IRFCA Mailing List Archive


Messages 6801 - 6820

From: SHRINIVAS V. JOSHI <>

Subject: Re: Bomb Blast

Date: 23 Jun 1999 21:23:59 -0500




On Wed, 23 Jun 1999, hvc wrote:

> It was the Mahananda Express bound for Delhi which was bombed at New
> Jalpaiguri.

> Unconfirmed news report say that ULFA(an extremist outfit in Assam)
> targetted the Delhi train at the behest of ISI, Pakistan to hamper the
> movement of Gorkha/ Assam Rifle troops to Kargil area.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Yes, two jawans bound for Kargil were killed before facing the enemy
from
across the border.

--Shrinivas

From: SHRINIVAS V. JOSHI <>

Subject: Re: information

Date: 23 Jun 1999 22:55:35 -0500



Hi!



On Wed, 23 Jun 1999, Anne Ogborn wrote:

> Question - I've lived in Delhi some, and have only once seen a person
atop a car,
> that on a Delhi-Ahmedabad train. If hundreds use this form of
transport daily,
> how is it that I haven't seen them?



May be in & around Delhi or not, but the travelling on top of the roof
is
common thing for passengers on suburban trains in Mumbai section, more
so
on Western Railway. These may not be of decent type but they do dare to
travel in such fashion. Sometimes on the bars of windows as well. No
doubt
it is sometimes a reason for mishaps.


Shrinivas

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Narrow Gauge locos page

Date: 24 Jun 1999 05:38:26 -0500


Gang !

Check out my Narrow Gauge locos page.

Go to:
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/ApuB/">http://members.tripod.com/ApuB/</A>

and click on the NG link right at the end.

Apurva

From: hvc <>

Subject: Re: information

Date: 24 Jun 1999 22:11:45 -0500


Maybe you were not at the right places at the right times. Three tracks
out
of Delhi are unelectrified and you can daily see the roofriders on the
local
trains on these routes.
I again saw yesterday between Delhi -Reengus.

Harsh

-----Original Message-----
From: Anne Ogborn <anniepoo@netmagic.email
To: hvc <hvc@vsnl.email
Cc: David Trotter <david@dtrotter.email Indian Rail
<irfca@cs.email
Date: Thursday, June 24, 1999 8:37 AM
Subject: Re: information


>hvc wrote:
>>
>> I have plenty of experience of travelling on top of trains. That
includes
>> all gauges.
>>
><snip>
>> You can try it on passenger trains(mg) between Delhi - Rewari joined
by
>> hundreds of daily travellers. On branch lines in UP and Bihar. On
some MG
>> lines in Rajasthan.
>>
>
>Question - I've lived in Delhi some, and have only once seen a person
atop
a car,
>that on a Delhi-Ahmedabad train. If hundreds use this form of transport
daily,
>how is it that I haven't seen them?
>
>--
>Anniepoo
>Need loco motors?
><A HREF="http://www.idiom.com/~anniepoo/depot/motors.html">http://www.idiom.com/~anniepoo/depot/motors.html</A>
>

From: Steven Brown <>

Subject: Re: Marklin Train Sets.

Date: 25 Jun 1999 06:35:01 -0500


There's a Marklin section in the auction service "eBay" ,
<A HREF="http://listings.ebay.com/aw/listings/list/category1557/index.html">http://listings.ebay.com/aw/listings/list/category1557/index.html</A>

Most sellers are willing to ship internationally, but customs duty might
be
a little problem....

Regards
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <sncf@godrej.email
To: Karthik Giddu <gidduk@vsnl.email
Cc: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: Friday, June 25, 1999 5:03 AM
Subject: Re: Marklin Train Sets.


>On Tue, 22 Jun 1999, Karthik Giddu wrote:
>
>> Hi Gang,
>> Can anyone tell me where do u get marklin Model train sets in India.
>> In case of any other country what would the price of a basic model
set.
>> Thanks,
>> Karthik
>
>
>
>Hello karthik,
>
>Basic Marklin train sets are available in Bombay at Departmental
Stores
>like Akbarallis, The Gift Shop (next to Flora Fountain Akbarallis),
Benzer
>and India Hobby Centre. The price of a basic oval with a shunter and
three
>coaches should be somewhere near Rs.10,000/- pretty expensive.
>
>They are also imported by: Mr.Hasit Jhaveri
> Rolex Lanolin
> Princess Street
> Mumbai.
>
>There are a couple of secondhand Marklin sets in very good condition &
>prices available here in Bombay these days. You may get in touch with
my
>friend Mr.I.S.Anand - 5226163 or send a mail to me for further details.
>
>Regards
>Viraf
>
>PS: Hornby train sets are easily avaiable here.
>
>==========================
>Viraf Mulla
>C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
>Borivali (West)
>Mumbai 400103
>Tel: +91-22-8954510
>E-mail: sncf@godrej.email
>==========================
>
>
>

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: Indrayani Express

Date: 25 Jun 1999 07:31:09 -0500




hvc wrote:

> Sorry, but I meant passenger stock. I believe the last train to be
> convereted to air-brake was the Bombay-Pune passenger.

I have not seen the 1325/26 Overnight passenger's rake recently, but yes
if that is
also air braked, then all the short distance Mumbai Pune trains have air
braked rake.
The long distance rakes like 6011 (CSTM - MAS Express) or 1081 (CSTM -
CAPE Exp) still
have vac brakes. The trains to Kolhapur, 7303 Koyna and 7303 Sahyadri
are vacuum
braked

> BTW I don't think the EMUs climb the real ghats.
> Don't the Pune -Lonavala EMUs have a motorman in the rear cabin and in
that
> case I suppose it is as good as a banker. Do these EMUs have 2 or 3
power
> coaches? I cannot recall.

EMU climb the ghats only under the authority of a loco inspector who is
in the rear
cab. The problem is of poor brake power in case of OHE failure and the
EMU can have
lots of problem in the event of coupling failure. The ghat transfer of
the EMUs is a
dangerous operation and although there has been no accident to date, one
can never be
really sure. The lightly built and just about adequately powered EMU may
accelerate
and brake impressively on level ground, but in the ghats the loco hauled
train wins
hands down. I believe the EMU lacks the power to haul a full load up the
ghats.
The lack of power of an EMU is apparent when a loco hauled train
comfortably overtakes
a straining EMU as far as top speed is concerned.
One of the serious accident in the ghats with the EMU was when the extra
wide (12" vs
10"8' of the normal coach) rake chopped down 12 gangmen who were trapped
between the
EMU and the tunnel wall. Since that accident, the width of some
sections of the
tunnels have been increased.
Some comments required from Prakash who has a lot of info on EMUs.

Apurva

>
>
> Harsh
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Apurva Bahadur <iti@vsnl.email
> To: hvc <hvc@vsnl.email
> Cc: IRFCA <irfca@cs.email
> Date: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 2:44 AM
> Subject: Re: Indrayani Express
>
> >Many rakes like TK and BCX are still vaccum braked. Only light powers
and
> EMUs
> >(to work Pune - Lonavala suburban section) climb the ghats without a
> banker.
> >Even a single coach train (like a GM or inspection special) is
banked.
> >Most of the freight out of Pune are cement carrying BCN wagons.
> >
> >hvc wrote:
> >
> >> >There have been a couple of incidents where a climbing rake
parted
> >> coupling
> >> >and rolled back.
> >> >In one such incident the climbing freight rake did not have a
banker.
> The
> >> >driver of the lead loco got an erroneous reading of vacuum being
OK by a
> >> rag
> >> >(or a dead rat ?) in the brake pipe.
> >>
> >> Are there still any vaccum-brake-only and without banker trains
still
> >> running in the Bhore/ Thull ghats?
> >
> >

From: hvc <>

Subject: Re: Railbus service

Date: 25 Jun 1999 08:00:08 -0500


Hello Rags and welcome to the group,

Fantastic memories those dating twenty years back or more. Tell me, was
Porbandar not connected directly to Ahemedabad thru' metre gauge in
those
days? What about Bombay - Banglore direct BG link. Were there no thru'
carriage services for Banglore in the Bombay - Madras trains in those
days.

Yes, you are right about the Banglore-Yelahanka railbuses. Even now I
believe there are railbuses on this route albeit on BG. Can anybody
confirm?

Regards,

Harsh

From: hvc <>

Subject: Pune & Bombay EMUs.

Date: 25 Jun 1999 08:06:52 -0500


>1. The dc e.m.u.s in the Bombay area have three power cars.(9-car
>formations, I do not know about the 12 car ones).


Yes, there are plenty of 12 car formations on Bombay suburban routes
especially on the long hauls like Titwala, Ambernath ans Kasara. These
are
also marked on the bonnet. These are usually fast services and maybe
the
possible reason perhaps is that all platforms can't accomodate them.

Some EMUs in Delhi are also 12 car formation apart from usual 6,9 and 10
car
ones.

Harsh

From: hvc <>

Subject: DHR locos.

Date: 25 Jun 1999 08:35:34 -0500


Here is the answer to your query. Don't worry about sending it to David. He has already received it.
 

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: Railbus service

Date: 25 Jun 1999 10:52:34 -0500


There is a picture of a NG railbus in Bill Aitkin's 'Discovering Indian
Railways'
book. Aitkin notes that the suspension of these vehicles is bad (badly
sprung).

Apurva

hvc wrote:

> Hello Rags and welcome to the group,
>
> Fantastic memories those dating twenty years back or more. Tell me,
was
> Porbandar not connected directly to Ahemedabad thru' metre gauge in
those
> days? What about Bombay - Banglore direct BG link. Were there no thru'
> carriage services for Banglore in the Bombay - Madras trains in those
days.
>
> Yes, you are right about the Banglore-Yelahanka railbuses. Even now I
> believe there are railbuses on this route albeit on BG. Can anybody
confirm?
>
> Regards,
>
> Harsh

From: Jishnu Mukerji <>

Subject: Re: information

Date: 25 Jun 1999 10:59:32 -0500


hvc wrote:
>
> Maybe you were not at the right places at the right times. Three
tracks out
> of Delhi are unelectrified and you can daily see the roofriders on the
local
> trains on these routes.
> I again saw yesterday between Delhi -Reengus.

I have ridden on the roof a couple of times, and they were all between
Rewari and Loharu on the Delhi - Bikaner MG line. That used to be my old
stomping grouns when I lived in Pilani, Rajasthan - 14 miles from
Loharu.

Anyway, as for roof rides, one time was on 2BBR Passenger, and the other
time was on Bikaner Express, both during daytime. This was many years
ago - like 25 to 30 years ago, but it was quite an experience, what with
black soot filled smoke from the YP (in case of 2BBR YG) blowing across
my face! But it was fun, and it was much cooler up there than inside the
carriage. Of course, after the trip, a throrough bit of shampooing of
the ehad was in order.:-)


--
Jishnu.

From: Raghavendra Rao <>

Subject: Re: Railbus service

Date: 25 Jun 1999 15:57:42 -0500


Thanks Harsh,

As far as I know there were no direct trains between Ahmedabad &
Porbandar
till
almost early 80's. [It is also possible that we did not have trains at
the
right time
for connecting to Bombay based trains]. In the Bangalore Bombay sector
as
well
there was no single Broad guage train. I remember that we used to switch
from
broad guage to meter guage. I guess it was at Miraj.

Only in 1983/4 I remember of overnight trains between Porbandar &
Ahmedabad.
I remember of one particularly fast connecting train between Porbandar &
a
place I forget. This was during the guage conversion time wherin
Porbandar
Bombay direct trains were yet to start. I used to catch the Bombay
Veraval
(??) train & it used to stop at this godforsaken station which did not
even
have a proper platform. The connecting train was a train with 4
passenger
cars. It used to take about 4.5 hours to cover a distance of about 60
KMs.
I literally saw people flagging the train to a halt, pay the guard [1/2
Rs,
Sometime a bag of vegetables] & sit in the train. And I think it was on
the broad guage.. One of the fastest train journeys I have ever
undertaken.;-)

Will write some of my early memories later...

Raghavendra Rao
Resident Manager
Wipro Optical Networks Projects

* Phone (ESN 39) 3-7377 External (613) 763-7377
* raghav@nortelnetworks.email
* 1285 Baseline Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2C 0A7
SKY, Mailstop 043


> -----Original Message-----
> From: hvc [SMTP:champa@del3.email
> Sent: Friday, June 25, 1999 11:00 AM
> To: Rao, Raghavendra [SKY:WS13:EXCH]; irfca
> Subject: Re: Railbus service
>
> Hello Rags and welcome to the group,
>
> Fantastic memories those dating twenty years back or more. Tell me,
was
> Porbandar not connected directly to Ahemedabad thru' metre gauge in
those
> days? What about Bombay - Banglore direct BG link. Were there no thru'
> carriage services for Banglore in the Bombay - Madras trains in those
> days.
>
> Yes, you are right about the Banglore-Yelahanka railbuses. Even now I
> believe there are railbuses on this route albeit on BG. Can anybody
> confirm?
>
> Regards,
>
> Harsh
>

From: Doug Cummings <>

Subject: Subscribe

Date: 25 Jun 1999 16:48:38 -0500



Doug Cummings,
email: ihp@mindlink.email
fax (604) 444-3507

From: Vdate <>

Subject: Re: Opinion poll

Date: 25 Jun 1999 18:02:21 -0500


How about making it an annual event with publication of the list (and
posting
it ofcourse). That way we can share the expertise of the members with
the
general public and at the same time make the general public more
interested
in what we do? Other topics might be the best running train meals,
courteous
running staff.

From: Vdate <>

Subject: Re: Railbus service

Date: 25 Jun 1999 18:08:14 -0500


The earliest and only memory of railbuses I have, is of one which ran
from
Belgaum south to (probably to UBL) in W.W.II days on MG erstwhile MSM
tracks.

From: Mike Brooker <>

Subject: Rail in Bihar

Date: 25 Jun 1999 19:38:14 -0500


The following item is from today's edition of the Times of India.  Is Bihar really getting screwed over??  Are there any Biharis in IRFCA?
 
Rail development in Bihar unsatisfactory

By Kumod Verma

KHAGAUL: Bihar perhaps is the only state which can boast of having maximum number of Union railway ministers in the last 50 years- namely Jagjiwan Ram, Ram Subhag Singh, L N Mishra, Kedar Pandey, Ram Vilas Paswan and now Nitish Kumar. But as far as rail development is concerned, compared to other states it is still far from satisfaction.

Bihar being the second most populous state, is always given step-motherly treatment as far as demands to run newlong-distance trains are concerned. For instance, a genuine demand to run a super fast train between Patna and Mumbai has been pending with the railway board for a long time, says a railway union representative and maintains that a large number of people belonging to business community and cancer patients in particular have to face immense hardships in absence of a direct super fast train to Mumbai from the state capital.

Out of 25 lakh commuters all over the country, about five lakh of them are in this state. But amenities for the commuters are virtually negligible, says a member of Daily Passengers' Association of Danapur. It is said that while a meagre five per cent of the total investment of Indian railways is being spent in Bihar, the state is never second to other states so far as income is concerned. Yet, for example, the Patna- Gaya section which is due for doubling for over two decades, did not get top priority in any of the railway budget despite repeated assurances by many a railway minister.

It is no denying that the then railway minister late L N Mishra did try hard to develop railways in the north Bihar and connect the state capital to Delhi with fast trains. But development of railways in Bihar was cut short by his premature death in a bomb explosion. However, the pace of development seemed to have picked up when Mr Ram Vilas Paswan became Union railway minister. During his tenure Mr Paswan opened a new zonal office of railways at Hajipur and announced construction of rail bridge over the river Ganga at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore at the proposed Digha-Sonepur site. Track conversion works also got priority in his tenure.

Commenting on the works of Mr Paswan, few railway officials observed that they were mere political rhetoric as there was no justification of a zonal office at Hajipur. Instead a wagon manufacturing factory at Hajipur would have proved a boon for the poor and brought Hajipur on the map of industrial development area, they said and added that the prospects of rail bridge over Ganga would not ultimately materialise due to resource crunch and technical fault at the proposed site. Mr Paswan, however, gave employment to only his caste men in railways, violating all norms and rules, it is said.

The one and a half year tenure of Nitish Kumar as Union railway minister is also replete with promises, assurances and announcements. In the beginning there was a spate of train accidents in Indian railway, particularly, in the Danapur division of Eastern railway. Realising the gravity of situation, Mr Kumar immediately tightened the safety measures and stressed the need of replacement of old and worn out tracks in the division. Perhaps, this step of his taken as an engineer- railway minister checked railway accidents in the division to some extent.

However, the overall improvement in the division is yet to be achieved. Though punctuality of trains has improved a little more, amenities to passengers are still a far cry, causing much hardships to them. The Danapur division alone is running 58 pairs of mail and express trains while the number of passenger trains must be about 22 pairs. Railways find it increasingly difficult to cope with the rush of passengers particularly those commuting between Buxar and Patna and Mokama and Patna.

A large number of railway employees of the division had welcomed the announcement of railway minister to make Danapur division a model division on Indian railways. He had also announced to make Danapur railway hospital a model hospital as well as a centre for the specialised treatment of heart diseases. Unfortunately, no step has been taken so far in this connection.

Unlike other railway minister, Mr Kumar has set a precedent to visit his home state by a special train from Delhi on a few occasion incurring huge expenses, but is yet to improve functioning of railways, particularly in the state where the life-line motto of Indian railways has been missing since Independence.

 
********************************************************************
Mike Brooker
99 Wychcrest Ave.,
Toronto, ON  M6G 3X8
CANADA
(416) 536-7406

From: Jayant S <>

Subject: Re: EMU power

Date: 25 Jun 1999 20:43:30 -0500


Apurva Bahadur wrote:

> ....The lightly built and just about adequately powered EMU may
accelerate
> and brake impressively on level ground, but in the ghats the loco
hauled train > wins hands down. I believe the EMU lacks the power to
haul a full load up the > > ghats......

Just wondering: what is the net horsepower rating
developed by an EMU rake ? Also, are any traction
motor components common with those on locomotives ?

--
JS
--

From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>

Subject: Re: Opinion poll

Date: 25 Jun 1999 20:44:24 -0500


On Fri, 25 Jun 1999 Vdate@aol.email wrote:

> How about making it an annual event with publication of the list (and
posting
> it ofcourse). That way we can share the expertise of the members with
the
> general public and at the same time make the general public more
interested
> in what we do? Other topics might be the best running train meals,
courteous
> running staff.
>

A very good idea. Perhaps we should mail some copies or delivery it
personaly to the General Managers, CPROs & other Top Brass of IR.

Regarding BEST RUNNING TRAIN MEALS - We always used to eat in the
DINNING
CAR whenever travelling to Nagpur & back. Our train used be 1Dn.
Calcutta
Mail via Nagpur.

After Dadar the dinning car attendant used to inquire if we would like
to
have our dinner in the Diner. At Igatpuri the dinner would be served. A
four course meal I remember - Starting with Soup & finishing with Ice
cream & Coffee. We as kids used be thrilled eating in the Dinning Car. I
remember once Mr. Pradeep Kumar (Film Star of the yester years) shared
our
table. The food was always SUPERB.

These days the only train to carry a dinning car is Bombay - Surat
Flying
Ranne (I presume). The car is always crowded not with diners but with
ticketless commuters who bribe the Dinning Car manager & travel.

My daddy talks very highly of the BRANDON CATERING during his times when
eating out at the railway stations was as fashionable as eating in a
Five
Star restaurant these days.

Regards
Viraf



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

From: Jayant S <>

Subject: Re: Leyland Engine ?

Date: 25 Jun 1999 20:49:30 -0500


Shankar wrote:
> Imported engine marketed by Ashok Leyland?
> That must be IVECO. (Italy).

They also have a tie-up with Hino (Japan)
for heavy diesels, don't they ?

--
JS
--

From: SHRINIVAS V. JOSHI <>

Subject: Re: Pune & Bombay EMUs.

Date: 25 Jun 1999 22:42:25 -0500


Hi!

On Fri, 25 Jun 1999, hvc wrote:

> Yes, there are plenty of 12 car formations on Bombay suburban routes
> especially on the long hauls like Titwala, Ambernath ans Kasara. These
are
> also marked on the bonnet. These are usually fast services and maybe
the
> possible reason perhaps is that all platforms can't accomodate them.

Even few slow ones have 12 carriages , because now almost all platforms
bet. CSTM & Kalyan are extended by length of 3 carriage to accomodate
the
12 carriages formation.

Then a very funny controversy took place thanks to CR.

It happened thus.Till 1st April, the position for guard side carriage
was
fixed on both 9 car & 12 car formations, when they used to halt at a
particular station.Thus leaving 3 carriages length vacant in the front.
From 1st April, the CR authorities announced to bring similarity between
carriages halting position in 9 car & 12 car ones. (ladies, 1st class
compartments)This announcement was being played over public address
system
which is centralised from CSTM.

Illustrated is a old halting system:

<------------ Full length of a new platform------------------->
______________________________________________________________
| | |
|G 9 car train M | 12 car train M |
| | |
---------------------------------------------------------------

Then after about 10-15 days they restored to earlier halting system &
that
to at some stations.(Thane, Diva, Thakurli) This created major confusion
amongst daily commuters. One could see ladies, 1 st class passengers
running from one position to another to board the train. So, imagine the
plight of not so frequent passengers.

> Some EMUs in Delhi are also 12 car formation apart from usual 6,9 and
10 car
> ones.

Mumbai EMU's are of either 9 car or 12 cars. 6 car & 10 car are unheard
of.

Bye,

Shrinivas