IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 2001 - 2020
From: Bharat Vohra <bvohra@hotmail.email
Subject: Re: Diesel Queries
Date: 08 Dec 1997 05:42:00 -0500
WDM1's and 4's are still very much in service. WDM1's are in service on
NE rly and a few on SE rly! NE locos are based at Gonda shed at UP. They
can be spotted in Bihar, UP and West Bengal! WDM4's are found on N.Rly
based at Mughalsarai shed...there are quite a few still around and I
even spotted one in Dehradun!!
Regards,
Bharat Vohra
>From irfca-request@cs.email Sat Dec 6 03:25:20 1997
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>Subject: Diesel Queries
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>
>BTW does anyone have any idea what is the current
>status of the WDM1 and WDM4 classes ? The WDM1
>was the Alco DL500 world locomotive, and I last
>heard of the survivors in Bihar. I haven't seen a WDM4
>in ages (were they derived from the early EMD SD types ?),
>apart from a few derelicts near Mughalsarai. Good-looking
>locos they used to be, in a grey and maroon livery on NR.
>
>Also: I read something long ago about the 8-member
>WDM3 class: apparently they were diesel-hydraulic
>express types. Are any still left anywhere ?
>
>--
>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 !
>
>
>
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at <A HREF="http://www.hotmail.com">http://www.hotmail.com</A>
From: Prakash Tendulkar <prakash@us.email
Subject: Re: TV & IR
Date: 08 Dec 1997 10:59:00 -0500
Pushkar,
> Now we have the wimpy WCAM-2, which has a horn like squeaky mouse
That takes me back to old days. In early 60's WP1 had a wonderful
horn that could be heard miles away in winter.
The older WCP1 on CR had a very soft whistle. But WCM1, 3 and 4 of
CR (Hitachi) had a fabulous two tone horn.
> Rajdhani had only two commercial halts - Vadodara and Ratlam -
> and one technical halt - Gangapur City.
When I travelled in early 70s, Rajdhani stopped at Surat to pick up
dinner plates.
Prakash
Notes Address: Prakash Tendulkar/Santa Teresa/IBM@IBMUS
VM Address: IBMUSM50(PRAKASH)
Internet Address: prakash@us.email
Phone: (408)463-3536
apte@spdc.email
12/08/97 05:28 AM
Please respond to apte@spdc.email @ internet
To: irfca@cs.email @ internet
cc: apte@spdc.email @ internet
Subject: TV & IR
The renewed energetic discussions on IR are very refreshing, and it
especially nice to welcome the members who are in India - as they
are keeping us updated on the absolute latest IR news. Keep it up!
Someone mentioned an Indian express journalist interested in IR: I
have a request for this person regarding an old TV film.
In the 1970s, Doordarshan Mumbai (this was before the scourge of
National TV) made superb documentary on the Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani
Express. A reporter travelled in the Engine, in the train for the
entire journey, combining some wonderful footage and some excellent
commentary. These were the early days of the Rajdhani when it was
headed by a same-livery Ratlam WDM-2 all the way, and by the way, I
agree with the school of thought that says that diesel-headed
superfast trains look exceptionally beautiful. The experience of the
Rajdhani rounding the curves around the Narmada bridge near Bharuch,
with the diesel blowing smoke and trumpeting majestically - is an
experience to be cherished - for alas, it will be no more. Now we
have the wimpy WCAM-2, which has a horn like squeaky mouse and isn't
even in the same dress as the train half the time! At the time the
Mumbai TV documentary was made, the Rajdhani had only two commercial
halts - Vadodara and Ratlam - and one technical halt - Gangapur City.
I called Doordarshan when I was in Mumbai and tried to find out if
they had the tape anywhere in the archives - and I got nowhere. If
anyone - maybe this journalist friend of IR - can help us (a) find the
tape and (b) make a copy (legally) - it would be much appreciated.
Regards,
Pushkar
-------
=
From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <sncf@godrejnet.email
Subject:
Date: 09 Dec 1997 20:56:00 -0500
On last saturday my footplating friend saw a dead WCM6 being hauled by a
WCG2 into Kurla Yard. The WCM6 was in a very sorry condition and it's
bright orange livery looked rusted brown.
==========================
Viraf Mulla
C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
Borivali (West)
Mumbai 400103
Tel: +91-22-8954510
E-mail: sncf@godrejnet.email
==========================
From: Sundar Krishnamurthy <coolsundar@hotmail.email
Subject: Re: TV & IR
Date: 08 Dec 1997 20:40:00 -0500
Dear Pushkar,
Thanks for complimenting us... ;-) We are where the action is !!
Well, my friend is a journo working with Express Computer. They publish
a weekly dead-tree (paper) infozine called Web Vision. She has a passing
interest in trains; but would like to write about our experiences
through irfca, and the utility of the net in keeping train info flowing
- the focus is the Net, and sadly not trains; but I am coaxing her to
shift the spotlight on trains. I may be preparing a draft copy of the
report, and it will be mailed to all of you for suggestions and
modifications - before it appears in print. Please gimme ideas.
I can courier the magazine to you people at your snail mail addresses in
US, etc. Well, I joined this mailing list sometime in September 97. I
need history of this newsgroup - Who started it? Maintained it? How did
this grow? Is there a list of all subscribers to this list? Was any
spamster thrown out :-)? Does IR know about it etc. ... So many
questions. I am aiming for a mid-Jan publishing and need info by this
month-end.
Been to Mambalam station on the MG suburban section of Chennai today
morning. The foot overbridge is a marvel, with paintings of various
steam locomotives and info on them. I was very glad that nobody had
obfuscated them with posters!! Also featured is the Brindavan from
Bangalore and a 25 KV AC local. One bothering thought for somebody
knowing about electricity - the loading gauge on IR for MG is very
small. This makes the 25 KV AC catenary to hang quite low over the
tracks. Its very probable that corona leakage from the wires would cause
considerable energy loss to SR. At level crossings, the wires are raised
to permit trucks to pass underneath. Whenever a train is incident on the
crossing, the pantographs move upwards due to the spring action and
immediately contract after the crossing when the tense catenary lowers.
It is an unbelievably wonderful sight to watch!!
I am absolutely sure that repowering Mumbai CR/WR with 25 KV AC is an
economic and logistical impossibility. Disruptions in service cannot be
justified by such measures. If ICF makes dual voltage EMUs, then the
possibility exists. Else, we will see WDM2 push-pulls instead of locals
in Mumbai for a few months. Its acceleration and braking prowess are
strictly under doubt.
Well, about the critical discussion on WCAM2/3s, methinks that railfans
would have shown the same contempt to the first WDMs when they
threatened XP/WP's. I takes some time to accept change... I am sure,
after a few years, somebody will cry out for WCAMs when better locos
appear!!
I am sure, films division of India may have something on IR; other than
the level crossing warning message films!!!!
Sundar Krishnamurthy
>
>The renewed energetic discussions on IR are very refreshing, and it
>especially nice to welcome the members who are in India - as they
>are keeping us updated on the absolute latest IR news. Keep it up!
>Someone mentioned an Indian express journalist interested in IR: I
>have a request for this person regarding an old TV film.
>
>I called Doordarshan when I was in Mumbai and tried to find out if
>they had the tape anywhere in the archives - and I got nowhere. If
>anyone - maybe this journalist friend of IR - can help us (a) find the
>tape and (b) make a copy (legally) - it would be much appreciated.
>
>Regards,
>Pushkar
>-------
>
______________________________________________________
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From: viral desai <virald@giasbma.email
Subject:
Date: 09 Dec 1997 22:40:00 -0500
HI GUYS,
RECENTLY I WENT TO THE EUOPEAN SERVER SITE.THERE THEY HAD SHOWN THE LIST =
OF WORLD FASTEST TRAINS.(IN TERMS OF AVG. SPEED BETWEEN ANY TWO STATION =
IN ITS JOURNEY) THERE RAJDHANI WAS LISTED(NO SHATABDIS) AS HAVING THE =
AVG.SPEED OF 100.7 KMPH BET. MUGHALSARAI AND GAYA WHICH WAS WAY DOWN THE =
LIST AFTER TRAINS FROM MANY COOUNTRIES EVEN MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES WHERE =
TRAINS ARE NOT SO POPULAR .=20
CAN'T INDIA HAVE A TRAIN COMPETING WITH THE TRAINS FROM AROUND THE =
GLOBE
ESPECIALLY TRAINS ARE SO POPULAR ?
ALSO CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHETHER AT ANY OTHER PLACE DO RAJDHANI'S AND =
SHATABDI'S HAVE GREATER AVG. SPEEDS. THE DESCRIBE ABOVE .IF SO IRFC =
SHOULD NOTIFY THE EUROPEAN RAIL SERVER GUYS TO RECTIFY THERE MISTAKE.
ALSO NOT CONSIDERING RAJDHANI'S AND SHTABDI'S WHICH ARE THE FASTEST =
TRAINS IN INDIA ACC. IF ANYONE KNOWS PLEASE PROVIDE THE LIST.
THANKS
------=_NextPart_000_0042_01BD04A3.E2080A40
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.71.1712.3"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT" size=3D2>HI =
GUYS,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT" size=3D2>RECENTLY I WENT =
TO THE EUOPEAN=20
SERVER SITE.THERE THEY HAD SHOWN THE LIST </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT" size=3D2> OF WORLD =
FASTEST=20
TRAINS.(IN TERMS OF AVG. SPEED BETWEEN ANY TWO STATION IN ITS JOURNEY) =
THERE=20
RAJDHANI WAS LISTED(NO SHATABDIS) AS HAVING THE AVG.SPEED OF 100.7 KMPH =
BET.=20
MUGHALSARAI AND GAYA WHICH WAS WAY DOWN THE LIST AFTER TRAINS FROM MANY=20
COOUNTRIES EVEN MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES WHERE TRAINS ARE NOT SO POPULAR .=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT" size=3D2>CAN'T INDIA HAVE =
A TRAIN=20
COMPETING WITH THE TRAINS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT" size=3D2>ESPECIALLY =
TRAINS ARE SO=20
POPULAR ?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT" size=3D2>ALSO CAN ANYONE =
TELL ME=20
WHETHER AT ANY OTHER PLACE DO RAJDHANI'S AND SHATABDI'S HAVE GREATER =
AVG.=20
SPEEDS. THE DESCRIBE ABOVE .IF SO IRFC SHOULD NOTIFY THE EUROPEAN RAIL =
SERVER=20
GUYS TO RECTIFY THERE MISTAKE.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT" =
size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT" size=3D2>ALSO NOT =
CONSIDERING=20
RAJDHANI'S AND SHTABDI'S WHICH ARE THE FASTEST TRAINS IN INDIA ACC. IF =
ANYONE=20
KNOWS PLEASE PROVIDE THE LIST.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT" =
size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT" =
size=3D2>THANKS</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Calisto MT"=20
size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
------=_NextPart_000_0042_01BD04A3.E2080A40--
From: Rangachari Anand <ranand@us.email
Subject: Re: TV & IR
Date: 09 Dec 1997 08:55:00 -0500
This is amazing as I clearly remember this program from 25 years ago very
clearly.
I recall that they had several spectacular shots from the cab at speed. The
fireman
I recall stored his cofee in the engine compartment of the WDM2 and went out on
the
small ledge at over 100 KM/h to fetch the coffee. The engine was from the Parel
shops as I recall.
There was also a very nice color photo special about the Rajdhani in the
Illustrated
Weekly some time in the early 70s.
Anand
From: Jishnu Mukerji <jis@fpk.email
Subject: Re: TV & IR
Date: 09 Dec 1997 10:38:00 -0500
> I joined this mailing list sometime in September 97. I
> need history of this newsgroup - Who started it? Maintained it? How did
> this grow? Is there a list of all subscribers to this list? Was any
> spamster thrown out :-)? Does IR know about it etc. ...
I don't know if IR knows about it, but I know that the PRO of ER knows
about it. Last time when I was in India (Feb 97) I gave a short informal
interview to him at the Fairley Place office, and he actually wrote an
article based on that interview that appeared in the Ananda Bazar
Patrika in Calcutta. I have a soft copy of it in Bengali (written using
the English script). I have never gotten around to translating it into
English. If there is interest I will gladly translate it and post it
here.
I also did a bit of research for him about the vintage of "Fairy Queen"
and "Express". His question was, which one is older. A quick looksee
into Hugh Hughe's Vol 1 produced the answer. I could never figure out
why they had not asked Mike Satow (before he passed away). I am sure he
could have given them as authoritative answer as any. Afterall
Continental Railway Circle has all of that material available in their
publications, and I am sure India House in London has all the records to
support Hughe's materials.
Incidentally, I was one of the original perpetrators of this thing. I
never administered the mailing list but as far as I recall, I was
probably number five on it or some such. I will be happy to dig out
early messages. They are sitting on a dead Sun that I can revive to
upload them from there. I have immediate access to most messages
starting from October 1990. In the early days there were the following
people who just used a CC list in their messages:
Vijay Balasubranium <vijayb@pk705vmg.email
Ajai Banerji <ajai@dodo.email
R. Anand <anand@top.email
Aravind <aravind@vax135.email
Dheeraj Sanghi <dheeraj@cs.email
Jishnu Mukerji <jis@mtgzx.email
As you all will notice, most of us have moved on to other pastures since
then. BTW the list above is taken from a typical set of messages. There
were others who participated in some other message exchanges, but this
list appears to be the core team from the records that I have available
online at present.
By October 1990 irfca was already up and running as a mailing list at
UMD, maintained I presume by Dheeraj. That is all I can gather from the
messages that are immediately available to me on a live machine. After I
resuscitate the dead machine I'll let you know any other interesting
finds.
It is really good to see this list come back to life again!
Jishnu.
--
Jishnu Mukerji
Systems Architect
Open Systems Software Division
Email: jis@fpk.email Hewlett-Packard New Jersey Labs,
Tel: +1 973 443 7528 300 Campus Drive, 2E-62,
Fax: +1 973 443 7422 Florham Park, NJ 07932, USA.
From: Prakash Tendulkar <prakash@jps.email
Subject: New Kochi train on Konkan line
Date: 09 Dec 1997 05:06:00 -0500
New Kochi train on Konkan line
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
PANAJI December 8: A new train from Mumbai to Kochi via
Goa will be started on the Konkan Railway from January 2 next
year. Prime Minister I K Gujral will inaugurate the train, an
official release said on Monday. Minister of State for Law and
Justice Ramakant Khalap said the new train service would be a
``real boon to the people of Goa''.
From: S Pai
Subject: Re: TV & IR
Date: 09 Dec 1997 11:27:00 -0500
> By October 1990 irfca was already up and running as a mailing list at
> UMD, maintained I presume by Dheeraj.
Yes, Dheeraj was in charge. Later, for a while (2+ years) the list was homed
at Yale when I took over from Dheeraj; since then it has moved back to
U. Maryland with Anurag Acharya handling the administration.
>From Dheeraj I had received some of the archives of very old messages on
the list. If there's interest I can dig up some of them, but I'm sure
Vijay, Pushkar, or Dheeraj have copies that are more immediately accessible.
(Mine are on some disks offline that I'd have to search for.)
-Satish
From: Vijay.Balasubramanian <Vijay.Balasubramanian@xula.email
Subject: IRFCA history!
Date: 09 Dec 1997 09:36:00 -0500
IRFCA (Indian Railways Fan Club of America) was started way back in
August of 1989. The idea of a mailing list for Indian Railway fans
was conceived by three of us: Sankaran Kumar (works for ???? in
San Diego, California), Dheeraj Sanghi (now a faculty in the Dept. of
Computer Science at IIT, Kanpur), and myself (faculty member in the
Dept. of Computer Science, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans).
Sometime, during the summer of '89, Dheeraj and I had started
communicating my email. One fine way, I discovered to my delight, a
series of messages in Soc.Culture.Indian, the discussion on IR being
initiated by Kumar. And then I realized that I was not the only nut out
there. We floated the idea of a train club on the net and were pleased
to receive a few responses. Dheeraj volunteered to maintain the list
of about 8 people. I recall some names: Chitta Baral, Shriram
Revankar,...... The name was conceived by Yours Truly (could not come
up with a better one :-) ). After Dheeraj left for India sometime
in 1992(?), S Pai (works for ????? in Concord, Massachusetts)
took over the list. At present, Anurag Acharya (Univ. of Maryland) is
in charge of the list. He should have all the details about the
current strength of the list (more than 100?), the names, etc.
BTW, how many countries are represented: USA, UK, India, ......?
Please fill in the details, fellow IRFCAites!!
Vijay
From: Anurag Acharya <acha@cs.email
Subject: Re: TV & IR
Date: 09 Dec 1997 05:37:00 -0500
I have a fairly large archive of irfca messages. I don't know if it is
complete; it includes everything I got from Satish and everything
thereafter. Here is the earliest one I have.
anurag
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 89 23:03:08 -0400
From: dheeraj@cs.email (Dheeraj Sanghi)
Message-Id: <8908300303.AA08068@nile.email
To: irfca@amazon.email
Subject: A mailing list
Status: R
Hi everyone,
I have set up a mailing list, so that everyone can send mail
at one address, and there is no need to remember all the addresses.
It can be accessed as "irfca@amazon.email.
But beware, this can be a temporary mailing list, since the
system-staff may not like the idea. But until that time,....
Here is the current list of members,
chitta@konark.email
dheeraj@amazon.email
kumar@iec.email
kumar@mps.email
raja@cpsvax.email
revankar@cs.email
roy@neon.email
selwyn@delta.email
vbs@silly.email
I would be keeping an archive of all the mail to this address,
(Well, as long as the address is working) but currently have
no plans for making it available via anonymous ftp. I have not
put biswaas@uimrl.email since mail to him bounces. For any
add/delete request, please send mail to irfca-request@amazon.email.
thanks for all the mail from all you guys so far,
-dheeraj
From: Vijay.Balasubramanian <Vijay.Balasubramanian@xula.email
Subject: Re: TV & IR
Date: 09 Dec 1997 09:51:00 -0500
Thanks for filling in, Jishnu!!
> Vijay Balasubranium <vijayb@pk705vmg.email
> Ajai Banerji <ajai@dodo.email
> R. Anand <anand@top.email
> Aravind <aravind@vax135.email
> Dheeraj Sanghi <dheeraj@cs.email
> Jishnu Mukerji <jis@mtgzx.email
Ajai has gone back to India and was in Dehra Dun when I last heard from
him (about a year back). I tried calling Arvind once but couldn't reach
him. I have a feeling that he's gone back to India. I still have fond
memories of our first IRFCA get-together at Arvind's place. Ajai flew
all the way from California to attend it.
> I don't know if IR knows about it, but I know that the PRO of ER knows
> about it. Last time when I was in India (Feb 97) I gave a short
informal
> interview to him at the Fairley Place office, and he actually wrote an
> article based on that interview that appeared in the Ananda Bazar
> Patrika in Calcutta. I have a soft copy of it in Bengali (written
using
> the English script). I have never gotten around to translating it into
> English. If there is interest I will gladly translate it and post it
> here.
Another article appeared in The Telegraph (Viraf knows the details; he
mailed me a hard-copy). This was based on my interview with a
journalist back in July of 1995 during my trip to India.
>
> Incidentally, I was one of the original perpetrators of this thing. I
> never administered the mailing list but as far as I recall, I was
> probably number five on it or some such. I will be happy to dig out
> early messages. They are sitting on a dead Sun that I can revive to
> upload them from there. I have immediate access to most messages
> starting from October 1990. In the early days there were the following
> people who just used a CC list in their messages:
>
I have an archive of all the messages on the net since Aug. 1989.
My initial messages (1989 - 1992) are on a UNIX formatted disk and I
to transfer them to DOS format.
Vijay
From: Peter Mosse <pjcm@worldnet.email
Subject: Metre Gauge Steam on WR Passenger Trains
Date: 09 Dec 1997 11:57:00 -0500
According to the latest issue of World Steam, YP pacifics still work 73/4
and 89/90 Fast Passenger trains between Ratlam and Chitturgargh (186 km),
and Indore and Chitturgargh (305 km) respectively. The locos are well
maintained and run up to 75 kph with some heavy loads. However all
workings around Udaipur have been dieselized following the closure of
Ranapratapnagar shed there.
Peter Mosse
From: S Pai <
Subject: Re: Metre Gauge Steam on WR Passenger Trains
Date: 09 Dec 1997 12:35:00 -0500
Are any of the broad-gauge steam locos that used to haul local passenger
trains still in operation? I don't recall the class name -- not "WP" which
I believe was the conical-faced loco used for express trains, but the
flat-faced one with a rigged headlamp on top. For example, a fleet of these
used to haul the Delhi-Palwal hourly shuttles in the '70s before diesels
and electrics took over.
Thanks,
-Satish
From: viral desai <virald@giasbma.email
Subject:
Date: 10 Dec 1997 09:31:00 -0500
HI GUYS,
I RECEIVED A MAIL THAT MY EARLIER MAIL WAS NOT DELIVERABLE SO I AM SENDING
THIS MESSAGE AGAIN.
RECENTLY I WENT TO THE EUOPEAN SERVER SITE.THERE THEY HAD SHOWN THE LIST
OF WORLD FASTEST TRAINS.(IN TERMS OF AVG. SPEED BETWEEN ANY TWO STATION IN
ITS JOURNEY) THERE RAJDHANI WAS LISTED(NO SHATABDIS) AS HAVING THE
AVG.SPEED OF 100.7 KMPH BET. MUGHALSARAI AND GAYA WHICH WAS WAY DOWN THE
LIST AFTER TRAINS FROM MANY COOUNTRIES EVEN MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES WHERE
TRAINS ARE NOT SO POPULAR .
CAN'T INDIA HAVE A TRAIN COMPETING WITH THE TRAINS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
ESPECIALLY TRAINS ARE SO POPULAR ?
ALSO CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHETHER AT ANY OTHER PLACE DO RAJDHANI'S AND
SHATABDI'S HAVE GREATER AVG. SPEEDS. THE DESCRIBE ABOVE .IF SO IRFC SHOULD
NOTIFY THE EUROPEAN RAIL SERVER GUYS TO RECTIFY THERE MISTAKE.
ALSO (NOT CONSIDERING RAJDHANI'S AND SHTABDI'S,) WHICH ARE THE FASTEST
TRAINS IN INDIA ACC. IF ANYONE KNOWS PLEASE PROVIDE THE LIST.
THANKS
From: Vijay.Balasubramanian <Vijay.Balasubramanian@xula.email
Subject: More images!
Date: 09 Dec 1997 14:41:00 -0500
Hi Folks,
Check out my second batch of photos at:
<A HREF="http://www.xula.edu/~vbalasub/train2.html">http://www.xula.edu/~vbalasub/train2.html</A>
These are some of the snaps taken during my journey from Bombay V.T.
to Bhusaval on the WCM5 and WAM4 locos. hauling the Pushpak Exp.
Enjoy!!!
Vijay
From: Auroprem Kandaswami <kandaswa@apple.email
Subject: Re:
Date: 09 Dec 1997 11:15:00 -0500
Hi all,
I don't think Pink City Express could have claim to being the fastest
M.G. train in the world.
The fastest M.G. train in the world has always been the Chennai-Madurai
(2635/2636) Vaigai Express clearing the distance of 492 kms. in 7 hours
30 minutes straight, (on a Metre Gauge, single-line, most of it
un-electrified,
with Manually Controlled Signalling Sections) since its introduction in
1977. Since the day of introduction, the Vaigai express has been very
close and comparable in terms of running time and average kms/hour to
other prestigious inter-city express trains in the country such as
2675/2676 Chennai-Coimbatore Kovai express and 2933/2934 Mumbai-Ahmedabad
Karnavati Express. I am using these two BG trains for comparison, since
both these run almost the same distance, on Double Line for their entire
journeys on completely Electrified lines with Automatic Signalling -
still taking almost the same time and average as the Vaigai running just
on Manually-controlled Tiruchi-Madurai Sections. (Kudos to Madurai
Division of the SR!)
Another interesting observation on Vaigai Express - it is one of the rare
Super Fast trains in India, which has retained the same number of
stoppages since Day 1 of operation (Villupuram, Vriddachalam, Tiruchi &
Dindigul stations), no additional political, commercial or technical
halts since the last 20 years.
Vaigai Express is certainly the Uncrowned King (rather Queen) of the
M.G. World. Only recently, its timings have been revised to almost 8
hours and thirty minutes - and that is because Chennai-Dindigul M.G.
section is being converted to B.G. . Once the entire Chennai-Madurai
line is up and running on B.G., we will miss the "real" Vaigai Express
once for all - the original M.G. version. Even if the new Vaigai Express
is put on B.G. - it will lack the lustre, charm and beauty of the M.G.
days!
Have fun,
Auro
>
>Hi Guys
>
>On the topic of Diesel hauled expresses, don't forget to include the only
>Pink Coloured Express in the world - THE PINK CITY EXPRESS. It used to run
>from Delhi to Jaipur with a brief halt at Alwar. Later as usaul many more
>stops were included.In those days The Pink City Express was considered to
>be the fastest M.G. train in the world. I had travelled on this train in
>1979 and it was my first M.G. train ride. An Austrian fellow passenger was
>very much impressed by the speed then.
>
>==========================
>Viraf Mulla
>C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
>Borivali (West)
>Mumbai 400103
>Tel: +91-22-8954510
>E-mail: sncf@godrejnet.email
>==========================
>
From: Sundar Krishnamurthy <coolsundar@hotmail.email
Subject: WDM2 Superfast enthusiasts!! Rejoice!!!
Date: 09 Dec 1997 18:21:00 -0500
Hello people,
Even if WCAMs and WAPs take over the bulk of superfast traffic, a few
prestige trains can never lose their diesel leaders!!
1. The New Delhi - Bangalore City Karnataka Express. This 21 coach
superfast train will always have a twin diesel WDM2's from Itarsi
managing affairs - it goes from Secunderabad/Hyderabad to Bangalore on
an unelectrified route. In the recent ghastly collision near New Delhi,
the pics clearly showed two WDM2's in ghastly condition for Karnataka
Express!!! Incidentally, I can only think of Itarsi as the exclusive
station having two loco sheds - one for WDM2's and other for AC WAx
locos. Are there any more???
2. Again, the New Delhi/Hazrat Nizamuddin - Bangalore bi-weekly Rajdhani
Express. SR used to take pains to keep a matching red/yellow WDM2 from
Krishnarajapuram to manage this 9/12 coach deluxe train. It
went all the way upto New Delhi, I guess.
Sundar Krishnamurthy
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sundar Krishnamurthy ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._
9/66, Welfare Hse, Sion (W), `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`)
Mumbai 400 022. INDIA (_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-'
Tel : +91 +22 4071254 _.. `--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,'
coolsundar@hotmail.email (il),-'' (li),' ((!.-'
<A HREF="http://sundar.home.ml.org">http://sundar.home.ml.org</A>
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From: sank <sank@telco.email
Subject: BG Steam Locos:
Date: 10 Dec 1997 23:16:00 -0500
>Are any of the broad-gauge steam locos that used to haul local
passenger
>trains still in operation? I don't recall the class name -- not "WP"
which
>I believe was the conical-faced loco used for express trains, but the
>flat-faced one with a rigged headlamp on top. For example, a fleet of
these
>used to haul the Delhi-Palwal hourly shuttles in the '70s before
diesels
>and electrics took over.
>Thanks,
> -Satish
I think Satish means either the WL 4-6-2 light passenger locos or the
WG 2-8-2
goods locos. The last WL-hauled train operated in Punjab in 1995, and
the loco is
now at the Delhi Railway Museum (I do not have the number or name, but
can get
it in Jan). The WL class was based mainly in Punjab operating on lines
which allowed
a maximum axle-load of 17t.
In the late 1980s, I did see WGs hauling stopping trains in the east, as
they were
displaced from freight assignments. In 1984 or so, I was at New
Jalpaiguri on the
NFR (is this the only station in India with all three gauges ?) waiting
for a train
about 6 hrs late on a very cold night. A shunting WG stopped briefly at
the platform.
I was allowed into the nice warm cab by the crew, and spent the next
hour or so in
there while the loco moved all over the yard. At some point the crew
made tea by
getting hold of water from the boiler, and chappaties were made by
putting them
on a shovel and sticking them into the firebox !!
I remember reading that the WGs were the largest class of steam locos
ever made
in the British Commonwealth, though I do not have the numbers. The last
BG steam loco made at Chittaranjan works was the "Antim Sitara" WG of
1970.
Anyone knows of WGs in preservation ?
--
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: dheeraj <dheeraj@iitk.email
Subject: Re: TV & IR
Date: 11 Dec 1997 03:29:00 -0500
> Yes, Dheeraj was in charge. Later, for a while (2+ years) the list was
> homed at Yale when I took over from Dheeraj; since then it has moved
> back to U. Maryland with Anurag Acharya handling the administration.
>
> From Dheeraj I had received some of the archives of very old messages
> on the list. If there's interest I can dig up some of them, but I'm
> sure Vijay, Pushkar, or Dheeraj have copies that are more immediately
> accessible. (Mine are on some disks offline that I'd have to search for.)
>
> -Satish
I am afraid I don't have those archives available now. When I moved
to IIT Kanpur in 1993, I had copied all that on a SUN cartrige, and
I might still have that cartrige, but it would be a challenge to
find a drive to read that tape now. But Vijay had a complete copy
of that archive, and I thought I had sent a copy to Satish also.
While I am it, I must also add that due to my postings on IRFCA, I
was contacted by Prof Harsh Kumar of Railway Staff College, Vadodara
(now in Konkan Railways) to visit and give a lecture there. I went
there, and was very impressed by the setup and the enthusiasm of
faculty and others there. Since then whenever I visit Bombay or other
cities in that region, I always try to spend one day in RSC, Vadodara.
-dheeraj
--------------
Dheeraj Sanghi +91 (512) 59-7077 (Off)
Dept. of Computer Science & Engineering +91 (512) 59-8627 (Res)
Indian Institute of Technology +91 (512) 59-0725 (Fax)
Kanpur - 208 016 (UP), INDIA. dheeraj@iitk.email