The Vande Bharat trains may soon lose its iconic white and blue livery as railways plans to give the train sets a new colour code. The rakes that will be launched in the coming months may sport an orange-grey look. The Integral Coach Factory (ICF), where the rakes are being manufactured has tried out a few colour combinations and has found that the orange and grey combination may suit the rakes better. A final decision is yet to be made.
Sources said that a few colour combinations were tried out and has zeroed in on orange and grey. One coach has been painted to try out how it will look. “The combination is yet to be decided. Orange may be painted on both sides while grey will be for the doors or vice versa.”
Photographs of the coach with orange and grey livery are being circulated in rail fan groups which created some discussions.
Twenty six Vande Bharat trains are being operated across the country. The new colour pattern is likely to be used in the future rakes after the railway ministry approves it. “There have been different suggestions regarding the livery,” said an official.
There is also a move to standardise the livery as Vande Bharat trains are going to be the norm in the future. The railway minister or senior officers from the ministry are likely to inspect the coaches at ICF.
Railways did not specify the reason for the plans to change the livery of the train. The white and blue colour, though pleasing, is considered difficult to maintain as it becomes dusty. The maintenance depots in zonal railways are finding it difficult to keep them clean. As turnaround time for the chair car rakes is less, it is not easy to give the 16-car and eight-car trains a wash after every other trip.
The factory has been improvising the coaches and its interiors as production progresses after taking in feedback from zonal railways where the trains are being operated.
The seat designs have been standardized, and the railways has decided to paste IR (Indian Railways) instead of abbreviations of zonal railways on the exterior of the coaches. There are also plans to have a cattle catcher in the front. Railways may introduce eight-car Vande Bharat train on Chennai-Vijayawada route soon.
