By Dominick Rodrigues
Mumbai : Reaching out oxygen to the needy in time during the Covid-19 pandemic witnessed the Railways taking up the challenge, and ensuring successful movement recently of the first such liquid medical “Oxygen Express” from Kalamboli to Vizag and back upto Nasik through ramps being set up – including one ramp made within barely 24 hours at Kalamboli.
However, completing the herculean task of speedy yet safe ‘Ro-Ro’ delivery across by the Oxygen Express’ witnessed mapping 1,850 kms comprising steep mountainous ghats, Road Over Bridges, Tunnels, Curves, Platform canopies, Over Head Equipment etc. The model of road tanker T1618 with a height of 3320 mm was found feasible to be placed on flat wagons.
Highlighting the safety issue was the fact that oxygen is a +cryogenic and hazardous+ chemical, the Railways had to ensure avoiding sudden acceleration and deceleration, while checking pressures in between loaded transportation over the 50-hour journey.
The 1850 kms journey between Kalamboli and Vizag was completed in about 50 hours by 7 tankers loaded with more than 100 tons LMO (Liquid Medical Oxygen), besides the return journey to Nagpur completed in barely 21 hrs.
Transportation of Oxygen through Trains is faster over long distances than road transport as trains run 24 hours in a day, while truck drivers need to take halts etc.
The +green corridor+ was created for faster movement of these tankers and monitoring of movement was done at the apex level. The Railways transported essential commodities and kept the supply chain intact even during the lockdown last year, a railway release stated.
