INDIA | Railways

[harikumar]

When you travel in Indian Railways, you may face a lot of problems. Many of these problems are created by the passengers. You will see that most of the trains are dirty. Toilets are horrible. Food supplied is not hygienic. Your suggestions in detail to improve the services of Indian Railways may please be posted here. Data thus collected here can be forwarded to the Railway authorities time to time.

[Gag Halfrunt]

There's a very active Railways and Transportation section in the Indian forum.

[harikumar]

....

[hkskyline]

"Black beauties" fire up India's railway tourism

NEW DELHI, Feb 3 (Reuters) - The pounding of pistons, the rhythmic chuff of a locomotive and storybook names such as "Fairy Queen" are all part of the allure of India's old-fashioned steam railways, which once tied together this vast nation.

Now, heritage train aficionados are turning their passion towards the foreign tourist market, hoping for even more attention -- and preservation -- for the "Iron Ladies" they love.

"Steam heritage tourism is a potential tourism sector for the country," said Ashwani Lohani, Divisional Railway Manager, Delhi, Indian Railways.

"The presence of raw fire that fires raw power in the belly of steam locomotives attracts tourists, and the unique sound, the rocking gait, the shrill whistle, the throbbing body and an open design... are features that impart an irresistible charm to these black beauties," he added.

Lohani, once director of India's National Rail Museum and who piloted the historic run of the Fairy Queen, an 1855 steam locomotive recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest working locomotive, is hardly alone in his passion.

There are several fan clubs on social networking websites, as well as magazines and blogs about travel to unusual places.

Others pour their hearts into fashioning model trains or dreaming about doing so. A museum dedicated to train miniatures in the western city of Pune has over 400 working model trains which draw more than 500 people every week.

"There are people who come to purchase these models and stock them in their drawing rooms and there are those who just admire them but can't afford to buy them because of their price, which vary from $100 to $300," said Ravi Joshi, who runs the museum.

Now, with a growing number of foreign visitors coming for vacations and even weddings in India, tour operators are hoping to cash in on increasingly broad interest.

TOURISM STEAMING AHEAD

"There was a time when foreign travellers will be interested to travel only by luxury tourist trains of India such as Palace on Wheels," said Ashok Sharma at travel firm Real India Journeys.

"Now there are hard-line steam railway travellers and photographers who come in huge groups every week. We refer to them as 'narrow-gauged' or 'single-tracked.'"

Some 80 foreign tourists rode the Fairy Queen during its last season of roughly 12 to 14 runs, while more than 1,200 visited the National Rail Museum from October to December last year.

Yet despite growing interest, train enthusiasts feel efforts towards preservation have been few and far between after a noticeable decline in the number of steam trains two decades ago.

"Many countries, especially the UK, retained a sizable number of steam locomotives, primarily for the twin causes of heritage and tourism. India also could have retained more of steam than what it has," said Lohani from Indian Railways.

Looking to the future, the Indian Steam Railway Society, established in 1999, has earmarked 53 routes for steam heritage train journeys in India. Many of the journeys include scenic train routes such as Darjeeling, Niligiri and India's erstwhile hill capital of Shimla, all likely to be popular with tourists.

Enthusiasts notched one victory last year when the sprawling Rewari Steam Locomotive Shed, India's only remaining locomotive shed, was transformed into a tourist spot with attractions that include nine working locomotives.

Fans, of course, are thrilled.

"We were surprised when an engineer in the shed came to us and said, 'let me fire up a steam loco for you guys.' The placard on the train said 'Rewari Queen"" said Parthajit Dasgupta, a wildlife photographer.

"There was a feeling of awe that rocked me as I watched the Iron Lady take her mighty steps."

[khoojyh]

Any High Speed Rail being planned in India?

Train is a big business in India

[Railfan]

WIKI

Proposal to introduce 250-350 km/h trains in India

The Indian Ministry of Railways' white-paper Vision 2020[1] submitted to Indian Parliament by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on December 18, 2009[2] envisages the implementation of regional high-speed rail projects to provide services at 250–350 km/h, and planning for corridors connecting commercial, tourist and pilgrimage hubs. Six corridors have already been identified for technical studies on setting up of high-speed rail corridors: Delhi-Chandigarh-Amritsar, Pune-Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Hyderabad-Dornakal-Vijayawada-Chennai, Howrah-Haldia, Chennai-Bangalore-Coimbatore-Ernakulam, Delhi-Agra-Lucknow-Varanasi-Patna. These high-speed rail corridors will be built as elevated corridors in keeping with the pattern of habitation and the constraint of land.
During Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Tokyo in December 2006, Japan assured cooperation with India in creating a high speed link between New Delhi and Mumbai.[3] In January 2009, the then Railway Minister Lalu Prasad expressed keen interest in introducing bullet-trains in India. "The day is not far off when the bullet train will run in the country" Prasad said after getting a first-hand feel of the superfast trains traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto at a speed of about 300 km/h.[4] On a visit to India in December 2009, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama offered bullet-train technology to India. "Since its inception (in Japan), there has been no accidents. We will like to see this technology being used in India”, said Hatoyama. The proposal is under discussion, according to official sources.[5]
Not everyone in India is equally keen on introducing high-speed rail as the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or the former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad. On 18 February 2008, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, B. S. Yeddyurappa, described a "Bullet train 'as not in the state’s best interest'". He also said that his government will participate in the project only if the Chennai-Bangalore High Speed Rail Link is extended to Mumbai via Hubli, with an additional link to Mysore, both being single tracks on the normal broad gauge track. He also stated that "Such projects will help only the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala come to Bangalore and not the people of Karnataka. If our suggestions are not taken into consideration, it would be difficult for Karnataka to support the projects envisaged by the Railways."[6]
Two new routes were later proposed by Indian Railways, namely Ahmedabad - Dwarka, via Rajkot, Jamnagar and other from Rajkot to Veraval via Junagadh[7]

[sidney_jec]

Originally Posted by khoojyh

Any High Speed Rail being planned in India?

Train is a big business in India

around 6 corridors are planned but all are in a nascent stage.

[s.yogendra]

Originally Posted by ajithv

New German coaches for TVC Rajdhani Express

[s.yogendra]

Originally Posted by ajithv

ERS WDM3A 18555 carefully carries 16701 Chennai Egmore-Rameshwaram express on the mother of all bridges - Pamban. Speed limit 15 KM/HR.

Hold Your Breath...!!!

[Sriram27]

Why the hell did they even build such a precarious bridge in the first place...

[Huhu]

I would pay EXTRA money to ride in a train over a bridge like that. Especially if I could stand in an open doorway.

[k.k.jetcar]

*described as semi-high speed rail:
http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...-vadodara-kmph

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/va...-study/817335/

[s.yogendra]

Chenab Railway Bridge construction Animation - CADMEC

Originally Posted by sanjusky

Chenab Railway Bridge construction Animation - CADMEC

cross posting from SSC I

[s.yogendra]

some pics of IR

Originally Posted by Vicvin86

image hosted on flickr

WDM3 by VinTN, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

WAP4 by VinTN, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

EMU by VinTN, on Flickr

cross posting from SSC I

[remorovan]

Indian Railways, abbreviated as IR, is thecentral government-owned railway company of India, which owns and operates most of the country's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India.
Indian Railways has more than 64,215 kms (39,901 mi) of track and 7,083 stations. It has the world's fourth largest railway network after those of the United States, Russia and China. The railways traverse the length and breadth of the country and carry over 30 million passengers and 2.8 million tons of freight daily.

[s.yogendra]

Rajdhani trains to have Super AC coaches

Originally Posted by KuwarOnline

Spacious and technologically advanced Super AC coaches for Rajdhani trains are on the anvil with the Rae Bareli coach factory being asked to undertake the new project.
"The conceptual design for the Super AC coach with just 44 berths is being finalised and instructions have been issued to the Rae Bareli coach factory for manufacturing a prototype," a senior Railway Ministry official involved with the project said.
At present, the second AC coaches in Rajdhani trains have 55 berths, while there are 72 in third AC coaches.


Though the fare structure for the Super AC coaches is yet to be finalised, it is expected to be higher than the current second AC rates but less than first AC.
The railway coach factory in Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh has been deemed the task of manufacturing 25 Super AC coaches for Rajdhani trains in the first phase.
"The unique feature of the new coach being designed in Rae Bareli is that it will be more spacious than the existing ones in Rajdhani trains. Later, we may consider it for other mail and express trains," the official said.


Proposed in the Rail Budget, the new Super AC coach with 44 berths will have wider windows and more leg space, particularly for side berth passengers.
"It is aimed at providing high-end service to passengers with better ambiance, more amenities and will also be equipped with a small pantry car," he said.
The lightweight Super AC coaches will be made of stainless steel and will have all safety features.
Besides the proposed Super AC coach, Rae Bareli factory is currently manufacturing new-generation Linke Holfmann Bush coaches.


"Six LHB coaches are ready to roll out from the factory," the official said.
The factory, which was inaugurated by Rae Bareli MP and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in 2009, is expected to cater to Railways' increasing demand for coaches by rolling out about 1,000 units every year.
"Our target is to manufacture 1,000 LHB coaches every year. In the first two years, we would produce 60 coaches a year as per the first phase production target," the official said.


"The coach factory spread over 1,500 acres of land is entirely eco-friendly and we have adhered to highest standard of pollution safety norms," the official said, adding that the
first phase 'always takes time as it involves acquiring land, procuring machinery and finalising contracts'.
Currently, the Railways requires about 4,000 coaches every year with the launch of nearly 100 new trains.
The annual requirement, however, is likely to go up to 6,000 coaches, according to a vision document.


While the Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala produces 1,600 coaches, the output at Integral Coach Factory in Chennai is 1,500 a year. Railways procures 450 coaches from Bharat Earth Movers Limited.
The Railways have also finalised plans to set up coach factories at Kanchrapara, Haldia and Palghat.
"The manufacturing of coaches at Rae Bareli factory is crucial for Railways as we depend upon it to meet our growing requirement," the official said.


Now the conventional coaches in trains will gradually be replaced by high quality stainless steel-bodied high-speed coaches (LHB coaches), as in the Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains at present.
These coaches have higher carrying capacity and passenger comfort and are safer in operations with features like the more efficient disc brakes and centre buffer couplers with superior anti-climbing features.


Apart from resistance to corrosion to give longer life, the official said, these coaches have modular fittings, microprocessor controlled air-conditioning, environment-friendly controlled discharge toilet systems.
"The riding of these coaches is much better and they have sound and thermal insulation, public address system, panoramic windows, toilet occupancy indicators and rounded berths," the official said.


Source
http://www.rediff.com/business/slide...s/20110729.htm

cross posting from SSC I

[Suissetralia]

Why do so many locomotives have those fences over the front-windows? Isn't that annoying for the driver? Is it because there are large wild birds which may damage the windows at high speeds?

[hmmwv]

Originally Posted by Suissetralia

Why do so many locomotives have those fences over the front-windows? Isn't that annoying for the driver? Is it because there are large wild birds which may damage the windows at high speeds?

I don't think those trains will travel at a speed high enough to sustain damage from birds. The grill over the windows is most likely to protect it from rocks thrown by kids.

[Jay]

Good to see there are some newer coaches on indian railways, those older ones break like cardboard, even though they weigh more than 50 tonnes

[Vicvin86]

Originally Posted by Vicvin86

Originally Posted by Vicvin86

Source : http://www.youtube.com/user/karthikabbilash

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