.

The launch was part of a series of railway projects inaugurated and launched during Shah's visit to Ahmedabad. The package includes projects worth more than Rs 1,542 crore covering railway safety, signalling, line capacity and freight infrastructure.

Earlier in the day, Shah inaugurated the Rs 700-crore WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed at Sabarmati and flagged off a WAG-12 electric locomotive. The programme also included the commissioning of the indigenous Kavach train protection system on the Ahmedabad-Palanpur and Ahmedabad-Samakhiyali sections, automatic signalling on two railway sections and the launch of doubling work on the Sabarmati-Sarkhej section.

The LNG train launch marks another step by the Railways towards using alternative fuels in its operations, with the technology being tested for its potential to reduce fuel consumption and operating costs while maintaining train performance.