2. INTRODUCTION
• TRAIN LIGHTING IS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT PASSENGER AMENITIES WHICH
INFLUENCE THE IMAGE OF RAILWAYS. ALTHOUGH FIRST TRAIN RAN ON
16TH APRIL 1853, TRAIN LIGHTING SYSTEM CAME TO INDIAN RAILWAY IN 1930
THROUGH AXLE DRIVEN DYNAMO PIONEERED BY MS J. STONES & CO.
• POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR TRAINS ARE DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED TO
SUIT THE REQUIREMENT OF AC AND NON-AC WORKING IN THE TRAINS.
3. CONTENTS
• LAYOUT OF TRAIN LIGHTING SYSTEM
• OPERATION
• CARRIAGE LIGHTING
• ADVANTAGES
• DIS-ADVANTAGES
4. LAYOUT OF TRAIN LIGHTING
SYSTEM
• AXLE DRIVEN SYSTEM
• MID-ON-GENERATION
• END-ON-GENERATION
• ALTERNATORS USED IN COACHES
• BATTERIES USED IN TRAIN COACHES
5. OPERATION
1.AXLE DRIVEN SYSTEM
IN THIS SYSTEM 4.5 KW BRUSHLESS ALTERNATORS
ARE DRIVEN THROUGH V-BELTS FROM AXLE.
LEAD ACID BATTERIES 11O V, 120 AH ARRANGED FROM 3
CELL MONO BLOCK UNITS.
FOUR NUMBERS OF EMERGENCY FEED TERMINALS
BOXES FOR B.G. AND ONE NUMBER FOR M.G. COACH ARE
PROVIDED ON EACH END WALL FOR INTERCONNECTING
THE COACH TO ADJACENT COACH TO RECEIVE POWER, IN
THE CASE GENERATION FAILS.
FOR BG AC COACHES, 18 KW / 25 KW BRUSHLESS
ALTERNATORS ARE USED.
TWO SUCH ALTERNATORS ARE USED IN AC-2T /AC-3T
/CHAIR CARS AND ONLY AN ALTERNATOR IS USED IN FIRST
AC COACH.
BATTERIES OF 800 / 11 00 AH CAPACITY AT 10 HR RATING
ARE USED IN I AC / AC-2T / AC-3T /CHAIR CAR OF B.G.
COACHES.
7. 2.MID-ON-GENERATION
IN THIS SYSTEM A POWER CAR HOUSING DG
SETS IS USED IN MIDDLE OF RAKE.
IT IS CHOSEN FOR SMALL BRANCH LINE SLOW
TRAINS HAVING LONG HALTS WHERE BATTERIES
ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN UNDERCHARGED IF
CONVENTIONAL AXLE DRIVEN SYSTEM IS
ADOPTED.
CAPACITY OF DG SET WILL DEPEND ON
COMPOSITION OF RAKE (USUALLY 30 KVA) AND
GENERATION IS AT 415 V, 3 PHASE, 50 CYCLE
AND IS STEPPED DOWN TO 110 V, 3 PHASE, 50
CYCLES.
8. 3. END-ON-GENERATION
RAKES OF RAJDHANI / SHATABDI EXPRESS TRAINS HAVING HEAVY LOAD OF AIR-
CONDITIONED COACHES, PANTRY CARS WITH ELECTRICALLY OPERATED COOKING
APPLIANCES, USE DIESEL GENERATING SETS HOUSED IN COACHES KNOWN AS
POWER CARS TO MEET THE LOAD.
NORMALLY 2 POWER CARS, ONE ON EITHER SIDE OF RAKE, GENERATE POWER AT
750 V AC OR 415 V AC, 3 PHASE, 50 CYCLES.
ALL THE COACHES OF POWER CARS ARE INTERCONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER
THROUGH COUPLERS CONSISTING OF SWITCHGEAR FLEXIBLE CABLES.
9. ALTERNATORS USED IN COACHES
(1) 4.5 KW, 120V BG NON-AC COACHES
(2) 3.0 KW, 120 V FOR MG NON-AC
COACHES
(3) 12.0 KW, 120 V FOR MG AC COACHES
/ JAN SHATABDI NON AC COACHE
(4) 18.0 KW, 130 V FOR BG AC COACHES
(OLD)
(5) 25 KW,130V, ALTERNATOR FOR BG AC
COACHES (NEW)
10. APPROVED MANUFACTURERS FOR THE ALTERNATORS ARE:
KEL (KERALA ELECTRICAL & ALLIED ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES
BEACON ( BEST & CROMPTON)
SIL ( STONE INDIA LIMITED)
HMTD ENGINEERING
CGL (CROMPTON GREAVES LIMITED)
SOME NEW MAKES ARE ALSO COMING UP LIKE PIPL, STESALITE, IEC ETC
11. BATTERIES USED IN TRAIN COACHES
CONVENTIONAL LEAD ACID CELLS .
VALVE REGULATED LEAD ACID(VRLA) BATTERIES / SMF BATTERIES.
12. CHARGING OF BATTERIES
INITIAL FILLING:-
REMOVE THE VENT / FILLER PLUGS AND FILL THE CELLS, WITH THE PREVIOUSLY
PREPARED AND COOLED ELECTROLYTE, TILL THE LOWER MARKING ON THE FLOAT
INDICATOR STEM JUST APPEARS ABOVE THE FLOAT PLUG.
THE APPROXIMATE QUANTITY AND GRAVITY OF THE ELECTROLYTE FOR INITIAL FILLINGS
ARE GIVEN IN THE REFERENCE TABLE.
AFTER FILLING, ALLOW THE CELLS TO REST FOR A PERIOD OF AROUND 16 - 24 HOURS.
DURING THE REST PERIOD THERE WILL BE SOME FALL IN THE LEVEL OF ELECTROLYTE.
RESTORE THIS WITH SOME MORE ELECTROLYTE, BEFORE PUTTING THE CELLS ON FIRST
CHARGE.
NOW THE CELLS ARE READY FOR FIRST CHARGE.
13. CARRIAGE OF LIGHTING
Class of coach MinimumLux lamp wattage Recommended fitting
First class 60 2 x 20 w Transparent Acrylic cover.
Sleeper, First class corridor & toilet , guard
van
30 1 x 20 w Transparent Acrylic cover.
2 nd class Jan Shatabdi C/C 40 2 x 20 w Transparent Acrylic cover.
General 30 1 x 20 w Without Acrylic cover only XPM net
2 nd class chair car , 30 1 x 20 w Without Acrylic cover only XPM net
1 st AC 40 2 x 20 w Translucent Acrylic cover (OPAL-040 grade, diffusion factor 87%, Reflection
factor 41%, transmittent factor 55%)
AC chair car 40 2 x 20 w -- do --
2 nd AC/ 3 rd AC 40 2 x 20 w Transparent Acrylic cover.
Postal van 40 1 x 20 w Transparent Acrylic cover.
Pantry car 30 1 x 20 w Transparent Acrylic cover.
Luggage Van 30 1 x 20 w Transparent Acrylic cover with XPM net (Sunk type).
14. ADVANTAGES
1. AXLE DRIVEN SYSTEM
AS EACH COACH HAS BATTERY, SO NO ADDITIONAL SOURCE IS REQUIRED.
THE PROBLEM/DEFECT IN ANY PARTICULAR COACH DO NOT AFFECT THE OTHERS.
SYSTEM CAN BE DESIGNED TO SUIT FOR ITS SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT.
2. MID-ON GENERATION
THE SYSTEM WAS MOST SUITABLE FOR SLOW MOVING BRANCH LINE PASSENGER TRAINS. LIGHTAND
FAN OF ALL THE COACHES HAD CENTRALIZED CONTROL IN POWER CAR COACH. FAN AND LIGHTS
WERE WORKING ON AC SUPPLY. THERE WAS NO NEED FOR STAND BY BATTERIES IN THE COACHES.
3.END-ON-GENERATION
• THE SYSTEM DOES NOT REQUIRE USE OF BULKY BATTERIES AND ALTERNATORS IN INDIVIDUAL
COACHES.
• THE SYSTEM HAS HIGHER RELIABILITY DUE TO STANDBY DA SETS AND REDUCED NUMBER OF
EQUIPMENTS
15. DIS ADVANTAGES
1. AXLE DRIVEN SYSTEM
THERE IS NO STANDBY SOURCE FOR ALTERNATOR AND BATTERIES, SO SYSTEM BECAME POOR
RELIABILITY.
THE SYSTEM REQUIRES THE EXTENSIVE MAINTENANCE OF ALTERNATOR, BATTERIES, BELTS,
TENSIONING DEVICE ETC.
2. MID-ON GENERATION
THERE WAS NOISE AND SMOKE; POLLUTION DUE TO DA SET WORKING.
THE OPERATOR WAS REQUIRED IN POWER CAR COACH
33.END-ON-GENERATION
THE COST OF ENERGY IS HIGH DUE TO FUEL COST.
EVEN WITH 750V, 3 PHASE , THERE IS STILL AN EFFECT OF VOLTAGE DROP AT FARTHEST END OF THE
TRAIN.
NOISE AND SMOKE POLLUTION IS GENERATED FROM POWER CARS