Indian Railways Electrification Plans

[jis]

Looks like they are really serious about completing electrification of all remaining unelectrified main and branch lines in all of India by 2022. The target for 2019-20 is 10319 km, that is 6412 miles. If completed, that would leave just a couple of thousand km to knock off in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Talk about a national project to remove dependency on oil, of which India has virtually none of its own.

https://www.railpost.in/electrification-targets-for-2019-20-set-at-10319-km/

Interesting to see that little Loharu, that used to be my station on a minor Meter Gauge Line is also on the list to be electrified. The gauge was converted to Broad Gauge in the last decade.

No wonder they have to produce 1000+ locomotives a year, and almost everything appears to be new.

 

[Gary Behling]

I sure hope the electric source is not overhead since the vast majority of passengers there ride up on the roof

 

[jis]

I sure hope the electric source is not overhead since the vast majority of passengers there ride up on the roof

It is all overhead wire 25kV. Since I don't see a smiley I presume that you seriously think that a vast majority ride there on roof top. In fact vast majority do not ride on roof tops. There are a few photos from India, including a guy getting electrocuted when he got too close 25kV OHE, but most of the rooftop riding photos are in fact from Bangladesh, and that too happens a few days a year around Id festival.

There have been cases from time to time, usually in newly electrified areas, of people trying to ride on rooftops, but they appeared to have learned of the consequences and desist from such in general, more so than automobile drivers in the US desist from crashing into trains at grade crossings with sickening regularity.

 

[caravanman]

Indeed, I have taken dozens of trains in India, and never once seen anyone riding on the roof. Hanging on to the outside, now that is a different matter...

Ed.

 

[jis]

Indeed, I have taken dozens of trains in India, and never once seen anyone riding on the roof. Hanging on to the outside, now that is a different matter...

Ed.

Indeed. Specially on suburban trains, which in itself is pretty bad, because those trains are already extra wide at 12', and that leaves smaller clearance between the train side and the electrification poles.

I remember during an all India railway strike back in the '70s, I had to travel from Delhi to Calcutta. There was just a single train running - the legendary Kalka - Delhi - Howrah Mail. Everything else, including the Rajdhanis were canceled. It was a super long train at 26 cars with very little room for the enormous crowd trying to travel. I got a foot hold at the door, but hanging just outside on it at Delhi, after stashing my bag under a seat by the door. I traveled that way 435km to Kanpur. It was terrifying. It was also diesel hauled to Kanpur, so I was covered in oily soot by Kanpur. At Kanpur, I managed to get space inside the car and also the diesel was replaced by an electric. Anyway that was the most terrifying experience what with the brand new electric posts just installed for extending electrification to Tundla whizzing by what seemed like inches from me.