IRFCA Mailing List Archive


Messages 2081 - 2100

From: Prakash Tendulkar <prakash@jps.email

Subject: Scores dead as trains collide in fog in India

Date: 06 Jan 1998 13:17:00 -0500


IndiaWorld Headline

Uttar Pradesh: Death toll in train collision up to 48

The Kashi Vishvanath Express rammed into the stationary Bareilly
Varanasi Passenger from behind on the Rasa Lucknow section.
=============================================
Scores dead as trains collide in fog in India

NEW DELHI, India (AP) -- A passenger train sped through a red
light on a foggy night and slammed into a parked train in northern
India, killing 51 people and injuring 62, United News of India
said today. The collision occurred late Monday near Karna railroad
station, 400 miles southeast of New Delhi, the news agency said,
quoting a railroad ministry statement.

Sixteen passengers were hospitalized, six in serious condition.
Forty-six other people were treated for minor injuries, the
statement said. The ministry said the death toll could rise as
some bodies were feared trapped in the debris. Six coaches piled
on each other and were badly twisted by the impact of the
collision, Press Trust of India reported.

Ramesh Kumar, a survivor, said rescue workers reached the remote
site four hours after the accident.

The parked train had halted after hitting a cow, UNI reported.
Train service in the area was disrupted. Railroad workers have
started clearing the debris and repairing the damaged track, UNI
said. India has one of the largest rail networks in the world and
accidents are frequent, often due to poor enforcement of safety
regulations.

From: sank <sank@telco.email

Subject: Re: Scores dead as trains collide in fog in India

Date: 07 Jan 1998 18:19:00 -0500


It is obivous that collisions involving "driver error" have become
distressingly frequent on IR in the last several months. I find it
surprising that IR, despite its enormous mileage and traffic, is
yet to universally adopt some form of ATC/AWS, which would
enable the brakes to be automatically applied if the train
overshoots a signal set at danger for any reason. Since the
results of accident inquiries are not made public, we never do
hear what exactly the "driver error" was. I feel that too much is
allowed to rest on the driver's shoulders anyway.

I remember hearing that ATC/AWS systems were tested on
the Mumbai suburban section some years ago, but were not
subsequently adopted. Does anyone on this list have more
information on this ?

Incidentally, in the UP accident, were detonators not deployed
by the guard of the Kashi Vishwanath Express ? I thought this
was standard procedure during an emergency halt in foggy
conditions ?

--
Jayant S*ID Studio*TTIL*TELCO
Pimpri*Pune 411 018*INDIA*tel:91-212-774261 exn 2534
Email me at "sank@telco.email. Do NOT use your "reply" button !

From: Sudeep Majumdar <sudeep@tamu.email

Subject: the creative process?

Date: 07 Jan 1998 11:23:00 -0500


The US Standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is
4 feet, 8.5inches. That's an exceedingly odd number.

Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in
England,and the US railroads were built by English expatriates.

Why did the English people build them like that? Because the first
rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad
tramways, and that's the gauge they used.

Why did "they" use that gauge then? Because the people who built
the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for
building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.

Okay! Why did the wagons use that odd wheel spacing? Well, if they
tried to use any other spacing the wagons would break on some of
the old, long distance roads, because that's the spacing of the old
wheel ruts.

So who built these old rutted roads? The first long distance roads
in Europe were built by Imperial Rome for the benefit of their
legions. The roads have been used ever since.

And the ruts? The initial ruts, which everyone else had to match
for fear of destroying their wagons, were first made by Roman war
chariots. Since the chariots were made for or by Imperial Rome they
were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing.

Thus, we have the answer to the original questions. The United
State standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches derives from
the original specification for an Imperial Roman army war chariot.

Specs and Bureaucracies live forever. So, the next time you are
handed a specification and wonder what horse's ass came up with
it, you may be exactly right. Because the Imperial Roman chariots
were made to be just wide enough to accommodate the back-ends
of two war horses.

Sudeep Majumdar Biochemistry & Biophysics sudeep@tamu.email
309 Ball St. #2030 Texas A&M University O:409-845-3287
College Station College Station F:409-845-9274
TX 77840-1550 TX 77843-2128 H:409-862-9231

From: Prakash Tendulkar <prakash@us.email

Subject: ATC/AWS

Date: 08 Jan 1998 18:15:00 -0500


> I remember hearing that ATC/AWS systems were tested on
> the Mumbai suburban section some years ago, but were not
> subsequently adopted. Does anyone on this list have more
> information on this ?

WR EMUs have this system. A transponder is installed at
the signal and receiver is installed in EMU. When rake
passes Yellow signal at speed exceeding 20 km/hr, a beep
is generated by control unit (of the system) in driving
cab. Motorman has 15 seconds to press a button to
acknowledge the warning. Failure to cancel the warning
results in application of emergency brakes which can be
released only after the train has stopped.

CR, however, did not opt for this system. (based on my info
in 1992) So CR EMUs operating on WR tracks were immune from
this system and so were WR EMUs running on CR tracks, i.e.
Harbour branch.

In case of malfunction, the system can be disabled from
driving cab and appropriate entry is made in defect
reporting card in driving cab. Motorman has a
responsibility to ensure that this system is enabled
before starting his trip. Motorman Inspectors, Driving
Inspectors and Safety Councillors validate this during
their visits (to driving cabs).

WR locos had AWS installed after an express train hit the
derailed wagons killing the driver in Surat - Vadodara
section. It is a transmitter / receiver with a range of
few kilometers that flashes a warning light in driving cab.
(but has no effect on brakes) This box can be seen at
<A HREF="http://www.jps.net/prakash/wcam1">http://www.jps.net/prakash/wcam1</A>

Prakash

Notes Address: Prakash Tendulkar/Santa Teresa/IBM@IBMUS
VM Address: IBMUSM50(PRAKASH)
Internet Address: prakash@us.email
Phone: (408)463-3536

From: sank <sank@telco.email

Subject: Re: I wonder if this is true?

Date: 09 Jan 1998 19:37:00 -0500


Sudeep Majumdar wrote:

> Subject: the creative process?
>
> The US Standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is
> 4 feet, 8.5inches. That's an exceedingly odd number.
>
> Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in
> England,and the US railroads were built by English expatriates.
>

Just wondering: why did the British opt for the 5 foot 6 inch
broad gauge in India ? Was it because of what I read once: something
to do with apprehensions of train stability in tropical gales ? Was the
broad gauge used anywhere else by the British apart from
Sri Lanka and Pakistan ? The only other 5/6 gauge systems, as far as I
know, are in Spain, Portugal and Argentina.

Or does it have something to do with the back ends of two Indian
bullocks, harnessed to a cart ?!?

--
Jayant S*ID Studio*TTIL*TELCO
Pimpri*Pune 411 018*INDIA*tel:91-212-774261 exn 2534
Email me at "sank@telco.email. Do NOT use your "reply" button !

From: Auroprem Kandaswami <kandaswa@apple.email

Subject: Election Commission seeks report on Railway Minister

Date: 09 Jan 1998 04:21:00 -0500


The Hindu
NEW DELHI, Jan. 8.


EC bans issue of passes, seeks report on Paswan


The Election Commission today ordered a blanket ban
on the issue of complimentary passes by the Railways
till March 15 by when the general elections would be
completed.

The Commission also sought a detailed report from
the Railway Board on the alleged misuse of a Railway
guest house in Lucknow by the Railways Minister, Mr.
Ram Vilas Paswan, for holding a political meeting
there.

Taking cognisance of a complaint made to it, the
Commission warned the Railways that individual
officers would be held personally responsible for any
misuse of such premises during the poll process.

On the complementary passes, the Commission said
that neither the Railway Board nor the Railway
Ministry were entitled to issue such passes till
completion of the poll process.

From: Pushkar Apte <apte@spdc.email

Subject: Sad state of IR

Date: 09 Jan 1998 09:26:00 -0500

From: GlynThomas <GlynThomas@aol.email

Subject: Rail Gauge

Date: 09 Jan 1998 14:10:00 -0500


About the rail gauge, there is an interesting discussion in Hilton's seminal
book on the American Narrow Gauge.

Apparently in the mid-1800s there was a lot of discussion about optimum rail
gauge (in the UK, we still had Brunel's 7 foot gauge). The general concensus
seems to have been that 4' 8.5" was too narrow, and therefore not optimum if
one was able to start a rail network from scratch. Hence the choice of 5' 6"
for India. British companies also built the Argentinian rail system, hence the
choice there. I suspect there are similar reasons in Spain.

Interestingly, Hilton suggests that 4' 8.5" systems are cheaper to operate
than 5' 6" systems, although he concludes that the real optimum gauge is
within this range.

Glyn Thomas

From: BSR SHARMA <bsrsharma@rocketmail.email

Subject: Re: I wonder if this is true?

Date: 09 Jan 1998 10:31:00 -0500


---Sudeep Majumdar <sudeep@tamu.email wrote:
> Subject: the creative process?

Sudeeps interesting story is quite plausible
considering similar origins of Units. Example:

Foot: From the length of a royal foot (or footstep?)

Mile: 8 furlong; the furlong is a variant of
"furrow long" which is the length of a field a pair
of horses can plow before needing a rest.

Horse power: Power needed to lift 550 lbs of coal at
1 foot per second vertically. This is what a typical
horse in a British coal mine was typically capable of
doing.

Grain: Unit of mass (fraction of Ounce) - Average
weight of a barley grain.

I 'll be glad to know more about similar origin of
units.

Also, A meter was originally defined as a millionth of
distance from north pole to equator through Paris.
(during Nepolean's time?)

Minute (unit of time) represents a minute (small)
part of Hour. Second (unit of time) is a minute part
of a minute part of an Hour => Second minute => Second.

These came up during the Railroad era in North
America (early 19th century) - that is also when U.S.
was divided into time zones

BSR Sharma
SanSys Inc - LG InfoComm
San Diego, California, USA





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From: Vijay Balasubramanian <vbalasub@xavier.email

Subject: Kurla!

Date: 09 Jan 1998 21:32:00 -0500


Hi Folks,

I was watching my WCM2 loco. ride (for the umpteenth time) and clearly
spotted tracks that provide access from the Main Line (Mumbai CST-Dadar-
Sion-...) to the Harbor Branch lines coming into Kurla from Chunabhatti.
The interchange is provided just after the main line tracks meet the
branch lines as one approaches Kurla from Sion side. What puzzles me
is why there are no suburban trains that start from Mumbai CST, go via
Dadar-Sion, get onto the branch lines before Kurla and head
towards Chembur-Vashi-Belapur-Panvel. Mumbai to Kurla via main line
is much shorter than via harbor branch. At present, the only way to
get from Vashi,Chembur,.... to Mumbai CST is via the circuitous Harbor Branch
route. And there are NO locals that connect stations in the Panvel-Vashi-
Chembur section with stations in the Sion-Dadar-Masjid section.
Could someone explain this?

Vijay

From: Vic Thomas <thomas@htc.email

Subject: Re: Rail Gauge

Date: 12 Jan 1998 13:43:00 -0500


GlynThomas writes
>
> About the rail gauge, there is an interesting discussion in Hilton's seminal
> book on the American Narrow Gauge.
>
> Apparently in the mid-1800s there was a lot of discussion about optimum rail
> gauge (in the UK, we still had Brunel's 7 foot gauge). The general concensus
> seems to have been that 4' 8.5" was too narrow, and therefore not optimum if
> one was able to start a rail network from scratch. Hence the choice of 5' 6"
> for India. British companies also built the Argentinian rail system, hence
> the choice there. I suspect there are similar reasons in Spain.
>
I remember reading somewhere (I think it was the National Geographic article
on Indian Railways a few years ago) that the BART system in the SF area also
uses the 5' 6" gauge because of the extra stability needed in an earthquake
prone region.

< Vic

From: Auroprem Kandaswami <kandaswa@apple.email

Subject: Re: Kurla!

Date: 12 Jan 1998 10:13:00 -0500


Vijay,

Mumbai CST to Kurla via the Main Line and the Harbour Line
are approximately the same in terms of distance - 15 and
odd kms (almost 16 kms). However, in terms of local running
time, I have always noticed that the Harbour lines takes close
to 4 minutes less than the Main line on an average. If you
look at CR local timetable, Mumbai CST to Kurla run time
(Harbour line) will be shown as 30 minutes while Mumbai
to Kurla (Main Line, Slow) is allowed 34 minutes. This is
something I have never been able to figure out. I think
the Harbour line traffic runs a whole lot smoother -
because the average interval between trains is at least
7 minutes leaving little chances of delays/holdups.
This is against the Main Line, where the interval is about
4 minutes.

I do know that there used to be a couple of fast local
trains during evening commute hour to Vashi, from
CST. These locals did run on Main Line
Fast track from CST to Kurla and was switched to
harbour line from there. These trains were run for some
time during 1993/94 and then discontinued, for some
reason.

Our friends from Mumbai could give more details on this.

Auro





>Hi Folks,
>
> I was watching my WCM2 loco. ride (for the umpteenth time) and clearly
> spotted tracks that provide access from the Main Line (Mumbai CST-Dadar-
> Sion-...) to the Harbor Branch lines coming into Kurla from Chunabhatti.
> The interchange is provided just after the main line tracks meet the
> branch lines as one approaches Kurla from Sion side. What puzzles me
> is why there are no suburban trains that start from Mumbai CST, go via
> Dadar-Sion, get onto the branch lines before Kurla and head
> towards Chembur-Vashi-Belapur-Panvel. Mumbai to Kurla via main line
> is much shorter than via harbor branch. At present, the only way to
> get from Vashi,Chembur,.... to Mumbai CST is via the circuitous Harbor
>Branch
> route. And there are NO locals that connect stations in the Panvel-Vashi-
> Chembur section with stations in the Sion-Dadar-Masjid section.
> Could someone explain this?
>
> Vijay

From: Sundar Krishnamurthy <coolsundar@hotmail.email

Subject: Re: Kurla!

Date: 12 Jan 1998 19:00:00 -0500


>
> I do know that there used to be a couple of fast local
> trains during evening commute hour to Vashi, from
> CST. These locals did run on Main Line
> Fast track from CST to Kurla and was switched to
> harbour line from there. These trains were run for some
> time during 1993/94 and then discontinued, for some
> reason.
>
> Our friends from Mumbai could give more details on this.
>

You're right, Auro. There was only one train in each direction. This
train ran fast from Mumbai CST to Dadar. The next halts were Kurla,
Vashi and Nerul before proceeding to Belapur CBD. It promised a one hr
running time from CST to CBD. Its timings were 18:00 CST and 19:00 CBD.

It changed tracks between Sion (Sheev) and Kurla. The junction was the
set of intricate points and change-overs between Sion / Chunabhatti and
Kurla at the place where the harbor line diverges off. Therefore, it did
not arrive on pf. no. 5 (fast) at Kurla; but 7 (harbor). I have
personally taken many trips on this train from Dadar to Vashi.

This local was discontinued because of the hold-up of up fast locals as
the train slowly snaked from line 3 to line 5. Morover, the train ran
fast between Kurla and Vashi. The heavily encroached lines saw a lot of
deaths on the tracks as unaware line-crossers were caught off-guard
after the station platform as they presumed it would halt.
Soon, many constraints warranted the discontinuation of the service. It
was another story that the local never ran on schedule! Kurla onwards,
the motorman would not relieve or let-go of the low-tone horn upto
Mankhurd! Currently, the stretch from Kurlka to Mankhurd is the most
pathetic stretch on CR with drivers resorting to 15-20 kmph on account
of garbage, tresspassers and intestine relievers on the tracks.

Its connecting train left CBD at 8:00 am to reach CST on the main line
at 9:00.

Some of the others would tell you about some Kalyan/Thane-Bombay VT
locals in the late 70's/early 80's that I presume, ran through harbor.

Sundar Krishnamurthy


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From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <sncf@godrejnet.email

Subject:

Date: 14 Jan 1998 17:56:00 -0500



Hi Guys,

I had to cancel my trip on the Barsi Light Railway and instead went to
Ratlam to travel behind the last of the M.G.passenger trains on this
section. It was a great trip. We were very lucky to have our train to
Chittaurgarh steam hauled 'cause the diesels have almost taken over. There
are frequent failure due to poor maintenance and non availability of
spares. Mr.Sharma - Loco Inspector travelling with us was going all the
way to Ajmer to procure some steam loco spares for Mhow shed.On our return
we were informed by Mr.S.S.Godbole - Divisional Railway Manager (W.Rly)
that this might be the last days of steam on this route. However the
banking duties between Kalakund and Patalpani will be in charge of steam.
Just imagine diesel hauled trains being banked by steam in rear. This is
going to last for a couple of more months. My next visit will be in
february to Mhow Shed which stables almost 15 YP and YG locomotives, of
these only 6 YG's are in running condition.

Routine is as follows.

A YG hauls early morning 4.50hrs train no 90 from Mhow till Ratlam which
is reached at 9.30. The loco get detached here for servicing while train
no 90 proceeds on it's way to Chittaurgarh hauled by a diesel. In the
meanwhile the YG readies itself to haul incomming train no 74 from
Khandwa (Dep.13.00hrs ratlam) to Chittaurgarh .Train no 74 is diesel hauled
from Khandwa to Ratlam.




==========================
Viraf Mulla
C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
Borivali (West)
Mumbai 400103
Tel: +91-22-8954510
E-mail: sncf@godrejnet.email
==========================

From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <sncf@godrejnet.email

Subject:

Date: 14 Jan 1998 18:48:00 -0500


SORRY GUYS

I slipped, I had been to Ratlam to travel behind the last of the STEAM
hauled M.G.passenger trains and not last of MG passenger trains.

Bye

==========================
Viraf Mulla
C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
Borivali (West)
Mumbai 400103
Tel: +91-22-8954510
E-mail: sncf@godrejnet.email
==========================

From: David Bloyed <dbloyed@airmail.email

Subject:

Date: 15 Jan 1998 20:23:00 -0500


Sank, can you ask the IR email group if anyone has any contacts in Gwalior
India that work for or know about the ex-Scidia Light Railway now Gwalior
Light Railway. I know there are still 3 rail lines in Gwalior, I saw this
in an India travel book. I have been researching this Railroad and now
need to speak to a person in Gwalior or someone that is familiar with the
Gwalior area and rail lines. Thanks David A. Bloyed

From: SHANKAR <shankie@emirates.email

Subject: GWALIOR LIGHT RAILWAYS

Date: 17 Jan 1998 01:16:00 -0500


Hello David,
I received your e-mail about the Gwalior lines. Although I'm sorry I do not know
anyone there, nor have I lived there, I can however give you some information
on the subject, based on my archives.As you say you are researching the subject,
chances are that you already know all that I'm about to tell you,but nontheless,
let me give it a shot:

OTHER THAN THE TWO MOUNTAIN RAILWAYS OF DARJEELING HIMALAYAN AND MATHERAN LIGHT,
the only other 2' 0" narrow gauge railway in active use on the IR originates
out of Gwalior.
In the 1890s, Madhav Rao Scindia,the Maharaja of Gwalior,who had a passion for
steam locomotives, established his own private 2'0" gauge ng railway within his
palace grounds. The first engine was a dimunitive 0-4-2T tank,built in 1893 by
Brush, of the UK.
What started off as a prince's toy soon grew into a very serious 2' 0" railway
system,covering his entire kingdom.There were three branch lines radiating out
of Gwalior: to Sheopur Kalan (198 km), Shivpuri (118 km) and Bhind (83 km).In
addition,there was an isolated section from Ujjain to Agar.(mileage unknown).
These four lines were managed by the Maharaja under the name Gwalior Light
Railways". In 1942,the name was changed to Scindia State Railway.By 1951,these
lines passed onto the nationalized Indian Railways network,and came under the
perview of the Central Railway.
The Gwalior-Shivpuri line and the Ujjain-Agar lines have since been closed,and
only the Bhind and Sheopur Kalan lines survive.
On my next e-mail (which follows immediately) I will send you info about the
rolling stock of the Gwalior lines. I decided to break it up as this e-mail
will then become horrendously long.
I hope to have been of some help.
Best regards.
S.Shankar <shankie@emirates.email OR <shankies97@yahoo.email

From: SHANKAR <shankie@emirates.email

Subject: GWALIOR RAILWAYS-ROLLING STOCK

Date: 17 Jan 1998 01:16:00 -0500


Hello David,
Here we go again. This e-mail covers the rolling stock of the Gwalior lines:
But before that,you must be aware of IR's (over)ambitious "unigauge" ptogram,
i.e. a scheme to convert all mg and ng lines into bg,so as to have one uniform
gauge (bg) over the entire IR network.
Under this scheme,a parallel bg line from Gwalior to Bhind (parallel to the
2'0" line) in under construction.
The Sheopur Kalan side is mercifully untouched a yet, abt whether these lines
too will subseuently come under the "project unigauge" hammer,time only will
tell.
On to the stock, then:
The first engine, as I've said earlier, was a small 0-4-2T built in 1893 by the
UK firm of Brush. This was probably when the railway was confined to the palace
grounds.
While the earliest engines were tanks, they proved to be deficient in water and
coal carrying capacity once the railway began to expand,and all subsequent
orders were for conventional tender engines only.For a very long
time,engines came from Kerr Stuart & Co.
The 2'0" gauge steam engines were large-ish in size.The first two classes of
tender engine were classed NH-2 (built 1923) and NH-3 (built 1928),and both
were 2-8-2s.
The first post-war engines came in 1949 from Baldwin, and in keeping with their
American profile, were massive by 2' 0" standards.They incorporated a break in
the usual design by featuring a very large dome, incorporating a sand box.The
Yankee engines also had a steel firebox and a higher working pressure of 14.1
kg/sq.cm instead of the usual 12.7.These US engines were classed NH-4,and
were 2-8-2s as well.
The next lot came from Japan (Nippon Sharayo).Almost similar to the Yankees,the
Jap engines(built 1959) were classed NH-5,again, 2-8-2s.The Japanese NH-5s
were the last ng steam engines added to the Indian Railway locomotive fleet.
Apart from the NH engines, (NH-2/3/4/5),others were:
ND class 4-6-4s (Kerr Stuart)(built 1927)
NM class 4-6-2s (W.G.Bagnall) (built 1931)
The Ujjain-Agar line was also worked by two NMs, which were subsequently moved
to Gwalior after that line closed down.
As with all other lines on the IR, steam has been completely withdrawn from the
Gwalior lines as well, and none of the engines have been preserved, to the best
of my knowledge.
The Poona (Pune) edition of the Indian Express newspaper of March 31,1992
carried an article and a picture showing one of the NMs on a flatbed road
trailer, saying that two of the NMs from the Gwalior lines are being shipped
back to the UK 'as a gift from India'.
My next e-mail will give some info about present day stock.
Best regards.
Shankar. shankie@emirates.email OR shankies97@yahoo.email

From: SHANKAR <shankie@emirates.email

Subject: CONCLUDING GWALIOR LINES

Date: 17 Jan 1998 01:16:00 -0500


THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE DAVID. I'll be brief this time:
As everywhere elso on the IR, steam is being abandoned on the Gwalior lines as
well, but the problem was to get diesel motive power. Experience in
dieselization on the 2' 0" ng was very limited: the Matheran lines inherited
engines from the 2' 6" Kalka-Simla line (after the engines were re-gauged to
2' 0'), and the Darjeeling Himalayan lines are still steam worked.
To the drawing board it was then, and then emerged India's first
home-designed and home built 2' 0" diesel engine, classed NDM/1.The engines
are diesel-hydraulic,and follow th usual hood design, with a single raised
cab at
one end.Built:1987, Wheel arrangement:B-B.rated horsepower:450 hp:adequate,as
much of the terrain is flat.At least two are in operation no. 801 and 802:there
might have been additions.
Another attraction on the Gwalior lines is the diesel railcar.Diesel railcars
are not exactly a new concept on the IR (they are rare, though),but this was the
first time a diesel railcar was introduced on the 2' 0" ng.(The ONLY
exception was a Dodge bus converted to a railcar used on the Matheran Railway).
The Gwalior railcar services were introduced on Jan 23, 1987,with the sole
purpose of providing faster transit times, especially on the 198 km Sheopur
Kalan section, which is a hell of a long haul for a 2' 0" railway!
The railcars are classed NDRM/1.
While the locomotive hauled (and quaintly named) Kannokunwari Mixed Express (it
stops at all stations, nonetheless) takes 10 hr 10 min for the 198 km run,the
NDRM railcar finishes with a very respectable 8 hr 55 min.
The railcar runs all the way upto Sheopur Kalan only thrice a week.On the other
four days,it terminates it run halfway at Sabalgarh,taking 3 hr 55 min for the
83 km run.
Thats all I know,David.While I may not be able to provide youwith any additional
information, I'll be only too happy to give any clarifications you may require.
I hope I was of some help.
Best regards.
Shankar.(shankie@emirates.email or (shankies97@yahoo.email

From: Don Dickens <ddickens@e-z.email

Subject: Thanks and wishful thinking

Date: 16 Jan 1998 03:31:00 -0500


I really enjoyed your reply to David Bloyed. Oh how interesting it would
be if there were more available, especially for me, of the railway
within the palace grounds.
On a similar note, oh how I wish I could find that much information
about the Patiala State Monorail Tramway. My net page concerning that
delightful little railway leaves more questions than answers.

<A HREF="http://www.e-z.net/~ddickens/monorail/">http://www.e-z.net/~ddickens/monorail/</A>

Any suggestions you might have concerning sources of information would
be most appreciated.