Study of Maintenance of ICF/RCF Coaches of Indian Railways

by

Harsh Gupta

SAP Id : 70461016017
Roll No. : K018
MBA(Tech.) Mechanical Engineering

Organization Name : Central Railway Carriage Workshop, Matunga

Faculty Mentor : Mr. Mahavir Bhattacharya

Central Railway Carriage Workshop, Matunga

• It was set up in 1915 as a repair workshop for coaches and wagons of Indian
Railways.
• Maintenance of different types of ICF (Integral Coach Factory) and RCF (Rail
Coach Factory) coaches used in Indian Railways is done.
• The coaches are brought either for Periodic Overhauling(every 18 months) or
Intermediate Overhauling(every 9 months) or if damaged by any means.
• The problems or deficiencies are discovered and then rectified using different
maintenance practices for mainline and EMU coaches.
 Contents

 Shops Visited
i. Inspection Shop
ii. Lifting Under Frame(LUF) Shop
iii. HCR Shop
iv. Wheel Shop
v. Machine Shop
vi. Trolley Repair Shop(EMU/Mainline)
vii. Smithy Shop
 References
 1. Inspection Shop
• The term “Inspection” refers to checking of any things for its correctness.
• In Railway Workshop every part of the Bogie & the Coach is inspected for its
correctness by Inspection Department.

• There are various Inspection Departments as follows :

i. EMU Inspection
ii. Main Line Inspection
iii. Water Tank
iv. Pit Line
v. Carpentry
vi. Wheel Inspection
 2. Lifting Under Frame (LUF) Shop
• In this shop, the entire coach is lifted with the help of 2 cranes having the
capacity of 25 tones each.
• An inspection team is appointed to inspect the amount of corrosion occurred on
the entire coach.
• If any corrosion repair work is required then it is sent to the corrosion repair
shop.

• L.U.F. is subdivided into :

i. Air brake section

ii. DV repair section
iii. Brake cylinder section
Air-Brake Section :
 3. Heavy Corrosion Repair (H.C.R.) Shop

• Due to contact of metal body of coaches with oxygen in atmosphere, there is

corrosion at various locations in a train coach.
• Corrosion of coaches can lead to massive failures.
• In order to prevent so the coaches are painted by inhibitive ZINC CHROMATE RED
OXIDE PRIMER.

• Vulnerable members and location

a) Headstock
b) Tubular frame below lavatories and trough floors in all coaches adjoining lavatories
and pantry vehicle.
c) Sole bars, turn under and body pillars.
d) Sole bars and pillars behind the sliding door pockets of SLR and parcel vans
e) Sole bars, pillars and turn under at door corner.
Damaged Sections :

Repaired Sections :
 6. Trolley Repair Shop (EMU/Mainline)
• This shop deals with the trolley repair of main line and EMU coaches.
• Once the coach is lifted the trolley is send to this shop.
• In this shop the wheel set is dismantled and sent to wheel shop.

• This Section is divided into two subdivisions:

1. Main line trolley repair section.
2. EMU trolley repair section

• Types of trolleys:
a) In EMU trolley repair section.
i. Motor coach trolley : It is used on coaches having relatively high load carrying capacity.
ii. Trailer coach trolley : It is used on coaches having relatively low load carrying capacity.
 
b) In main line trolley repair section.
iii. 13 Ton trolley : It is used on ordinary coaches such as Non-AC coaches, general coaches
iv. 16 Ton trolley : It is used on AC coaches, VHP coaches, coaches of Shatabdi Express.
Bogie:-
 
Bogie is most important part as it takes the whole weight of a coach along with the
passengers and drives them to the destinations.
Main parts of a Bogie are :

1. Bogie Frame
2. Bolster
2.1 Upper Bolster Plank
2.2 Lower Bolster Plank
3. Hanger
4. Primary Suspension
5. Secondary Suspension
6. Wheels
7. Air Brake System
8. Silent Block
9. Side Bearers
10.Brake Shoe
11.Bolster Guide
12.Bearing Block
 4. Wheel Shop
• It is one of the most important shops in the Workshop.
• It is responsible for the inspection and repair of the wheel which is the most important
part of a bogie.
• The wheels are dismantled from the trolley and sent to the wheel shop.
• Depending on the amount of damage, either normal or heavy repair is done.

• Types of Axles:
1. 16T – Diameter 152 mm for AC Coach
2. 13T – Diameter 145 mm for Sleeper Coach
 
• Main Activities carried out at the shop:
1. Re-Disking of wheel
2. Normal Repairing
3. Re-Axeling of wheel
4. Re-Gearing of wheel
Inspection of Wheels:

1. Visual Inspection:
• This is the first step in the inspection process of wheels and is done with naked eye.
• Length, Diameter and profile of wheel and axle are checked in this inspection.
 
2. Sound Test:
• In this test when a hammer is struck sharply on the region free from internal flaws it emits a
clear ringing note whereas a region with large internal flaws will have a flat unusual note.
 
3. Ultrasonic Test:
• This test is used to detect internal or invisible cracks.
• It is a type of Non Destructive Testing using Ultrasonic waves.
• The ultrasonic waves are usually produced by the Piezoelectric Effect .
• Discontinuities below the surface cause reflection of the ultrasonic waves which appears as
peaks upon Cathode Ray Oscilloscope receiver.
 
These techniques are useful for detecting cracks, voids and defects below the surface as well as near
the surface.
 5. Machine Shop
• Machine shop comprises of maintenance machining of articles which have been
manufactured in the smithy shop.
• Various operations have been introduced to improve the rate of production.
• It is used for repair work and production level of the port.

• Three subsections of Machine shop:-

 
i. General Machine Section
ii. Central Lathe Section
iii. Shock Absorber Section

Central Lathe Machine

 7. Smithy Shop
• This shop does all the repair and inspection of the parts disassembled in the trolley shop.

• The various machines in the smithy shop are :

Eye Rolling Machine 1

Hydraulic Buckling press 1

Hydraulic De Buckling press 1

Drop Stamp Hammer 5

Pneumatic Hammer 8
Shearing Machine 2
Shearing/Nibbling Machine 1
Spring Testing Machine 1
References:

 Maintenance manual Indian Railway

 https://rdso.indianrailways.gov.in/works/uploads/File/Maintenance%20Manual%20f
or%20BG%20Coaches%20of%20ICF%20Design.pdf
 http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/codesmanual/ACTraction-III
/AcTractionIIICh4_data.htm
 Safety instructions manual MTN
 Maintenance Manual for BG Coaches of ICF Design.