Info - Everything about IR

The Info section of IRFCA features a wide variety of reference data and other informational material about various aspects of railways in India, from technical details to historical data. The material is provided here with the hope that railfans, modelers, and anyone interested in Indian railways will find it useful and educational.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Frequently Asked Questions cover basic information about Indian railways, the what, how, why, and where of the locos and trains and their running.

On Locomotives - Classification, Manufacturers, Expanded notes on select classes
On Signalling - Signalling Systems, Aspects and Indicatons, Signs, Symbols
On Operations - Services, Crew Operations, Scheduling, Communications
On Rolling Stock - Passenger Coaches, Freight Wagons, Brakes, Couplers
On Books and Research - Books, Timetables, Journals
On Locomotive Sheds - Present day sheds and older steam sheds
On Permanent Way - Track classifications, specifications, maintenance
On Railway Zones - Present day zones, history of these zones
On Freight Trains - Freight operations, marshalling yards
The Complete FAQ Listing

Technical Documents

Technical documents coveing details of operational procedures and reference data.

Technical Procedures, Operational Guidelines - How to start a WDM-2, braking procedures, shunting operations etc;
Train Numbers, Routes, Timings - Train names and timings, stations data, superfast train comparisons, historical notes of NG railways
Statistical Data - Extracted from reports published by IR and Office of the CAG, India
The Rule Book - Extracts from the official IR rules and procedures book
Foreign Railways - Notes on railways in Pakistan and the sub-continent
Complete Document Listing

History

Learn about the fascinating history of railway development in India, and the romance of steam.

History of IR - Important events captured chronologically
The Indian Steam Pages - Lots of interesting material from the ISRS
Extracts from Historical Archives - Collections from journals and gazeteers
Research - Historical journals, reference sources, genealogical searches

Maps

Maps that chart the extent of railway development in India, past and present. Also see the Google Earth placemarks section.

Regional Maps - IR Route Maps, At-A-Glance Map
Suburban Maps - Covering most major cities and metro systems in the country
Historical Maps - Early 20th Century maps of IR's network
Google Earth Placemarks

Rolling Stock Databases

Locomotive rosters for the number-crunchers. Help us build our databases by contributing your sightings!