Tilting trains will improve speed of trains at curves through existing tracks only by up to 15%, said managing director of K-Rail Ajith Kumar V., in an interaction with Engineers Club members here late on Friday evening.
A few engineers countered this, saying tilting trains negotiated curves at much faster speeds than conventional trains in a few dozen countries, including in Europe.
They also spoke of two versions of tilting trains they travelled on — active and passive — the apt one which could be zeroed in for use in Kerala (around 600 curves on State network – one among the highest in India). When such trains can use the existing broad gauge track, why invest in the ₹63,794-crore SilverLine project which will have severe financial and environmental implications, they asked.
