Dual-fuel technology can replace up to 40 per cent of diesel use and is aimed at cutting fuel costs and emissions
Ahmedabad, Sept 2026 : India’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered train was flagged off from Sabarmati on Sunday by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, marking a significant step towards introducing alternative fuels in railway operations.
The initiative seeks to reduce the Railways’ dependence on conventional diesel and explore the use of cleaner alternative fuels while maintaining the operational capabilities of diesel-powered trains.
The train operates on a diesel-plus-LNG dual-fuel system developed for its Driving Power Cars (DPCs). Two 1,400-horsepower DPCs based at the Sabarmati Integrated Coaching Depot have been converted to run on both LNG and diesel.
The converted power cars have already completed more than 2,000 km of field trials to assess the performance, reliability and operational viability of the technology under actual working conditions.
According to trial data released by the Railways, the dual-fuel system can substitute up to around 40 per cent of diesel consumption with LNG. The technology is expected to reduce fuel expenditure while also lowering emissions, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
Earlier railway assessments estimated that the use of the technology could generate annual fuel savings of around Rs 11.9 lakh for a single DPC. For an eight-coach rake, the estimated annual savings were around Rs 23.9 lakh.
The dual-fuel arrangement also provides operational flexibility by allowing the engine to switch between LNG and diesel depending on fuel availability. The system has been designed to retain the power and operating performance of conventional diesel engines while enabling partial replacement of diesel with LNG.
Each converted DPC is equipped with an LNG tank with a capacity of approximately 2,200 litres. The tanks can hold around 850-900 kg of usable LNG. A full LNG load is expected to support approximately 1,600 km of operation, reducing the frequency of refuelling.
The launch was part of a larger package of railway projects inaugurated and initiated during Shah’s visit to Ahmedabad. The projects, collectively valued at more than Rs 1,542 crore, cover areas including railway safety, signalling, line capacity enhancement and freight infrastructure.
Earlier in the day, Shah inaugurated the Rs 700-crore WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed at Sabarmati and flagged off a WAG-12 electric locomotive.
The programme also saw the commissioning of the indigenous Kavach automatic train protection system on the Ahmedabad-Palanpur and Ahmedabad-Samakhiyali sections. Automatic signalling was commissioned on two railway sections, while doubling work on the Sabarmati-Sarkhej section was also launched.
The introduction of the LNG-powered train comes as Indian Railways continues to examine technologies that can reduce fuel consumption and operating costs while maintaining train performance.
The dual-fuel system will provide an opportunity to assess the practical benefits of LNG in railway operations and its potential role in diversifying the energy sources used by the national railway network.
