Oxygen Express
{{Short description|Liquid medical oxygen train service}}
{{Infobox train
| name = Oxygen Express
| image = Oxygen-Express Ro-Ro Kalamboli 1.jpg
| caption = Oxygen Express Ro-Ro Service at Kalamboli in Maharastra, 26 April 2021
| interiorimage =
| interiorcaption =
| service = MEDICAL PRODUCT transport
| manufacturer = INOX
| factory =
| family = Liquid Medical Oxygen trains
| refurbishment = -
| replaced = -
| formation = 2019
| fleetnumbers = 10
| operator = Indian Railways
| depots = Amingaon, Bengaluru, Jamshedpur, Mumbai, Tondiarpet, Vishakhapatnam
| yearconstruction = 2020
| yearservice = 2021
}}
Oxygen Express was a series of long- and short-haul train services jointly operated by the Ministry of Railways and Indian Railways to overcome a severe shortage of medical-grade oxygen by supplying to various hospitals in different parts of India and Bangladesh during the second-wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India.{{Cite journal|last=Changoiwala|first=Puja|date=2021-05-01|title=India at breaking point|journal=New Scientist|language=en|volume=250|issue=3332|pages=7|doi=10.1016/S0262-4079(21)00715-6|pmid=33967368|pmc=8087419|issn=0262-4079}}
Background
Oxygen Express trains were operated in two formats: by using cryogenic ISO tanks which can carry 16 metric-tonnes of liquid medical oxygen each;{{Cite journal|last1=Mehdiratta|first1=Lalit|last2=Sharma|first2=Ridhima|last3=Jain|first3=Sarvesh|date=October 2021|title=Anaesthesiology as an oasis amid the crisis of the vital medicine 'Oxygen'- innovations and local modifications|journal=Indian Journal of Anaesthesia|volume=65|issue=Suppl 4|pages=S145–S148|doi=10.4103/ija.ija_904_21|issn=0019-5049|pmc=8613475|pmid=34908565 |doi-access=free }} using fixed tankers on semis such as Tata Motors 1618s,{{Cite news|title=Railways to run 'Oxygen Express' to meet high demand amid surge in COVID-19 cases|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/railways-to-run-oxygen-express-to-meet-high-demand-amid-surge-in-covid-19-cases/articleshow/82130000.cms?from=mdr|access-date=2022-01-25}} which are then further loaded on to the trains at the roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities of the Indian Railways and Indian Army.{{Cite web|date=20 April 2021|title=Indian Railways' Oxygen Express train to reach Maharashtra with medical oxygen|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/indian-railways-oxygen-express-train-to-reach-maharashtra-with-medical-oxygen/roll-on-roll-off-service/slideshow/82158994.cms|access-date=2022-01-25|website=The Economic Times}}
At the peak of pandemic, the trains ran on signal-free "Green Corridor" routes, transporting oxygen from various steel plants to various parts of the country.{{Cite news|date=2021-05-11|title=Oxygen Express from Jamshedpur arrives in Bengaluru|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/oxygen-express-from-jamshedpur-arrives-in-bengaluru/article34532892.ece|access-date=2022-01-25|issn=0971-751X}}
In July 2021, 200 metric-tonnes of liquid medical oxygen were transported to the Benapole Border Crossing in Bangladesh, from the Tatanagar Junction railway station.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-24|title=In a first, Oxygen Express to supply LMO to Bangladesh|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-a-first-oxygen-express-to-supply-lmo-to-bangladesh-101627121343320.html|access-date=2022-01-25|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}
Gallery
File:WR's Oxygen Express Train.jpg|Western Railways' Oxygen Express Train with LMO tanker truck, 23 May 2021
File:WR's Oxygen Express Train from Hapa.jpg|Western Railways' Oxygen Express Train with LMO tanker trucks from Hapa to Delhi, 23 May 2021
File:Oxygen-Express Ro-Ro Kalamboli 2.jpg|Oxygen Express carrying Reliance Foundation's tankers at Kalamboli in Maharastra, 26 April 2021
File:Loading of Liquid Medical Oxygen at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.jpg|Linde plc's Tata Motors 1618 road tanker is being loaded with Liquid Medical Oxygen at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, 22 April 2021
File:Oxygen Express Empty Tanker at Kalamboli.jpg|Empty LMO tankers of Inox Air Products departing from Kalamboli goods yard for the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, 19 April 2021
File:Oxygen_Express_Empty_Tankers_at_Kalamboli.jpg|Taiyo Nippon Sanso's Empty LMO Tankers at Kalamboli, Maharastra, 19 April 2021
References
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Category:Express trains in India
Category:COVID-19 pandemic in India
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