MEMU


In Indian Railways, a MEMU is an electric multiple unit train that serves short and medium-distance routes in India, as compared to normal EMU trains that connect urban and suburban areas. The acronym stands for Mainline Electric Multiple Unit.

History

Indian Railways started MEMU service on Asansol – Adra section on 15 July 1995 and on Kharagpur – Tata section on 22 July 1995. Delhi-Panipat MEMU service started on 27 September 1995. Raipur–Durg–Bhatapara–Raipur–Bilaspur MEMU service started on 17 October 1995. Arakkonam-Jolarpettai MEMU service on 22 May 2000. Bankura-Midnapore MEMU started on 30 June 2000. The first 20 coach MEMU ran between Surat to Virar in 2017. Since 2019, 3-phase MEMUs have started replacing existing MEMU rakes.
New 3rd generation was rolled out from RCF Kapurthala with following features:
  1. Ethernet-based Train Control Management System which provides advanced control features
  2. designed for speeds of up to 110 kmph
  3. Energy efficient LED lights have been provided with 50 percent emergency lights in each coach
  4. train is equipped with the latest GPS-based public address and passenger information system in each coach to facilitate passengers with respect to railway stations enroute
  5. train is equipped with 3-phase IGBT-based converter and inverter designed and developed by BHEL
  6. train also features a technologically advanced regenerative braking system.
IR is progressively replacing all locomotive-hauled slow and fast passenger and intercity trains with EMUs. The upgraded trains are re-branded as MEMUs.

Operation

The system uses multiple electrical units operating on 25 kV AC drawn from overhead lines. The trailer coaches have two toilets for passengers and one for the crew.
The train can run up to between Eastern Ghat and Western Ghat. The rakes have a maximum permitted speed of on broad-gauge tracks. The motorcoaches use DC traction motors. These rakes use asynchronous traction motors and have a maximum designed speed of 110 km/h. These use a stainless steel body. Two of them operate on South Central Railways.
ICF launched new MEMUs capable to operate at 110–130 km/h. The construction cost is 26 crore per unit and can carry 2,618 passengers. This train has a three phase traction motor and operates on 25 kV current which saves 35% energy. It offers GPS-based passenger information systems and announcement in coaches. It has double leaf sliding doors, gangways, CCTV cameras and aluminium luggage racks. The driver's cabin has AC and the coach has an emergency communication facility. It is designed to operate between cities away in Uttar Pradesh. The train may start in February 2019.

Manufacturing

MEMUs are manufactured at Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, and Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. Rakes are maintained in the Titlagarh coach maintenance shops.
Marathwada Rail Coach Factory, Latur is currently trying to ramp up production capacity of 250 MEMU coaches per annum.

Maintenance

MEMU Car Sheds are functioning for the maintenance of MEMU rakes in most of the states where the services are operated. MEMU Car Sheds are operational in Avadi, Bangalore, Kollam, Palakkad, Tambaram, Trichy and Vijayawada under Southern Railway.

Rolling stock

MEMU usually uses 8, 12 and 16 car coaches, but there are 14, 18 and 20 coach configurations too. The trailer coaches have two toilets for passengers and one for the crew.

Services

Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMU)

ServiceLocaleDistanceAverage speedTravel timeStopsFrequency
Ambala–Amb AndauraHaryana and Himachal Pradesh06h 10m22Twice a day
Amritsar–AttariPunjab00h 45m13Daily
Ara–SasaramBihar03h 30m26Daily
Banihal–Baramula DEMUJammu and Kashmir02h 35m12Daily
Indore–Dr. Ambedkar NagarMadhya Pradesh0h 55m12Daily
Indore–RatlamMadhya Pradesh02h 40m13Daily
Jalandhar City–AmritsarPunjab01h 50m13Daily
Mahesana–Abu Road DEMUGujarat and Rajasthan00h 55m15Daily
Nizamabad–KachegudaTelangana04h 10m12Thrice a day
Raichur–Gadwal–KachegudaKarnataka and Telangana01h 00m8Daily
Rajgir–BakhtiyarpurBihar02h 25m5Daily
Ratlam–Laxmibai NagarMadhya Pradesh02h 45m14Daily
Rohtak–RewariHaryana02h 00m13Daily
Sabarmati–MahesanaGujarat01h 20m7Daily
Sabarmati–PatanGujarat02h 35m7Daily
Vasai Road–DivaMaharashtra00h 52m5Daily

Electric Multiple Units (EMU)

ServiceLocaleDistanceAverage speedTravel timeStopsFrequency
Chennai–TirupatiAndhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu04h 00m25Daily
Dahod–RatlamGujarat and Madhya Pradesh03h 05m12Daily
Falaknuma–BhuvanagiriTelangana01h 50m15Daily
Panvel–Dahanu Road MEMUMaharashtra03h 25m19Daily
Panvel–Vasai RoadMaharashtra01h 35m10Daily
Rajgir–DanapurBihar04h 35m21Daily
Sealdah–Berhampore CourtWest Bengal04h 15m23Daily
Ujjain–NagdaMadhya Pradesh01h 25m6Daily
Virar–BharuchGujarat and maharashtra06h 45m39Daily
Whitefield–KSR Bengaluru CityKarnataka00h 40m12Daily