Rail service and travel by rail in the Indian subcontinent

[jis]

Not sure that having to change trains is a big deal, maybe a prestige issue? Security seems to be a big concern...

Security and non-availability of rolling stock in sufficient quantity that is specially equipped to handle Kashmir winters I am told.

 

[west point]

Security and non-availability of rolling stock in sufficient quantity that is specially equipped to handle Kashmir winters I am told.

Certainly, hope that does not mean that an Amtrak official was consulted to add worry about the cold?

 

[jis]

Certainly, hope that does not mean that an Amtrak official was consulted to add worry about the cold?

No. It was the Border Security Force and Indian Army Northern Command who have the responsibility and greatest experience in dealing with terrorist attacks in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir that required the security measures.

 

[caravanman]

I came across this India steam train video taken in1994. I enjoyed it also for the views of everyday street scenes too. A reminder of my own visit to Amritsar 10 years earlier. In 1984, the Maruti Suzuki cars and vans were not yet common.

 

[jis]

I came across this India steam train video taken in1994. I enjoyed it also for the views of everyday street scenes too. A reminder of my own visit to Amritsar 10 years earlier. In 1984, the Maruti Suzuki cars and vans were not yet common.

Riding a Tonga. You don’t get to do that very often these days either.

That is a WL Class lighter axle load cousin of the WG class goods/freight engine for use on branch lines.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

LItterbug at 19:12!

 

[cirdan]

I have passed through Howrah Station several times, I never realised there was a rail museum nearby. Looks like I will have to go back to India again!

My father visited the museum and brought me back a guide book as a souvenir.

The guide book is quite meticulous and detailed and appeared well researched. Many museums could learn a thing or two from them.

 

[caravanman]

My father visited the museum and brought me back a guide book as a souvenir.

The guide book is quite meticulous and detailed and appeared well researched. Many museums could learn a thing or two from them.

Definitely I need to go back to India!

I did visit the New Delhi rail museum, a good variety of stuff to see. Sadly a lot of the older exhibits are suffering from a lack of upkeep, the early wooden coaches have particularly suffered. I saw a large collection of wagon makers plates, surprised by how many varied manufacturers there were back in the day. Quite a number from the Nottingham vicinity.

The exhibits each had good information boards adjacent, I never thought to buy a guide book as a souvenir.

I did pick up a copy of The Great Indian Railway Atlas, which shows the whole network in great detail. A new edition (#4) has been published since, so another reason to return!

 

[jis]

Feb 3 2025 was the 100th anniversary of electrified rail service in India. On Feb 3, 1925 the first electric service operated out of then Bombay Victoria Terminus.



Hundred years on Indian Railways is on the verge of becoming a 100% electric railway!

 

[jis]

Definitely I need to go back to India!

I did visit the New Delhi rail museum, a good variety of stuff to see. Sadly a lot of the older exhibits are suffering from a lack of upkeep, the early wooden coaches have particularly suffered. I saw a large collection of wagon makers plates, surprised by how many varied manufacturers there were back in the day. Quite a number from the Nottingham vicinity.

The exhibits each had good information boards adjacent, I never thought to buy a guide book as a souvenir.

I did pick up a copy of The Great Indian Railway Atlas, which shows the whole network in great detail. A new edition (#4) has been published since, so another reason to return!

When I was in Kolkata last month I spent several hours one afternoon in a Cafe meeting up with my railfan friends over afternoon tea and snacks. Samit, the author of the Great Indian Railway Atlas was there among them. He mentioned that he intends to come up with a 5th edition but at present the problem is that Indian Railways is adding so many new routes and tracks each year that it will be out of date before it is published. Nonetheless we encouraged him to go ahead and publish whatever is the latest state of affairs when he submits the draft to the publisher.

If you are into the excitement of tremendous resources being thrown at growing the network and services then India is one of the really happening places in the world. Fortunately a large amount of high quality 4K video is now available produced by a very capable army of hobbyist videographers to enjoy quite a bit of it even without trudging over to India. All available on Youtube.

On that note, the commercial service to Srinagar, Kashmir is supposed to be flagged off in a day or two by the PM. So be on the lookout for it. Already an 18 car LHB consist pulled by a WAP7 electric and an eight car Vande Bharat consist have made it all the way to the end of the line at Baramulla in Kashmir close to the Line of Control. Videos are available on Youtube.

 

[cirdan]

That is a WL Class lighter axle load cousin of the WG class goods/freight engine for use on branch lines.

I guess the term branch line has different meanings to different people .... to me the words branch line conjure up the image of a minuscule locomotive trundling along with two cars, or a dmu serving some remote villages.

 

[jis]

It has been reported in local newspapers that effective 15th August speed limit on significant stretches of the route between Mumbai (actually Virar) and Ahmedabad will be raised to 160kph (100mph). This higher limit will apply to Vande Bharat, Shatabdi and Rajdhani class trains for now, later to be extended to all Superfast class Mail/Express trains that are fully air conditioned. Apparently they have decided not to allow any train with non-ac accommodation to operate at over 130kph (80mph).

This is the first segment to be upgraded under the Project Raftar (Speed) which eventually envisages to upgrade close to 16,000km (10,000 miles) of major trunk routes to operate at 160kph. Currently the routes being worked on are

1. Mumbai (Central) - Ahmedabad
2. Vadodra - New Delhi (via Kota).
3. Howrah - New Delhi via Grand Chord (Gaya)

The next segments to come on line are likely to be:

i. Mathura - Kota ( part of 2 above)
ii. Hazrat Nizamuddin - Mathura conversion from legacy ERTMS to Kavach ( part of 2 above)
iii. Ghaziabad (Delhi) - Kanpur (part of 3)
iv. Kanpur - DDU - Gaya (part of 3)
v. Asansol - Dankuni (Howrah) via HB Chord
vi. The remaining bits and pieces.

The main work involved is track upgrade, conversion of electrification feed to 2x25kV where it is not already in place, installation, testing and certification of Kavach v4 (includes cab signal and signal aspect and civil speed enforcement) and continuous fencing of track RoW.

When these two routes are completed that would be about 3000km.

 

[BlackDiamond]

Apparently they have decided not to allow any train with non-ac accommodation to operate at over 130kph (80mph).

Is that because the non AC tends to be older equipment?

 

[jis]

Is that because the non AC tends to be older equipment?

No. They are all standard LHB shells on Fiat trucks. I think it is because it is not possible to seal the non-AC cars to protect against flying debris, or some such.

 

[cirdan]

No. They are all standard LHB shells on Fiat trucks. I think it is because it is not possible to seal the non-AC cars to protect against flying debris, or some such.

Does this mean that in the longer term AC and non AC stock will be run in separate trains and at different speeds?

Or is it the beginning of the end of non AC on frontline services?

 

[jis]

Does this mean that in the longer term AC and non AC stock will be run in separate trains and at different speeds?

Or is it the beginning of the end of non AC on frontline services?

There will be pure AC trains running at 160 and eventually 200kph on all trunk routes. All other trains either mix of AC and non-AC or pure non-AC (e.g. Amrit Bharat Express) will be restricted to 130kph. Most trains will still have non-AC so one can say only select classes of trains will run above 130kph.

I don’t think there is or will be any attempt to remove non-AC service. Indeed they are adding more non-AC non-reserved GS (General Second) accommodation on all major classic mail/express trains while adding completely non-AC trunk route trains like Amrit Bharat Express.

I think it is safe to surmise that GS class and S class (non-AC Sleeper) will remain the mainstay yo IR for a long time to come die to the sheer strength of public demand for inexpensive service.

Sitting in Europe or North America it is hard to visualize how rapidly service is increasing in India.