Mainline Electric Multiple Units (MEMU) are electric multiple unit (EMU) trains operated by Indian Railway that serve short and medium-distance routes in India, compared to normal EMU trains that connect urban and suburban areas.
History Indian Railways (IR) 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, 3th gen MEMUs have started replacing existing MEMU sets.
New 3rd generation trains were rolled out from RCF Kapurthala with following features: Ethernet-based Train Control Management System which provides advanced control features design speeds of up to 110 kmph Energy efficient LED lights with half power emergency lights in each coach A GPS-based public address and passenger information system in each coach to facilitate passengers with respect to railway stations enroute 3-phase IGBT-based converter and inverters designed and developed by BHEL 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 being 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 sets have a maximum permitted speed of . The motorcoaches use asynchronous DC traction motors and have a maximum designed speed of 110 km/h. These have a stainless steel body. Two of them operate on South Central Railways.
ICF prodused new MEMUs capable to operate at 110–130 km/h. The construction cost was 26 crore per unit and can carry 2,618 passengers. The sets use phase traction motors which use 35% less energy. They offers GPS-based passenger information systems and announcement, have double leaf sliding doors, gangways, CCTV cameras and aluminium luggage racks. The driver's cabin has AC and the coaches have an emergency communication facility. They are designed to operate between cities away in Uttar Pradesh. The sets entered service in February 2019.New Train 18-like MEMU for North India! Indian Railways rolls out 130 kmph train for short-distance travel
Manufacturing
MEMUs are manufactured at Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, and Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. Sets are maintained in the Titlagarh coach maintenance shops. Marathwada Rail Coach Factory, Latur is currently trying to ramp up production capacity to 250 MEMU coaches per annum.
Maintenance
MEMU Car Sheds are use for the maintenance of MEMU sets in most of the states where services are operated. MEMU Car Sheds are operational in Avadi, Bangalore, Kollam, Palakkad, Tambaram, Trichy and Vijayawada under Southern Railway.
Rolling stock
MEMU usually consist of 8, 12 and 16 car sets, but there are 14, 18 and 20 car configurations too. The trailer coaches have two toilets for passengers and one for the crew.
Services Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMU)
Service Locale Distance Average speed Travel time Stops Frequency Ambala–Amb Andaura Haryana and Himachal Pradesh 06h 10m 22 Twice a day Amritsar–Attari Punjab 00h 45m 13 Daily Ara–Sasaram Bihar 03h 30m 26 Daily Banihal–Baramula DEMU Jammu and Kashmir 02h 35m 12 Daily Indore–Dr. Ambedkar Nagar Madhya Pradesh 0h 55m 12 Daily Indore–Ratlam Madhya Pradesh 02h 40m 13 Daily Jalandhar City–Amritsar Punjab 01h 50m 13 Daily Mahesana–Abu Road DEMU Gujarat and Rajasthan 00h 55m 15 Daily Nizamabad–Kacheguda Telangana 04h 10m 12 Thrice a day Raichur–Gadwal–Kacheguda Karnataka and Telangana 01h 00m 8 Daily Rajgir–Bakhtiyarpur Bihar 02h 25m 5 Daily Ratlam–Laxmibai Nagar Madhya Pradesh 02h 45m 14 Daily Rohtak–Rewari Haryana 02h 00m 13 Daily Sabarmati–Mahesana Gujarat 01h 20m 7 Daily Sabarmati–Patan Gujarat 02h 35m 7 Daily Vasai Road–Diva Maharashtra 00h 52m 5 Daily
Electric Multiple Units (EMU)
Service Locale Distance Average speed Travel time Stops Frequency Tirupati Andhra Pradesh 04h 00m 25 Daily Dahod–Ratlam Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh 03h 05m 12 Daily Falaknuma–Bhuvanagiri Telangana 01h 50m 15 Daily Panvel–Dahanu Road MEMU Maharashtra 03h 25m 19 Daily Panvel–Vasai Road Maharashtra 01h 35m 10 Daily Rajgir–Danapur Bihar 04h 35m 21 Daily Sealdah–Berhampore Court West Bengal 04h 15m 23 Daily Ujjain–Nagda Madhya Pradesh 01h 25m 6 Daily Virar–Bharuch Gujarat and maharashtra 06h 45m 39 Daily Whitefield–KSR Bengaluru City Karnataka 00h 40m 12 Daily
Gallery
See also SSEMU Comparison to locomotive hauled train Namo Bharat (trainset) Vande Bharat (trainset) Vande Bharat (sleeper trainset) High-speed rail in India Multiple units of India Express trains in India Slow and fast passenger trains in India Suburban trains
References
External links
MEMU/DEMU Electric/Diesel Multiple Unit Shuttle Trains - Railway Enquiry Indian Railways Fan Club Photo Gallery: MEMU