India launches first LNG-powered train amid shift to high-capacity freight

India has launched its first train powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), departing from the Sabarmati station in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The rollout is part of a 14.72 billion rupee ($175 million) infrastructure upgrade package. As part of the regional expansion, authorities opened a new maintenance facility for WAG-12 locomotives, costing 7 billion rupees. A single 12,000 hp WAG-12 locomotive can replace the capacity of 600 trucks; previously, two engines were required to move the same volume of freight. Safety upgrades include the installation of the "Kavach" protection system on the Sabarmati-Kalol-Sabarmati section at a cost of 480 million rupees. The system is currently being expanded to the Ahmedabad-Palanpur and Ahmedabad-Samakhali lines.