COVID-19 India: Railways to run 'Oxygen Express' trains amid oxygen shortage
While several parts of India have been facing oxygen shortage, the Indian Railways is geared up to run 'Oxygen Express' trains to transport Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) and Oxygen Cylinders across the key Corridors.
Amid oxygen shortage in India, the availability of oxygen is a key element in the treatment of certain medical conditions in the Covid-19 infection.
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Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra state governments had approached the Ministry of Railways to explore whether Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) tankers could be moved by the Railways.
Railways explored the technical feasibility of the transportation of LMO as it has to be transported through Roll On Roll Off (RO-RO) service with road tankers placed on flat wagons.
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Due to restrictions of the height of Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and Over Head Equipment (OHE) at certain locations, out of the various specifications of road tankers, the model of road tanker T 1618 with a height of 3320 mm was found feasible to be placed on flat wagons (DBKM) with a height of 1290 mm.
This DBKM wagon was placed at Kalamboli goods shed in Mumbai on 15.04.2021 and a T 1618 tanker loaded with LMO was also brought here. Joint measurements were taken by representatives of Industry and Railways.
Based on these measurements, route clearances were taken for Oxygen Express trains and it was found that it would be possible to undertake movements as RO-RO as ODC (over dimensional consignment) with speed restrictions on some sections depending on overhead clearances.
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