Western Railway is set to conduct crucial safety trials for 18-coach AC EMU rakes on the Virar-Dahanu Road section in mid-January 2026. These trials, including emergency braking distance and coupler force tests, are mandatory for validating safety parameters before deploying longer trains. Two variants, one with Bombardier and another with Medha propulsion systems, will be tested at speeds up to 110 kmph and 105 kmph respectively. The tests aim to assess the feasibility of increasing capacity on Mumbai's heavily utilized suburban network, which currently operates mostly 12-coach trains.