Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat Set for Trial Run on Sakleshpur Ghat from August 11The much-awaited Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express is a step closer to launch, as the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway is preparing to begin trial runs on the challenging Sakleshpur ghat section from August 11.
Although Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna had earlier announced that the train would be introduced by June, the rollout was postponed because a Vande Bharat rake equipped with the mandatory Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system was not available.A newly built 20-coach Vande Bharat train fitted with the AEB safety feature has now been delivered from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai to the Mysuru Division. The rake is currently stationed at Pandavapura Railway Station in Mandya district.According to Mudit Mittal, Divisional Railway Manager of the Mysuru Division, the trial operations will take place from August 11 to August 20.
A team from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) will supervise the testing process. The Vande Bharat train features modern electro-pneumatic disc brakes along with a regenerative braking system. However, the steep gradients between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road demand additional safety measures for train operations.
Currently, trains passing through this ghat section rely on banker engines—extra locomotives attached to help navigate the steep terrain safely. The process of attaching and removing these locomotives takes around 15 minutes. Since Vande Bharat trains have a streamlined aerodynamic nose, attaching a banker locomotive requires removing the front nose cone, which increases halt time and reduces the advantage of the train’s faster journey.To address this challenge, Indian Railways has introduced a Vande Bharat rake fitted with the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system. This technology can automatically control the train’s speed and restrict it to 30 kmph while travelling through the ghat section, improving safety without the need for banker engines. If the trial run is completed successfully, the Railways is expected to receive final approval from the Railway Board, paving the way for the commercial launch of the Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express.
